Vittorio De Sica: bio of the Italian director and actor

Cinema is that place where the greatest remain forever. The memory of what they have done and produced will never be removed and will resonate forever and ever. People like Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Vittorio De Sica have definitely given prestige and prestige to Italian cinema.

De Sica, in particular, has established himself as one of the most impressive Italian directors and actors at an international level. Authentic precursor of a cinematographic style still appreciated today by critics and public opinion.

The beginnings of Vittorio De Sica

Vittorio De Sica was born in Sora on 7 July 1901 . He grows up in a modest family, but that does not prevent him from entering the world of theater. First, however, he ends up working in a bank after completing his accounting studies.

At the theater he made his debut at the age of 16. World-famous Italian actor, director and screenwriter, he is considered the most admired filmmaker in the history of Italian cinema.

The so-called Neorealism at the turn of the 40s and 50s was born from his inspiration and his marked scenographic inventiveness. A cultural movement that produces historical films such as “Sciuscia”, “Bicycle Thieves” and “Yesterday, today and tomorrow”, just to name a few.

A few years earlier, in 1932 to be precise, he made himself known in the film world by playing a part in the film “Men… what rascals”.

Thanks to this interpretation, he immediately obtained visibility and appreciation from many sides during the Venice Film Festival.

In partnership with Umberto Melnati, he forms a golden couple that cheers the public with gags and catchphrases that have set the standard in those years. The evergreen refrain of “Lodovico, you are sweet as a fig” becomes a cult in this sense.

Also in the 1930s he met the actress Giuditta Rissone , who would become his wife , as well as partner in the theater company they founded. As a director, De Sica’s debut took place in 1940 through “Scarlet Roses”, also played as a protagonist.

He puts in place a conspicuous collaboration with another great Italian screenwriter, Cesare Zavattini. Together they produce the film “Children are watching us”, dated 1940.

The success of Vittorio De Sica

Only with the end of the Second World War is the birth of the real myth configured through the introduction of the so-called Neorealism . The films that symbolize this current of cinematic thought, already mentioned above, are “ Sciuscia ” from 1948 and “ Bicycle Thieves ” in the same year, where he grabs the so-called silver ribbon. Both guarantee him the Oscar which was worth as an award for the best foreign film, still non-existent at the time. All this despite the resentments of part of the Italian population who considered these representations not corresponding to the real situation experienced by Italy at that time. 

With ” Miracle in Milan ” he also made his way to the Cannes Film Festival, where he won the Palme d’Or. “Umberto D” represents the apex of his career as a director according to a large part of film critics. This is because in it, in addition to the veiled dedication to the father, reality was represented in all its nakedness, in a realism that almost made an impression and to which, probably, the cinema of the time was not at all used to receiving so clearly and defined.

From Neorealism to Comedy

The 1950s changed Vittorio De Sica’s scenic and content perspective . “ The gold of Naples ”, which included historical presences among the ranks of him such as Toto, Eduardo De Filippo and Sophia Loren , represents the typical change of pace. In this sense, the passage from a direction based on Neorealism to a scenographic setting more oriented towards folklorism and lightness, typical of that period, in the full Italian economic boom, is carried out. 

Perspective made possible by the distant, but living Neapolitan origins of the director. Lover of Neapolitan song and culture , fervent and proud supporter of the city of Naples that he, coming from outside, could love more than a thoroughbred Neapolitan. Words of him. The Neapolitan repertoire was close to him.

So, in fact, there is less realism and more comedy. Alongside Toto she will act in the film “ The two marshals ”, 1961. The year before she consecrated the figure of Sophia Loren, a great Italian actress, in the famous film “La ciociara”. Film that will earn her the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

The other 2 Oscars of De Sica’s career come , instead, for the interpretations of “Yesterday, today and tomorrow” in 1963 as the best foreign film and “The garden of the Finzi Contini” in 1970. The latter is an emblematic vision of the condition of precariousness and tragicity experienced by a Jewish family during fascism, which is why he was awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1971.

In “ Matrimonio all’italiana ” he collaborates with a film institution such as Marcello Mastroianni, nominated for an Oscar for best film in a foreign language.

As an actor Vittorio De Sica has produced 150 films . The deep relationship he had with Alberto Sordi should not be underestimated . A relationship arises between them on the set which is expressed perfectly in films such as “Il conte max”, “Il moralista”, “Il policeman” and “An Italian in America”, a real pearl from this point of view.

