The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Encyclopedia
The Secret of Santa Vittoria is a 1969 film
made by Stanley Kramer Productions and distributed by United Artists
. It was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer
and co-produced by George Glass
from a screenplay
by Ben Maddow
and William Rose
. It was based on the novel by Robert Crichton. The music score was by Ernest Gold and the cinematography
by Giuseppe Rotunno
.
The film stars Anthony Quinn
, Anna Magnani
, Virna Lisi
, Hardy Krüger
, and Sergio Franchi
. Co-starring Renato Rascel
, Giancarlo Giannini
, and Eduardo Ciannelli
; with Valentina Cortese making an uncredited appearance.
The film was almost entirely shot on location in Anticoli Corrado
.
in the summer of 1943, in the aftermath of the fall of the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini
. The German army uses the ensuing political vacuum to occupy most of the peninsula of Italy.
Italo Bombolini (Anthony Quinn), the mayor of the winemaking hill town of Santa Vittoria, learns that the German occupation forces want to take all of Santa Vittoria's wine with them. The townspeople frantically hide a million bottles in a cave before the arrival of a German army detachment under the command of Sepp Von Prum (Hardy Krüger).
The Germans are given a few thousand bottles, but Von Prum knows there is a lot more. The two very different men engage in a battle of wits. Finally, with time running out, a frustrated Von Prum threatens to shoot Bombolini unless the hidden wine is given, but no one speaks up. Not being a fanatic, Von Prum leaves without harming the mayor.
for Film Editing
(William A. Lyon and Earle Herdan) and Best Music Score
(Ernest Gold). It was nominated for an Eddie award by the American Cinema Editors, USA for best edited feature film.
The film won the Golden Globe Award
for Best Motion Picture Comedy and was nominated for Best Director (Stanley Kramer), Best Actor Comedy (Anthony Quinn), Best Actress Comedy (Anna Magnani), Best Original Score (Ernest Gold) and Best Original Song ("Stay", Ernest Gold and Norman Gimbel)
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
made by Stanley Kramer Productions and distributed by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. It was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer
Stanley Kramer
Stanley Earl Kramer was an American film director and producer. Kramer was responsible for some of Hollywood's most famous "message" movies...
and co-produced by George Glass
George Glass
George Glass was an American film producer and publicist, best known for his work with Stanley Kramer. In Kramer's 1997 autobiography, describing how he formed his first production company in the late 1940s, he called Glass "one of the best publicity men in town", and remarked "I was fortunate to...
from a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by Ben Maddow
Ben Maddow
Ben Maddow was a prolific screenwriter and documentarian from the 1930s through the 70s. Educated at Columbia University, Maddow began his career working within the American documentary movement in the 30s.In 1936 he co-founded the short-lived left-wing newsreel The World Today...
and William Rose
William Rose (screenwriter)
William Rose was an American screenwriter of British and Hollywood films.Although born in Jefferson City, Missouri, after the 1939 outbreak of World War II, Rose lived in Canada and volunteered to fight overseas with the Black Watch...
. It was based on the novel by Robert Crichton. The music score was by Ernest Gold and the cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
by Giuseppe Rotunno
Giuseppe Rotunno
Giuseppe Rotunno, A.S.C., A.I.C. is an Italian cinematographer. Sometimes credited as Peppino Rotunno, he was director of photography on eight films by Federico Fellini...
.
The film stars Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
, Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani was an Italian stage and film actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with four other international awards, for her portrayal of a Sicilian widow in The Rose Tattoo....
, Virna Lisi
Virna Lisi
Virna Lisi is a Cannes and César award-winning Italian film actress. She was born in Ancona, Marche, as Virna Lisa Pieralisi.-Early career:...
, Hardy Krüger
Hardy Krüger
Hardy Krüger is a German actor. He is thought of as one of the greatest German actors of the 1960s. He was born in Wedding, Berlin, German Reich...
, and Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
. Co-starring Renato Rascel
Renato Rascel
Renato Ranucci, in art Renato Rascel was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972...
