Mussolini's Dream Factory : Film Stardom in Fascist Italy

The intersection between film stardom and politics is an understudied phenomenon of Fascist Italy, despite the fact that the Mussolini regime deemed stardom important enough to warrant sustained attention and interference. Focused on the period from the start of sound cinema to the final end of Fascism in 1945, this book examines the development of an Italian star system and evaluates its place in film production and distribution. The performances and careers of several major stars, including Isa Miranda, Vittorio De Sica, Amedeo Nazzari, and Alida Valli, are closely analyzed in terms of their relationships to the political sphere and broader commercial culture, with consideration of their fates in the aftermath of Fascism. A final chapter explores the place of the stars in popular memory and representations of the Fascist film world in postwar cinema. Mussolini’s Dream Factory......Page 1 Mussolini’s Dream Factory - Film Stardom in Fascist Italy - Stephen Gundle......Page 3 Table of Contents......Page 7 Figures......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 PART I - Fascism, Cinema and Stardom......Page 29 1 - Italian Cinema under Fascism......Page 31 2 - The Creation of a Star System......Page 52 3 - Stars and Commercial Culture......Page 79 4 - The Public and the Stars......Page 108 PART II - Italian Stars of the Fascist Era......Page 133 5 - The National Star - Isa Miranda......Page 135 6 - The Matinée Idol - Vittorio De Sica......Page 156 7 - Everybody’s Fiancée - Assia Noris......Page 178 8 - The Star as Hero - Amedeo Nazzari......Page 196 9 - The Uniformed Role Model - Fosco Giachetti......Page 215 10 - The Photogenic Beauty - Alida Valli......Page 236 11 - The Duce’s Whim - Miria Di San Servolo......Page 256 PART III - The Aftermath of Stardom......Page 271 12 - Civil War, Liberation and Reconstruction......Page 273 13 - Survival, Memory and Forgetting......Page 290 Bibliography......Page 309 Index......Page 323 Introduction -- Fascism, Cinema And Stardom. Italian Cinema Under Fascism -- The Creation Of A Star System -- Stars And Commercial Culture -- The Public And The Stars -- Italian Stars Of The Fascist Era. The National Star: Isa Miranda -- The Matine Idol: Vittorio De Sica -- Everybody's Fiance: Assia Noris -- The Star As Hero: Amedeo Nazzari -- The Uniformed Role Model: Fosco Giachetti -- The Photogenic Beauty: Alida Valli -- The Duce's Whim: Miria Di San Servolo -- The Aftermath Of Stardom. Civil War, Liberation And Reconstruction -- Survival, Memory And Forgetting. Stephen Gundle. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book offers the first extended analysis of film stardom in Fascist Italy, focusing on the period from the start of sound cinema to the final end of Fascism in 1945. The author examines the development of an Italian star system, evaluates its place in film production and distribution, and explores its relationships with the political sphere and with broader commercial culture. The popular press, along with other evidence, is used to assess the extent of public engagement with film stars. Several major stars, including Isa Miranda, Vittorio De Sica, Amedeo Nazzari and Alida Valli, are cl This text offers an extended analysis of film stardom in Fascist Italy, focusing on the period from the start of sound cinema to the final end of Fascism in 1945. The author examines the development of an Italian star system, evaluates its place in film production and distribution, and explores its relationships with the political sphere and with broader commercial culture