The Great Appeal
The Great Appeal (Italian: Il Grande appello) is a 1936 Italian war film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Camillo Pilotto, Roberto Villa and Lina d'Acosta. It is sometimes known by the alternative title The Last Roll-Call.
| The Great Appeal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Mario Camerini |
| Produced by | Roberto Dandi |
| Written by | Ercole Patti Pietro Solari Mario Soldati Mario Camerini |
| Starring | Camillo Pilotto Roberto Villa Lina d'Acosta Guglielmo Sinaz |
| Music by | Annibale Bizzelli |
| Cinematography | Massimo Terzano |
| Edited by | Fernando Tropea |
Production company | Artisti Associati |
| Distributed by | Artisti Associati |
Release date | November 1936 |
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Camerini was considered to have no sympathies with the Fascist regime of Italy, but he made this propaganda film that endorsed the colonial policies of the Italian government.[1] It was one of a number of African-set films made during the Fascist era including The White Squadron (1936), Sentinels of Bronze (1937) and Luciano Serra, Pilot (1938).[2] The film portrays the rediscovery of his patriotism of an Italian, who eventually dies for his country.
Synopsis
Giovanni Bertani is a rootless Italian emigrant who is currently running a hotel in French Djibouti. Although his son Enrico is serving with the Italian forces in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War he sells arms to the Abyssinian forces fighting them. Following a journey to Abyssinia Giovanni regains his sense of Italian identity, and is fatally wounded blowing up the shipment of arms to the Abyssinians.[3]
Cast
- Camillo Pilotto as Giovanni Bertani
- Roberto Villa as Enrico
- Lina d'Acosta as Pepita
- Guglielmo Sinaz as Miller - il contrabbandiere d'armi
- Bruno Smith as Il giornalista Patti
- Pedro Valdes as Salvador
- Nino Marchetti as Il chirurgo
- Enrico Poggi as Un operaio genovese
References
- Gundle p.31
- Palumbo p.294
- Ben-Ghiat p.134
Bibliography
- Ben-Ghiat, Ruth. Fascist Modernities: Italy, 1922-1945. University of California Press, 2004.
- Gundle, Stephen. Mussolini's Dream Factory: Film Stardom in Fascist Italy. Berghahn Books, 2013.
- Palumbo, Patrizia. A Place in the Sun: Africa in Italian Colonial Culture from Post-unification to the Present. University of California Press, 2003.