The last steps of his career and his death in 1974

In his career, Vittorio De Sica finds himself playing roles far from the original scenic peculiarity to which the public had accustomed himself. He also starred in a 1974 horror called “Dracula seeks virgin blood and died of thirst” by Paul Morrissey.

The latest interpretations concern the film “We loved each other so much”, a masterpiece by Ettore Scola from 1974, “Around” and “The hero”, directed by Manuel De Sica.

His passion for gambling is well known , so much so that several characters he played took inspiration from his private life. Perfect examples in “Il conte Max”, “An Italian in America” and “L’oro di Napoli”.

Also very active on TV. He mainly participates in entertainment programs typical of the 60s, such as Corrado’s “Sabato sera”, “Canzonissima” with Raffaella Carra and “Il musichiere”.

He died in 1974 at the age of 73 in a remote town in France (Neuilly-sur-Seine) after being operated on for lung cancer . The memory of him remains more than alive in the Olympus of the great Italian cinema.

The most famous son, Christian De Sica, followed in his footsteps as an actor and director, but addressing a decidedly different target and putting in place a realistic and, in some ways, scandalous cinema, but even more comical in its naked and dramatic.

In our eyes the mythical scene between Vittorio and Sophia Loren from “Pane, amore e…” will remain forever, which we propose here again.

Vittorio De Sica film

Here below and in chronological order, the films in which Vittorio De Sica participated, as actor and director.

