Messalina (1960 film)
Messalina (Italian: Messalina Venere imperatrice) is a 1960 Italian peplum film directed by Vittorio Cottafavi.[4]
| Messalina | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Vittorio Cottafavi |
| Produced by | Erno Bistolfi[1] |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by | Angelo Francesco Lavagnino[1] |
| Cinematography | Marco Scarpelli[1] |
Production company | Cineproduzione Erno Bistolfi[2] |
| Distributed by | AIP TV (US) |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | Italy[2] |
| Language | Italian |
| Budget | slightly less than $1 million[3] |
Plot
After the death of the Emperor Caligula, Claudius is chosen to replace him. Claudius decides to take a new wife, the Vestal Virgin Messalina, the niece of Augustus Caesar.
The night before the wedding Messalina murders a noble via poison. An assassin is sent to kill Messalina; she seduces him, has him killed and presents his severed head.
Cast
- Belinda Lee as Valeria Messalina
- Spiros Focás as Lucius Maximus
- Carlo Giustini as Lucius Geta (as Carlo Justini)
- Giancarlo Sbragia as Aulo Celso (as Gian Carlo Sbragia)
- Arturo Dominici as Gaius Lilius
- Giulio Donnini as Narcissus
- Ida Galli as Silvia
- Mino Doro as Claudius
- Giuliano Gemma as Marcellus
- Annie Gorassini as Courtisan lover of Aulo Ceso
- Lia Angeleri as Vipidia
- Aroldo Tieri as Pirgo Pollinice
- Vittorio Congia as Ortotrago
- Paola Pitagora (as Paola Gargeloni)
- Bruno Scipioni
Production
Belinda Lee's casting was announced in July 1959.[5]
Messalina was shot at Cinecitta Studios in Rome in November-December 1959.[2][3]
It was the first notable role for Giuliano Gemma.[6]
Release
Messalina was released in Italy on 12 March 1960 with a 96-minute running time.[1] It was released in the United States in 1962 with an 84-minute running time.[1]
Filmink called it "The most fun of Lee’s European movies was Messalina (1960), a silly sword and sandal epic with Lee having a high old time as the notorious empress, taking milk baths and seducing gladiators."[7]
References
- Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 116.
- Kinnard & Crnkovich 2017, p. 117.
- Eichelbaum, Stacey (13 December 1959). "Another Epic Filmed in Italy's Hollywood". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 124.
- Roberto Poppi, Mario Pecorari. Dizionario del cinema italiano. I film. Gremese Editore, 2007. ISBN 8884405033.
- "Rome". Variety. 1 July 1959. p. 62.
- Obituary: Giuliano Gemma: Strikingly handsome star of spaghetti westerns including A Pistol for Ringo Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian; London (UK) [London (UK)]11 Nov 2013: 29.
- Vagg, Stephen (September 7, 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
Bibliography
- Kinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476662916.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)