Prince of Foxes (film)
Encyclopedia
Prince of Foxes is a 1949 film based on the Samuel Shellabarger
novel Prince of Foxes
. The movie starred Tyrone Power
as Orsini and Orson Welles
as Cesare Borgia
.
), apparently a minor nobleman, and an artist with both brush and sword, serves the Machiavellian Prince Cesare Borgia
(Orson Welles
) in many capacities. Pleased with Orsini's skill and political savoir faire, Borgia has almost promised Orsini the hand of Angela Borgia (Marina Berti
), Borgia's cousin.
Assigned to offer the hand of Cesare's newly widowed sister Lucrezia Borgia
to Alfonso d'Este of Ferrara, a region Borgia wants to control, Orsini first pauses in Venice to dispose of some paintings. Camilla Verano (Wanda Hendrix
), the beautiful young wife of the elderly Count of Citta del Monte, meets him at his agent's home and Orsini gallantly gives her a painting he was about to sell for 100 ducats. Coming home from a gondola ride, Orsini is attacked by a professional assassin acting for the d'Este family, who do not welcome his mission and Borgia's interest in their territory. Orsini not only survives but arranges for the would-be assasin, Mario Belli (Everett Sloane
), to become part of his own entourage.
On the way back from his successful mission, Orsini stops at the home of a blacksmith's widow. We learn that she is his mother (Katina Paxinou
) and that he is in fact Andrea Zoppo, a peasant, instead of the noble Orsini he pretends to be. One of his paintings hangs on her wall, a Madonna to whom she prays for deliverance from her son's evil ways. Unseen, Belli spies on their meeting.
Andrea's next assignment is as ambassador to Citta del Monte, with orders to find a way to remove the elderly count or to help Borgia conquer the city. With Belli, Orsini spies out the city which is truly perched on a mountain. He learns that the old man loves gardening, and that when he has a problem to solve, he climbs to a high precipice looking out over the landscape. Belli is delighted because it would make it easy to kill the count, but Orsini is impressed by the older man's wisdom and love for his people. The countess, despite her suspicions of Orsini, grows to admire his artistic soul as he paints her portrait.
When Borgia offers peace with surrender, the count defies him and Orsini changes sides to join his cause. Belli, however, returns to Borgia. The count dies after the first battle and Orsini takes up the defense. After three months the city is at its last extremity. Borgia offers the countess terms that are generous to her and her people, but would require her to surrender Orsini to Borgia. The countess rejects these terms in favor of battle, but Orsini gives himself up to Borgia's troops at the price of putting the former generous terms in writing.
At a triumphal dinner, Borgia exposes "Orsini" to the countess as a peasant and brings Andrea's mother to confirm the fact. He orders Andrea's death but Belli begs instead to be allowed put out Orsini's eyes and leave him a blind beggar. But Belli himself has changed sides. He fakes the torture, and Mother Zoppo takes her son home.
When Orsini has recovered, Belli visits him and the two plan to free Camilla from Borgia's garrison, and help the citizens retake the city. There are tense moments as the plan starts to unwind, and Orsini ends up having to fight Don Esteban (Leslie Bradley), the garrison leader, to the death. But all's well that ends well, and in the end the peasant duly marries his countess.
Samuel Shellabarger
Samuel Shellabarger was an American educator and author of both scholarly works and best-selling historical novels. He was born in Washington, D.C., on 18 May 1888, but his parents both died while he was a baby...
novel Prince of Foxes
Prince of Foxes
Prince of Foxes is a novel of historical fiction by Samuel Shellabarger, following the adventures of the fictional Andrea Orsini, a captain in the service of Cesare Borgia during his conquest of the Romagna.-Plot introduction:...
. The movie starred Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
as Orsini and Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
as Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
.
Plot
In 1500, Andrea Orsini (Tyrone PowerTyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
), apparently a minor nobleman, and an artist with both brush and sword, serves the Machiavellian Prince Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
(Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
) in many capacities. Pleased with Orsini's skill and political savoir faire, Borgia has almost promised Orsini the hand of Angela Borgia (Marina Berti
Marina Berti
Elena Maureen Bertolini, known as Marina Berti, was an English-born Italian film actress.Her first screen appearance was in the Anna Magnani film, La Fuggitiva in 1941. She appeared mainly in small roles and in the occasional leading role in nearly 100 films both Italian and American...
), Borgia's cousin.
Assigned to offer the hand of Cesare's newly widowed sister Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
to Alfonso d'Este of Ferrara, a region Borgia wants to control, Orsini first pauses in Venice to dispose of some paintings. Camilla Verano (Wanda Hendrix
Wanda Hendrix
Wanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract...