Actor

1. The Clemenceau Trial, directed by Alfredo De Antoni (1917)
2. The beauty of the world, by Mario Almirante (1927)
3. The Company of Fools, by Mario Almirante (1928)
4. Two Happy Hearts, by Baldassarre Negroni (1932)
5. Men, What Rascals …, by Mario Camerini (1932)
6. The secretary for everyone, by Amleto Palermi (1932)
7. The old lady, by Amleto Palermi (1932)
8. The Lord Desires ?, by Gennaro Righelli (1933)
9. A Bad Subject, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1933)
10. The song of the sun, directed by Max Neufeld (also interprets the German edition, Das Lied der Sonne) (1933)
11. Paprika, by Carl Boese (1933)
12. Lisetta, by Carl Boese (1933)
13. Maximum Time, by Mario Mattoli (1934)
14. I Love You Alone, by Mario Mattoli (1935)
15. Daro a million, by Mario Camerini (1935)
16. I don’t know you anymore, by Nunzio Malasomma (1936)
17. Lohengrin, by Nunzio Malasomma (1936)
18. But it’s not serious, by Mario Camerini (1936)
19. The Man Who Smiles, by Mario Mattoli (1936)
20. These Boys, by Mario Mattoli (1937)
21. Mr. Max, by Mario Camerini (1937)
22. Naples of the past, directed by Amleto Palermi (1937)
23. Papa’s Mazurka, by Oreste Biancoli (1938)
24. They Kidnapped a Man, by Gennaro Righelli (1938)
25. Leaving, by Amleto Palermi (1938)
26. The Two Mothers, by Amleto Palermi (1938)
27. The cuckoo clock, by Camillo Mastrocinque (1938)
28. At your orders, madam …, directed by Mario Mattoli (1939)
29. Castelli in aria, directed by Augusto Genina (also plays the German edition, Ins blaue Leben) (1939)
30. The department stores, by Mario Camerini (1939)
31. It Always Ends Like This, by Enrique Susini (1939)
32. Manon Lescaut, by Carmine Gallone (1940)
33. Crazy with Joy, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1940)
34. Scarlet Roses, directed by Giuseppe Amato and Vittorio De Sica (1940)
35. The Sinner, by Amleto Palermi (1940)
36. Maddalena … zero in conduct, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1940)
37. The adventurer from the upper floor, directed by Raffaello Matarazzo (1941)
38. Teresa Venerdi, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1941)
39. A Garibaldian at the Convent, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1942)
40. The bodyguard, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1942)
41. If I Were Honest, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1942)
42. Our Dreams, by Vittorio Cottafavi (1943)
43. I’m not superstitious … but !, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1943)
44. Nobody Goes Back, by Alessandro Blasetti (1943)
45. The hippocampus, directed by Gian Paolo Rosmino (1945)
46. The Mistake of Being Alive, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1945)
47. The World Wants It Like This, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1945)
48. Down with Wealth !, by Gennaro Righelli (1946)
49. Rome free city, directed by Marcello Pagliero (1946)
50. Lost in the Dark, by Camillo Mastrocinque (1947)
51. Natale al campo 119, directed by Pietro Francisci (1947)
52. The Stranger from San Marino, directed by Michal Waszynski and Vittorio Cottafavi (1947)
53. Cuore, directed by Duilio Coletti and Vittorio De Sica (1948)
54. Tomorrow is Too Late, by Leonide Moguy (1950)
55. Waitress beautiful presence …, directed by Giorgio Pastina (1951)
56. Buongiorno, elefante !, directed by Gianni Franciolini (also production) (1952)
57. The trial of Phryne, episode of Other times – Zibaldone n. 1, directed by Alessandro Blasetti (1952)
58. The jewels of madame de…, by Max Ophuls (1953)
59. Bread, love and fantasy, directed by Luigi Comencini (1953)
60. Accident in Villa Borghese, episode of Villa Borghese, directed by Gianni Franciolini (1953)
61. L’orso, episode of The Marriage, directed by Antonio Petrucci (1954)
62. Outdoor scene and Don Corradino, episodes from Tempi nostra – Zibaldone n. 2, directed by Alessandro Blasetti (1954)
63. Pendolin, episode of One Hundred Years of Love, directed by Lionello De Felice (1954)
64. Il fine dicitore, episode of Gran Varieta, directed by Domenico Paolella (1954)
65. Merry squadron, by Paolo Moffa (1954)
66. Modern Virgin, by Marcello Pagliero (1954)
67. The Players, episode of L’oro di Napoli, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1954)
68. Bread, love and jealousy, by Luigi Comencini (1954)
69. Too bad it’s a rogue, directed by Alessandro Blasetti (1954)
70. Divorce, episode of The Bed, directed by Gianni Franciolini (1954)
71. The Sign of Venus, by Dino Risi (1955)
72. The Last Five Minutes, by Giuseppe Amato (1955)
73. The beautiful miller, by Mario Camerini (1955)
74. Roman Tales, directed by Gianni Franciolini (1955)
75. Bread, love and …, directed by Dino Risi (1955)
76. The bigam, by Luciano Emmer (1955)
77. The most beautiful days, by Mario Mattoli (1956)
78. My Son Nero, directed by Steno (1956)
79. Vacation Time, directed by Antonio Racioppi (1956)
80. Montecarlo, directed by Sam Taylor and Giulio Macchi (1956)
81. We are the columns, directed by Luigi Filippo D’Amico (1956)
82. Fathers and Sons, by Mario Monicelli (1957)
83. The Guilty, by Turi Vasile (1957)
84. Souvenir d’Italie, directed by Antonio Pietrangeli (1957)
85. Love and chat, directed by Alessandro Blasetti (1957)
86. The Count Max, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1957)
87. The woman who came from the sea, directed by Francesco De Robertis (1957)
88. Holidays in Ischia, directed by Mario Camerini (1957)
89. The Doctor and the Sorcerer, by Mario Monicelli (1957)
90. Toto, Vittorio and the Doctor, by Camillo Mastrocinque (1957)
91. A Farewell to Arms, by Charles Vidor (1957)
92. Casino de Paris, by André Hunebelle (1958)
93. Sunday and always Sunday, by Camillo Mastrocinque (1958)
94. Anna of Brooklyn, directed by Vittorio De Sica and Carlo Lastricati (1958)
95. Ballerina and Good God, by Antonio Leonviola (1958)
96. Piece, foreman and Captain, by Wolfgang Staudte (1958)
97. Gli zitelloni, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1958)
98. The Girl from St. Peter’s Square, by Piero Costa (1958)
99. Bread, Love and Andalusia, by Javier Seto (1958)
100. The First Night, by Alberto Cavalcanti (1959)
101. In the blue painted blue, by Piero Tellini (1959)
102. Men and Noblemen, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1959)
103. Policarpo, Writing Officer, Directed by Mario Soldati (1959)
104. My Wife’s Enemy, by Gianni Puccini (1959)
105. Winter Holidays, by Camillo Mastrocinque (1959)
106. The world of miracles, directed by Luigi Capuano (1959)
107. The Moralist, by Giorgio Bianchi (1959)
108. General Della Rovere, directed by Roberto Rossellini (1959)
109. Ferdinand I King of Naples, directed by Gianni Franciolini (1959)
110. Gastone, directed by Mario Bonnard (1960)
111. The Beautiful Bride, by Nunnally Johnson and Mario Russo (1960)
112. The Colonel’s Three “etcetera”, directed by Claude Boissol (1960)
113. The Pills of Hercules, by Luciano Salce (1960)
114. The Battle of Austerlitz, by Abel Gance (1960)
115. The Vigilant, by Luigi Zampa (1960)
116. A love in Rome, by Dino Risi (1960)
117. The Bay of Naples, by Melville Shavelson (1960)
118. The Millionairess, by Anthony Asquith (1960)
119. The Uncensored, by Francesco Giaculli (1961)
120. The Honored Society, directed by Riccardo Pazzaglia (1961)
121. The wonders of Aladdin, directed by Mario Bava and Henry Levin (1961)
122. The famous loves of Henry IV, by Claude Autant-Lara (1961)
123. The Last Judgment, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1961)
124. The Attendants, by Giorgio Bianchi (1961)
125. The two marshalli, by Sergio Corbucci (1961)
126. La Fayette – A Sword for Two Flags, directed by Jean Dreville (1962)
127. Eva, directed by Joseph Losey and Guidarino Guidi (1962)
128. The Adventures and Loves of Moll Flanders, directed by Terence Young (1965)
129. Me, Me, Me … and the Others, directed by Alessandro Blasetti (1966)
130. Fox Hunt, by Vittorio De Sica (1966)
131. The Others, the Others … and Us, directed by Maurizio Arena (1967)
132. An Italian in America, by Alberto Sordi (1967)
133. Colpo grosso alla napoletana, by Ken Annakin (1968)
134. Caroline cherie, by Denys de La Patelliere (1968)
135. The Man Who Came from the Kremlin, by Michael Anderson (1968)
136. If Tuesday Must Be Belgium, directed by Mel Stuart (1969)
137. Una su 13, directed by Nicholas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani (1969)
138. Things of Cosa Nostra, by Steno (1971)
139. I Don’t See, You Don’t Talk, He Doesn’t Hear, directed by Mario Camerini (1971)
140. Trastevere, directed by Fausto Tozzi (1971)
141. We are all in temporary freedom, directed by Manlio Scarpelli (1971)
142. Ettore lo fusto, directed by Enzo G. Castellari (1972)
143. The Adventures of Pinocchio, tv miniseries, directed by Luigi Comencini (1972)
144. Grand Slalom for a Robbery, directed by George Englund (1972)
145. History of the brothers and de cortelli, directed by Mario Amendola (1973)
146. The Odor of the Beasts, by Richard Balducci (1973)
147. The Matteotti Crime, directed by Florestano Vancini (1973)
148. Travel, girl, travel, you’ve got music in your veins, directed by Pasquale Squitieri (1974)
149. Little Miracles, TV movie, by Jeannot Szwarc (1974)
150. Dracula seeks virgin blood… and died of thirst !!!, directed by Paul Morrissey and Antonio Margheriti (1974)
151. We Loved Each Other So Much, by Ettore Scola (1974)
152. Around, short film, directed by Manuel De Sica (1974)
153. The Hero, TV movie, by Manuel De Sica (1974)

