Giulietta Masina
Encyclopedia
Giulietta Masina was an Italian
film and stage actress. She starred in La Strada
and Nights of Cabiria
, both winners of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, in 1956 and 1957, respectively. Masina won the Best Actress
award at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival
for the later film.
She was the wife and muse of the Italian film director Federico Fellini
, in whom she found an artistic equal and collaborator. Owing to her intense performances of naïve characters dealing with cruel circumstances, Masina is often called the "female Chaplin".
, Bologna
. Her parents were Gaetano Masina, a violin
ist and a music teacher, and Anna Flavia Pasqualin, a schoolteacher. Nonetheless, she spent most of her childhood and adolescence in Rome
at the home of a widowed aunt. Masina had three elder siblings: Eugenia, and twins Mario and Maria. She attended the Hermanas Ursulinas school. She graduated in Literature
from the Sapienza University of Rome.
and dancing
as well as acting, all in the Ateneo Theater of her university. In 1942, she joined the Compagnia del Teatro Comico Musicale and played various roles on stage. She was cast by Fellini, who picked her after seeing her photographs, in the radio plays he was writing at the time.
By 1943, Masina was gaining notice as a radio actress working beside some popular figures of those years. Her first job was Terziglio, a radio serial written by Fellini. It was about a young married couple and Masina played 'Pallina', the wife. Masina and Fellini fell in love. On 30 October 1943, they wed. Despite distancing herself from live theater, Masina did return to the university stage for some time acting with Marcello Mastroianni
. Her last stage appearance was in 1951.
Working together with her husband, Masina made the transition to on-screen acting. Half of her Italian films, the most successful ones, were either written or directed by her husband. Masina made her film debut in an uncredited role in Rossellini's Paisà
(1946), credit for the script being given to Fellini. She received her first screen credit in Lattuada's Without Pity
(1948), which was another adaptation by Fellini and played opposite John Kitzmiller
.
In 1954, she starred with Anthony Quinn
in Fellini's La Strada
, playing the abused stooge of Quinn's travelling circus strongman. In 1957, she won the Best Actress
Award at the Cannes Film Festival
for her portrayal of the title role in Fellini's Nights of Cabiria
. She played a prostitute who endures life's tragedies and disappointments with both innocence and resilience. In 1960, Masina's career was damaged by the critical and box office failure of The High Life. Subsequently, she became dedicated almost entirely to her personal life and marriage. Nonetheless, she again worked with Fellini in Juliet of the Spirits
(1965), which earned both the New York Film Critics award (1965) and the Golden Globe award (1966) for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 1969, Masina did her first work in English
in The Madwoman of Chaillot
which starred Katharine Hepburn
. After almost two decades, during which she worked sporadically only in television, Masina appeared in Fellini's Ginger and Fred
(1986). She then rejected outside offers in order to attend to her husband's precarious health. Her last film was Bertucelli's A Day to Remember
(1991).
In the late 1960s, Masina hosted a popular radio show
, Lettere aperte, in which she addressed correspondence from her listeners. The letters were eventually published in a book. From the 1970s on, she appeared on television. Two performances, in Eleonora (1973) and Camilla (1976), respectively, were particularly acclaimed.
. Masina and Fellini did not have another child.
Masina died from lung cancer
on 23 March 1994, aged 73, five months after her husband's demise on 31 October 1993. For her funeral, she requested that trumpeter Mauro Maur
play "La Strada" by Nino Rota
. She and her husband are buried together at Rimini
cemetery in a tomb marked by a prow
-shaped monument, the work of sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
film and stage actress. She starred in La Strada
La Strada
La Strada is a 1954 Italian neorealist drama directed by Federico Fellini in which a naïve young woman is sold to a brutish man and goes on the road as a part of his itinerant show....
and Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
, both winners of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, in 1956 and 1957, respectively. Masina won the Best Actress
Best Actress Award (Cannes Film Festival)
The Best Actress Award is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of films at the festival. It was first awarded in 1946.-Award Winners:-External links:* * ....
award at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival
1957 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*André Maurois *Jean Cocteau *Maurice Genevoix *Georges Huisman *Maurice Lehmann *Marcel Pagnol *Michael Powell *Jules Romains...
for the later film.
