The original diva drama — 78 minutes of silent opera chaos before talkies ruined everything.
Acting
Francesca Bertini's face could level buildings.
Production
1918 Italian opulence on a probably-crumbling budget.
Director
Alfredo De Antoni
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Francesca Bertini was Italy's first major female film star and controlled her own productions — rare power for 1918.
This was made during WWI when Italy was chaos; the tyranny themes probably hit audiences uncomfortably close to home.
IT