Director

1. Scarlet Roses (co-directed by Giuseppe Amato, also actor) (1939)
2. Magdalene … zero in conduct (also screenplay and actor) (1940)
3. Teresa Venerdi (also screenplay and actor) (1941)
4. A Garibaldino al convent (also screenplay and actor) (1942)
5. Children Watch Us (also screenplay) (1943)
6. The Gate of Heaven (also screenplay) (1944)
7. Sciuscia (1946)
8. Cuore, (co-directed by Duilio Coletti, also production, screenplay and actor) (1948)
9. Bicycle Thieves (also production and screenplay) (1948)
10. Miracle in Milan (also production and screenplay) (1951)
11. Umberto D. (also production) (1952)
12. Termini Station (also production) (1953)
13. L’oro di Napoli (also screenplay and actor) (1954)
14. The roof (also production) (1956)
15. Anna di Brooklyn (co-directed by Carlo Lastricati, also actor) (1958)
16. The Ciociara (1960)
17. The Last Judgment (also actor) (1961)
18. Boccaccio ’70, episode La riffa (1962)
19. The kidnapped of Altona (1962)
20. The boom (1963)
21. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (1963)
22. Italian wedding (1964)
23. A New World (1966)
24. Fox Hunt (1966)
25. The Witches, episode One Evening Like Any Other (1967)
26. Seven times a woman (1967)
27. Amanti (also screenplay) (1968)
28. Sunflowers (1970)
29. The garden of the Finzi Contini (1970)
30. The couples, episode The Lion (also subject and screenplay) (1970)
31. We will call him Andrea (1972)
32. A short vacation (1973)
33. The Journey (1974)