She was the wife and muse of the Italian film director Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
, in whom she found an artistic equal and collaborator. Owing to her intense performances of naïve characters dealing with cruel circumstances, Masina is often called the "female Chaplin".
Early life
Giulia Anna Masina was born in San Giorgio di PianoSan Giorgio di Piano
San Giorgio di Piano is a town and comune located in the Province of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, central Italy. It is the birthplace of Giulietta Masina, the wife of Federico Fellini and star of La Strada and Nights of Cabiria.-External links:*...
, Bologna
Province of Bologna
The Province of Bologna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bologna.-Geography:It has an area of 3,702 km², and a total population of 991,647 . There are 60 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bologna...
. Her parents were Gaetano Masina, a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and a music teacher, and Anna Flavia Pasqualin, a schoolteacher. Nonetheless, she spent most of her childhood and adolescence in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at the home of a widowed aunt. Masina had three elder siblings: Eugenia, and twins Mario and Maria. She attended the Hermanas Ursulinas school. She graduated in Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
from the Sapienza University of Rome.
Career
Masina turned to acting at university, particularly after 1941. She participated in numerous plays that included singingSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and dancing
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
as well as acting, all in the Ateneo Theater of her university. In 1942, she joined the Compagnia del Teatro Comico Musicale and played various roles on stage. She was cast by Fellini, who picked her after seeing her photographs, in the radio plays he was writing at the time.
By 1943, Masina was gaining notice as a radio actress working beside some popular figures of those years. Her first job was Terziglio, a radio serial written by Fellini. It was about a young married couple and Masina played 'Pallina', the wife. Masina and Fellini fell in love. On 30 October 1943, they wed. Despite distancing herself from live theater, Masina did return to the university stage for some time acting with Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
. Her last stage appearance was in 1951.
Working together with her husband, Masina made the transition to on-screen acting. Half of her Italian films, the most successful ones, were either written or directed by her husband. Masina made her film debut in an uncredited role in Rossellini's Paisà
Paisà
Paisà is a 1946 Italian film directed by Roberto Rossellini, the second of a trilogy by Rossellini. It is divided into six episodes. They are set in the Italian Campaign during World War II when Nazi Germany was losing the war against the Allies, using themes such as the difficulty of communication...
(1946), credit for the script being given to Fellini. She received her first screen credit in Lattuada's Without Pity
Senza pietà
Senza pietà is a 1948 Italian film directed by Alberto Lattuada and with script of Federico Fellini.-Plot:As the war ended, some soldiers of color refused to abandon northern Italy to return to America by the intolerance, deserting. Of them, Jerry falls in love with Angela , a local girl....
(1948), which was another adaptation by Fellini and played opposite John Kitzmiller
John Kitzmiller
John Kitzmiller was an African-American actor. Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, Kitzmiller participated in the liberation of Italy during World War II. He began acting while stationed in this country, and appeared in Italian neorealist films...
.
In 1954, she starred with 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...
in Fellini's La Strada
La Strada
La Strada is a 1954 Italian neorealist drama directed by Federico Fellini in which a naïve young woman is sold to a brutish man and goes on the road as a part of his itinerant show....
, playing the abused stooge of Quinn's travelling circus strongman. In 1957, she won the Best Actress
Best Actress Award (Cannes Film Festival)
The Best Actress Award is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of films at the festival. It was first awarded in 1946.-Award Winners:-External links:* * ....
Award at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
for her portrayal of the title role in Fellini's Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
. She played a prostitute who endures life's tragedies and disappointments with both innocence and resilience. In 1960, Masina's career was damaged by the critical and box office failure of The High Life. Subsequently, she became dedicated almost entirely to her personal life and marriage. Nonetheless, she again worked with Fellini in Juliet of the Spirits
Juliet of the Spirits
Juliet of the Spirits is a 1965 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini that uses "caricatural types and dream situations to represent a psychic landscape"...
(1965), which earned both the New York Film Critics award (1965) and the Golden Globe award (1966) for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 1969, Masina did her first work in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Madwoman of Chaillot (film)
The Madwoman of Chaillot is a 1969 American satirical comedy-drama film made by Commonwealth United Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. It was directed by Bryan Forbes and produced by Ely A. Landau with Anthony B. Unger as associate producer...
which starred Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
. After almost two decades, during which she worked sporadically only in television, Masina appeared in Fellini's Ginger and Fred
Ginger and Fred
Ginger and Fred is a 1986 comedy/drama film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Marcello Mastroianni and Giulietta Masina.The title is a reference to the American dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers...