, Giancarlo Giannini
Giancarlo Giannini
Giancarlo Giannini is an Italian actor and dubber.Giannini was born La Spezia, Liguria, Italy. He studied at the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica in Rome, and made his film debut in a small part in Fango sulla metropoli in 1965...
, and Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
; with Valentina Cortese making an uncredited appearance.
The film was almost entirely shot on location in Anticoli Corrado
Anticoli Corrado
Anticoli Corrado is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 40 km northeast of Rome...
.
Plot
This story is set during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the summer of 1943, in the aftermath of the fall of the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. The German army uses the ensuing political vacuum to occupy most of the peninsula of Italy.
Italo Bombolini (Anthony Quinn), the mayor of the winemaking hill town of Santa Vittoria, learns that the German occupation forces want to take all of Santa Vittoria's wine with them. The townspeople frantically hide a million bottles in a cave before the arrival of a German army detachment under the command of Sepp Von Prum (Hardy Krüger).
The Germans are given a few thousand bottles, but Von Prum knows there is a lot more. The two very different men engage in a battle of wits. Finally, with time running out, a frustrated Von Prum threatens to shoot Bombolini unless the hidden wine is given, but no one speaks up. Not being a fanatic, Von Prum leaves without harming the mayor.
Cast
- Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
as Italo Bombolini - Anna MagnaniAnna MagnaniAnna Magnani was an Italian stage and film actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with four other international awards, for her portrayal of a Sicilian widow in The Rose Tattoo....
as Rosa Bombolini, his disapproving wife - Virna LisiVirna LisiVirna Lisi is a Cannes and César award-winning Italian film actress. She was born in Ancona, Marche, as Virna Lisa Pieralisi.-Early career:...
as Caterina Malatesta - Hardy KrügerHardy KrügerHardy Krüger is a German actor. He is thought of as one of the greatest German actors of the 1960s. He was born in Wedding, Berlin, German Reich...
as Sepp Von Prum - Sergio FranchiSergio FranchiSergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
as Tufa - Renato RascelRenato RascelRenato Ranucci, in art Renato Rascel was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972...
as Babbaluche - Giancarlo GianniniGiancarlo GianniniGiancarlo Giannini is an Italian actor and dubber.Giannini was born La Spezia, Liguria, Italy. He studied at the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica in Rome, and made his film debut in a small part in Fango sulla metropoli in 1965...
as Fabio - Patrizia Valturri as Angela
- Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
as Luigi - Leopoldo Trieste as Vittorini
- Gigi Ballista as Padre Polenta
- Valentina Cortese as Gabriella
- Quinto Parmeggiani as Copa
- Curt LowensCurt LowensCurt Lowens is a German actor of the stage and films, and a survivor and resistant of the Holocaust.-Life and career:...
as Col. Scheer - Wolfgang JansenWolfgang Jansen-Selected filmography:* Liebe, Sommer und Musik * Dort in der Wachau * Der Musterknabe * The Heathens of Kummerow * The Secret of Santa Vittoria...
as Zopf - Peter KuiperPeter KuiperPeter Kuiper was a German actor of film, theatre and television.He died in Berlin from undisclosed causes in 2007.-Selected filmography:* Derrick - Season 2, Episode 2: "Tod am Bahngleis"...
as Traub - Pino Ferrara as Dr. Bara
- Aldo De Carellis as Old Vines
- Carlo Capannelle as Capoferro
Awards and nominations
The film was nominated for two Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Film Editing
Academy Award for Film Editing
The Academy Award for Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. Since 1981, every film selected as Best Picture has also been nominated for the Film Editing...
(William A. Lyon and Earle Herdan) and Best Music Score
Academy Award for Original Music Score
The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
(Ernest Gold). It was nominated for an Eddie award by the American Cinema Editors, USA for best edited feature film.
The film won the Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for Best Motion Picture Comedy and was nominated for Best Director (Stanley Kramer), Best Actor Comedy (Anthony Quinn), Best Actress Comedy (Anna Magnani), Best Original Score (Ernest Gold) and Best Original Song ("Stay", Ernest Gold and Norman Gimbel)