The Walls of Malapaga
Encyclopedia
The Walls of Malapaga is a 1949
Franco
-Italian
film co-production made by Francinex and Italia Produzione. It was directed by René Clément and produced by Alfredo Guarini from a screenplay
by Cesare Zavattini
, Suso Cecchi d'Amico
and Alfredo Guarini adapted by Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost. The music score was by Roman Vlad
and the cinematography by Louis Page
.
The film stars Jean Gabin
and Isa Miranda
.
Gabin is a French criminal, Pierre Arrignon, on the run who finds himself in Genoa
, Italy
, and falls in love with a local girl, Marta Manfredini (played by Isa Miranda). The film is set in Italy but the dialogue is in French.
and both Clément and Miranda won awards at the 1949 Cannes Film Festival
. However, it is little-known today, and is not available on video or DVD.
1949 in film
The year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
Franco
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
film co-production made by Francinex and Italia Produzione. It was directed by René Clément and produced by Alfredo Guarini from a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by Cesare Zavattini
Cesare Zavattini
Cesare Zavattini was an Italian screenwriter and one of the first theorists and proponents of the Neorealist movement in Italian cinema.-Brief biography:...
, Suso Cecchi d'Amico
Suso Cecchi d'Amico
Suso Cecchi d'Amico was an Italian screenwriter and actress. She worked with virtually all of the most celebrated post-war Italian film directors, and wrote or co-wrote many award winning films—among them:...
and Alfredo Guarini adapted by Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost. The music score was by Roman Vlad
Roman Vlad
Roman Vlad is an Italian composer, pianist, and musicologist of Romanian birth. He studied with Titus Tarnawski and Liviu Russu in Romania earning a piano diploma. He moved to Rome in 1938 to study at the University of Rome and later the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia...
and the cinematography by Louis Page
Louis Page
Louis Antonio Page was an England international football player and football manager. He was the younger brother of Tom Page.-Club career:Page began his senior career with Merseyside clubs Everton and South Liverpool...
.
The film stars Jean Gabin
Jean Gabin
-Biography:Born Jean-Alexis Moncorgé in Paris, he grew up in the village of Mériel in the Seine-et-Oise département, about 22 mi north of Paris. The son of cabaret entertainers, he attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly...
and Isa Miranda
Isa Miranda
Isa Miranda was an Italian actress with an international film career.A native of Bergamo, Isa Miranda worked as a typist whilst attending the drama academy in Milan and training as a stage actress. She went on to play bit parts in Italian films in Rome...
.
Gabin is a French criminal, Pierre Arrignon, on the run who finds himself in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and falls in love with a local girl, Marta Manfredini (played by Isa Miranda). The film is set in Italy but the dialogue is in French.
Cast
- Jean GabinJean Gabin-Biography:Born Jean-Alexis Moncorgé in Paris, he grew up in the village of Mériel in the Seine-et-Oise département, about 22 mi north of Paris. The son of cabaret entertainers, he attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly...
– Pierre Arrignon - Isa MirandaIsa MirandaIsa Miranda was an Italian actress with an international film career.A native of Bergamo, Isa Miranda worked as a typist whilst attending the drama academy in Milan and training as a stage actress. She went on to play bit parts in Italian films in Rome...
– Marta Manfredini - Vera Talchi – Cecchina, la fille de Marta / Cecchina, figlia di Marta
- Andrea ChecchiAndrea ChecchiAndrea Checchi was a prolific Italian film actor.Born in Florence, Checchi appeared in over 150 films in his lengthy career, which spanned from 1934 to his death in 1974...
– Giuseppe, le mari de Marta / Giuseppe, marito di Marta - Robert Dalban – Le marin / Il marinaio
- Ave NinchiAve NinchiAve Ninchi was an Italian supporting actress who played character roles on stage, television, and in over 98 feature films that included Tomorrow Is Too Late and Louis Malle's Lacombe Lucien . She has worked with some of Italy's top movie stars, including Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni,...
– Maria, la voisine / Maria, la vicina - Checco Rissone – Le faux-monnayeur / il contraffattore
- Renato MalavasiRenato MalavasiRenato Malavasi was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 135 films between 1921 and 1985.-Selected filmography:* Return of Shanghai Joe * Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why?...
– Le dentiste / Il dentista - Carlo TamberlaniCarlo TamberlaniCarlo Tamberlani was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1931 and 1976.He was born in Salice Salentino, Italy and died in Subiaco, Italy.-Selected filmography:* La Damigella di Bard...
– Le commissaire / Il commissario - Vittorio DuseVittorio DuseVittorio Duse was an Italian actor born on March 21, 1916 in Marche, Italy. He died on June 2, 2005 in Rome, Italy....
– L'agent / l'agente
Awards
The Walls of Malapaga was highly regarded in its day: it won an honorary Academy Award for Best Foreign Language FilmAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
and both Clément and Miranda won awards at the 1949 Cannes Film Festival
1949 Cannes Film Festival
The 3rd Cannes Film Festival was held on September 2-17, 1949. No festival was held in 1948.- Jury :The entire jury for this festival were French.*Georges Huisman *Jules Romains *Mme...
. However, it is little-known today, and is not available on video or DVD.