(1986). She then rejected outside offers in order to attend to her husband's precarious health. Her last film was Bertucelli's A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember (1991 film)
A Day to Remember is a 1991 French film directed by Jean-Louis Bertucelli starring Giulietta Masina.-Plot:Bertille is an old woman who lives in the countryside. Her relatives reunite there with her as she is about selling the property. They don't take long to out their true intentions which are...
(1991).
In the late 1960s, Masina hosted a popular radio show
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
, Lettere aperte, in which she addressed correspondence from her listeners. The letters were eventually published in a book. From the 1970s on, she appeared on television. Two performances, in Eleonora (1973) and Camilla (1976), respectively, were particularly acclaimed.
Personal life
Several months after her marriage to Fellini, in 1943, Masina suffered a miscarriage after falling down a flight of stairs. She became pregnant again; Pierfederico (nicknamed Federichino) was born on 22 March 1945, but died just a month later on 24 April owing to respiratory insufficiencyRespiratory failure
The term respiratory failure, in medicine, is used to describe inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, with the result that arterial oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels cannot be maintained within their normal ranges. A drop in blood oxygenation is known as hypoxemia; a rise in arterial...
. Masina and Fellini did not have another child.
Masina died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
on 23 March 1994, aged 73, five months after her husband's demise on 31 October 1993. For her funeral, she requested that trumpeter Mauro Maur
Mauro Maur
- Biography :First Trumpet for the Orchestra of the Opera House in Rome from 1985 to 2009, Mauro Maur has appeared on several popular television shows such as:...
play "La Strada" by Nino Rota
Nino Rota
Nino Rota was an Italian composer and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti...
. She and her husband are buried together at Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
cemetery in a tomb marked by a prow
Prow
thumb|right|295pxThe prow is the forward most part of a ship's bow that cuts through the water. The prow is the part of the bow above the waterline. The terms prow and bow are often used interchangeably to describe the most forward part of a ship and its surrounding parts...
-shaped monument, the work of sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro
Arnaldo Pomodoro
Arnaldo Pomodoro is an Italian sculptor. He was born on 23 June 1926, in Morciano, Romagna, Italy. He currently lives and works in Milan. His brother, Giò Pomodoro was also a sculptor....
.
Awards
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: 4 Silver RibbonNastro d'ArgentoThe Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
awards.- Best ActressNastro d'Argento Best ActressA list of the Nastro d'Argento awards for Best Actress.*1946 - Clara Calamai - L'adultera*1947 - Alida Valli - Eugenia Grandet*1948 - Anna Magnani - L'onorevole Angelina*1949 - Anna Magnani - L'amore*1950 -...
: Nights of CabiriaNights of CabiriaNights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
(1957), Ginger and FredGinger and FredGinger and Fred is a 1986 comedy/drama film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Marcello Mastroianni and Giulietta Masina.The title is a reference to the American dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers...
(1986) - Best Supporting ActressNastro d'Argento Best supporting ActressNastro d'Argento is a film award assigned each year, since 1947 for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics....
: Without PitySenza pietàSenza pietà is a 1948 Italian film directed by Alberto Lattuada and with script of Federico Fellini.-Plot:As the war ended, some soldiers of color refused to abandon northern Italy to return to America by the intolerance, deserting. Of them, Jerry falls in love with Angela , a local girl....
(1948), Variety LightsVariety LightsVariety Lights is a 1950 Italian film directed and produced by Federico Fellini and Alberto LattuadaThe film launched Fellini's directorial career, but was a collaboration with Alberto Lattuada...
(1950)
- Best Actress
- She was twice nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Foreign Actress.
- David di DonatelloDavid di DonatelloDavid di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
: 2 David awards- David di Donatello for Best ActressDavid di Donatello for Best Actress-Albo d'oro:1956Gina Lollobrigida - La donna più bella del mondo1958*Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind1959*Anna Magnani - Nella città l'inferno1961*Sophia Loren - La ciociara1963...
award, by Juliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the Spirits is a 1965 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini that uses "caricatural types and dream situations to represent a psychic landscape"...
(1965) - Honorary award (1986).