), the beautiful young wife of the elderly Count of Citta del Monte, meets him at his agent's home and Orsini gallantly gives her a painting he was about to sell for 100 ducats. Coming home from a gondola ride, Orsini is attacked by a professional assassin acting for the d'Este family, who do not welcome his mission and Borgia's interest in their territory. Orsini not only survives but arranges for the would-be assasin, Mario Belli (Everett Sloane
Everett Sloane
Everett Sloane was an American stage, film and television actor, songwriter, and theatre director.-Early life:...
), to become part of his own entourage.
On the way back from his successful mission, Orsini stops at the home of a blacksmith's widow. We learn that she is his mother (Katina Paxinou
Katina Paxinou
Katina Paxinou was a Greek film and theatre actress.-Early life:Born Aikaterini Konstantopoulou in Piraeus, Greece, she trained as an opera singer, and appeared in the operatic version of Maeterlinck's "Sister Beatrice," with a score by Dimitri Mitropoulos, but changed career and joined the Greek...
) and that he is in fact Andrea Zoppo, a peasant, instead of the noble Orsini he pretends to be. One of his paintings hangs on her wall, a Madonna to whom she prays for deliverance from her son's evil ways. Unseen, Belli spies on their meeting.
Andrea's next assignment is as ambassador to Citta del Monte, with orders to find a way to remove the elderly count or to help Borgia conquer the city. With Belli, Orsini spies out the city which is truly perched on a mountain. He learns that the old man loves gardening, and that when he has a problem to solve, he climbs to a high precipice looking out over the landscape. Belli is delighted because it would make it easy to kill the count, but Orsini is impressed by the older man's wisdom and love for his people. The countess, despite her suspicions of Orsini, grows to admire his artistic soul as he paints her portrait.
When Borgia offers peace with surrender, the count defies him and Orsini changes sides to join his cause. Belli, however, returns to Borgia. The count dies after the first battle and Orsini takes up the defense. After three months the city is at its last extremity. Borgia offers the countess terms that are generous to her and her people, but would require her to surrender Orsini to Borgia. The countess rejects these terms in favor of battle, but Orsini gives himself up to Borgia's troops at the price of putting the former generous terms in writing.
At a triumphal dinner, Borgia exposes "Orsini" to the countess as a peasant and brings Andrea's mother to confirm the fact. He orders Andrea's death but Belli begs instead to be allowed put out Orsini's eyes and leave him a blind beggar. But Belli himself has changed sides. He fakes the torture, and Mother Zoppo takes her son home.
When Orsini has recovered, Belli visits him and the two plan to free Camilla from Borgia's garrison, and help the citizens retake the city. There are tense moments as the plan starts to unwind, and Orsini ends up having to fight Don Esteban (Leslie Bradley), the garrison leader, to the death. But all's well that ends well, and in the end the peasant duly marries his countess.
Production notes
Most of the scenes were shot on the exact locations in Italy.- Chapel of the Palazzo Pubblico
- SienaSienaSiena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
- TuscanyTuscanyTuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
- Cinecittà Studios
- Rome
- Lazio
- FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
- San GimignanoSan GimignanoSan Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town....
- San MarinoSan MarinoSan Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
- TerracinaTerracinaTerracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail .-Ancient times:...
- LatinaLatinaLatina is the feminine form of the term Latino.Latina may also refer to:*Province of Latina, a province in Latium , Italy**Latina, Lazio, the capital of the province of Latina**Latina Nuclear Power Plant*Latina , a district of Madrid...
- VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
- VenetoVenetoVeneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
Cast
- Tyrone PowerTyrone PowerTyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
as Andrea Orsini - Orson WellesOrson WellesGeorge Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
as Cesare Borgia - Wanda HendrixWanda HendrixWanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract...
as Camilla Verano - Marina BertiMarina BertiElena Maureen Bertolini, known as Marina Berti, was an English-born Italian film actress.Her first screen appearance was in the Anna Magnani film, La Fuggitiva in 1941. She appeared mainly in small roles and in the occasional leading role in nearly 100 films both Italian and American...
as Angela Borgia - Everett SloaneEverett SloaneEverett Sloane was an American stage, film and television actor, songwriter, and theatre director.-Early life:...
as Mario Belli - Katina PaxinouKatina PaxinouKatina Paxinou was a Greek film and theatre actress.-Early life:Born Aikaterini Konstantopoulou in Piraeus, Greece, she trained as an opera singer, and appeared in the operatic version of Maeterlinck's "Sister Beatrice," with a score by Dimitri Mitropoulos, but changed career and joined the Greek...
as Mona Constanza Zoppo - Felix AylmerFelix AylmerSir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television.-Early life and career:...
as Count Marc Antonio Verano