- David di Donatello for Best Actress
- Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
Best actress award, by Nights of CabiriaNights of CabiriaNights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
(1957). - San Sebastián film festivalSan Sebastián International Film FestivalThe San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
Best actress award, by Nights of CabiriaNights of CabiriaNights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
(1957).
Filmography
- PaisàPaisàPaisà is a 1946 Italian film directed by Roberto Rossellini, the second of a trilogy by Rossellini. It is divided into six episodes. They are set in the Italian Campaign during World War II when Nazi Germany was losing the war against the Allies, using themes such as the difficulty of communication...
(1946, debut, uncredited) - Without PitySenza pietàSenza pietà is a 1948 Italian film directed by Alberto Lattuada and with script of Federico Fellini.-Plot:As the war ended, some soldiers of color refused to abandon northern Italy to return to America by the intolerance, deserting. Of them, Jerry falls in love with Angela , a local girl....
(1948) - Behind Closed ShuttersPersiane chiusePersiane chiuse is a 1950 Italian film directed by Luigi Comencini.-Plot:Sandra searches her missing sister. For this, she enters the morally degraded seaside of Genoa....
(1950) - Variety LightsVariety LightsVariety Lights is a 1950 Italian film directed and produced by Federico Fellini and Alberto LattuadaThe film launched Fellini's directorial career, but was a collaboration with Alberto Lattuada...
(1950) - Cameriera bella presenza offresi...Cameriera bella presenza offresi...Cameriera bella presenza offresi... is a 1951 Italian film directed by Giorgio Pastina. Federico Fellini was one of its scriptwriters.-Plot:...
(1951) - The Shameless SexWanda la peccatriceWanda la peccatrice is a 1952 Italian film directed by Duilio Coletti....
(1952) - The White SheikThe White SheikThe White Sheik is a 1952 film by Federico Fellini starring Leopoldo Trieste, Alberto Sordi, and Brunella Bovo.- Plot :Two young newlyweds from a provincial town, Wanda and Ivan Cavalli , arrive in Rome for their honeymoon...
(1952) - Europa '51Europa '51Europa '51 is a 1952 Italian neorealist film directed by Roberto Rossellini, starring Ingrid Bergman and Alexander Knox.-Background:...
(1952) - La StradaLa StradaLa Strada is a 1954 Italian neorealist drama directed by Federico Fellini in which a naïve young woman is sold to a brutish man and goes on the road as a part of his itinerant show....
(1954) - Il bidoneIl bidoneIl bidone is an Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. It features Broderick Crawford, Richard Basehart, Giulietta Masina, among others....
(The Swindlers, 1955) - Nights of CabiriaNights of CabiriaNights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
(1957) - FortunellaFortunella (film)Fortunella is a 1958 Italian film directed by Eduardo De Filippo, with script of Federico Fellini.-Music:The film's score, composed by Nino Rota, notably contains three memorable motifs, two of which would be reused in Rota's most famous film compositions: La Dolce Vita and The Godfather...
(1958) - Nella città l'infernoNella città l'infernoNella città l'inferno is a 1959 Italian film directed by Renato Castellani.-Plot:Egle is an inmate of a female jail. Lina is a nervous newcomer who is much more temperate, with some naiveness even...
(1959) - The High Life (1960)
- Juliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the Spirits is a 1965 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini that uses "caricatural types and dream situations to represent a psychic landscape"...
(1965) - The Madwoman of ChaillotThe Madwoman of Chaillot (film)The Madwoman of Chaillot is a 1969 American satirical comedy-drama film made by Commonwealth United Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. It was directed by Bryan Forbes and produced by Ely A. Landau with Anthony B. Unger as associate producer...
(1969) - The Feather Fairy (1985)
- Ginger and FredGinger and FredGinger and Fred is a 1986 comedy/drama film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Marcello Mastroianni and Giulietta Masina.The title is a reference to the American dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers...
(1986) - A Day to RememberA Day to Remember (1991 film)A Day to Remember is a 1991 French film directed by Jean-Louis Bertucelli starring Giulietta Masina.-Plot:Bertille is an old woman who lives in the countryside. Her relatives reunite there with her as she is about selling the property. They don't take long to out their true intentions which are...
(1991)
External links
- Giulietta Masina, at the RAIRAIRAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
.