Titanus
Encyclopedia
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 production company, founded in 1904 by Gustavo Lombardo (1885–1951). The company's headquarters are located at 28 Via Sommacampagna, 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...
and its studios on the Via Tiburtina
Via Tiburtina
Via Tiburtina is an ancient road in Italy leading east-northeast from Rome to Tivoli . It was built by the Roman consul Marcus Valerius Maximus around 286 BC and later lengthened to the territories of the Marsi and the Equi, in the Abruzzo, as Via Valeria. Its total length was approximately...
, 13 km from the centre of Rome.
Lombardo ran the studios until his death in 1951. His son, Goffredo Lombardo (1920–2005) and later his grandson, Guido Lombardo have continued to run the company.
The company has been responsible for hundreds of Italian productions, including some of the most popular or important films in Italian cinema. Titanus made many peplum
Peplum
Peplum originates in the Greek word for 'tunic' and may refer to one of the following:*A genre of Italian films also known as 'Sword and Sandal'*Peplos, a kind of women's garment in ancient Greece*Veil...
films and comedies featuring Totò
Totò
Prince Antonio Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno De Curtis di Bisanzio Gagliardi, best known by his stage name Totò and nicknamed il principe della risata was an Italian comedian, film and theatre actor, writer, singer and songwriter...
and Franco and Ciccio. The film The Shortest Day was not only a parody of The Longest Day
The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
but featured a galaxy of stars who made the film to help the studio. The studio made numerous international co-production
International co-production
An international co-production is a production where two or more different production companies are working together, for example in a film production...
s with American (The Story of Ruth
The Story of Ruth
The Story of Ruth is a 1960 American biblical drama film directed by Henry Koster, based on the Biblical account of Ruth. The title role is portrayed by Jewish actress Elana Eden, with Stuart Whitman as Boaz, Peggy Wood as Naomi, and Tom Tryon as Mahlon....
, The Angel Wore Red
The Angel Wore Red
The Angel Wore Red, also known as La Sposa Bella in its Italian version, is a 1960 Italian-American romantic war drama made by MGM and Titanus. It was directed by Nunnally Johnson and produced by Goffredo Lombardo, from a screenplay by Nunnally Johnson based on the 1953 novel The Fair Bride by...
) and French (Plein Soleil
Plein Soleil
Purple Noon is a 1960 film directed by René Clément, based on The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, and starring Alain Delon in his first major movie...
) film studios.
The flop of the Robert Aldrich
Robert Aldrich
Robert Aldrich was an American film director, writer and producer, notable for such films as Kiss Me Deadly , The Big Knife , What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? , Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte , The Flight of the Phoenix , The Dirty Dozen , and The Longest Yard .-Biography:Robert...
film Sodom and Gomorrah (1963), and the large budget of Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
's Il Gattopardo
The Leopard (film)
The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana...
(The Leopard) were, reportedly, two of the main reasons for film production ceasing by 1964.
After a hiatus of approximately ten years, Titanus reorganized and resumed film production on a smaller scale. Despite a few false starts, the company seemed to be back on its feet by the late 1980s, though, now, most of its work is being done for television.
Selected films
- I figli di nessuno (1951)
- Il CappottoIl CappottoThe Overcoat is a 1952 Italian fantasy-drama film directed by Alberto Lattuada. It is based on a short tale of the same name written by Nikolai Gogol.-Plot:...
(1952) - Rome 11:00Rome 11:00Rome 11 o'clock or Roma ore 11 is a 1952 Italian drama film directed by Giuseppe De Santis and one of the best examples of Neorealist filmmaking...
(1952) - Pane, amore e fantasiaPane, Amore e FantasiaBread, Love and Dreams is a 1953 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. At the 4th Berlin International Film Festival it won the Silver Bear award.-Plot summary:...
(1953) - Pane, amore e gelosiaPane, amore e gelosiaBread, Love and Jealousy , Known as Frisky in USA is a 1954 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. It is the second part of the Italian trilogy, followed by Scandal in Sorrento-Overview and response:...
(1954) - Siamo donneSiamo donneWe, the Women is a 1953 Italian pormanteau film divided into five segments and directed by five different directors. Four of these segments focus upon alleged events in the private lives of the film actresses Alida Valli, Ingrid Bergman, Isa Miranda, and Anna Magnani...
(1953) - Il segno di Venere (1955)
- Il bidoneIl bidoneIl bidone is an Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. It features Broderick Crawford, Richard Basehart, Giulietta Masina, among others....
(1955) - Pane, amore e...Pane, amore e...Scandal in Sorrento or Pane, amore e... is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. This is the third film of the trilogy, formed by Bread, Love and Dreams in 1953, Bread, Love and Jealousy in 1954. First and only one directed by Dino Risi, and starring Sophia Loren rather than Gina...
(1955) - Il Tetto (1956)
- Poveri ma belliPoveri ma belliPoveri ma belli is a successful 1957 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi.There are two sequels, all directed by Dino Risi and starred by Renato Salvatori and Maurizio Arena:...
(1957) - Arrivederci RomaArrivederci Roma"Arrivederci Roma" is the title and refrain of a popular Italian song, composed by Renato Rascel, with lyrics by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini. It was published in 1955 as part of the soundtrack of the Italo-American musical film with the same title, released as Seven Hills of Rome in...
(1958) - The Naked MajaThe Naked MajaThe Naked Maja is an Italian-French-American co-production made by S.G.C., Titanus Films and United Artists. This historical film recounting of the romance between the painter Francisco Goya and the Duchess of Alba was directed by Henry Koster, and produced by Silvio Clementelli and Goffredo...
(1958) - Il magistratoIl magistratoThe Magistrate is a 1959 Italian-language drama film directed by Luigi Zampa. It was a co-production with Spain and France. Spaniard José Suárez stars in the film, which was shot in Madrid , with a French, Italian and Spanish cast...
(1959) - The Law (1959 film)The Law (1959 film)The Law is a 1959 Italian film directed by Jules Dassin.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Marietta* Pierre Brasseur - Don Cesare* Marcello Mastroianni - Enrico Tosso, the Engineer* Melina Mercouri - Donna Lucrezia* Yves Montand - Matteo Brigante...
(1959) - Estate violentaEstate ViolentaEstate violenta is a 1959 Italian award-winning black-and-white drama film directed by Valerio Zurlini, depicting a love affair between a young draft-dodging son of a prominent Fascist, portrayed by Jean Louis Trintignant, and a navy officer's widow older than he, portrayed by Eleonora Rossi Drago...
(1959) - À double tourÀ double tourÀ double tour is a 1959 French suspense thriller film directed by Claude Chabrol and based on the novel by American writer Stanley Ellin. It was Chabrol's first film in the thriller genre, which would be his genre of choice for the rest of his career. The film had a total of 1,445,587 admissions...
(1959) - Plein soleilPlein SoleilPurple Noon is a 1960 film directed by René Clément, based on The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, and starring Alain Delon in his first major movie...
(1960) - The Angel Wore RedThe Angel Wore RedThe Angel Wore Red, also known as La Sposa Bella in its Italian version, is a 1960 Italian-American romantic war drama made by MGM and Titanus. It was directed by Nunnally Johnson and produced by Goffredo Lombardo, from a screenplay by Nunnally Johnson based on the 1953 novel The Fair Bride by...
(1960) - Le TrouLe TrouThe Hole is a 1960 French film directed by Jacques Becker. It is an adaptation of José Giovanni's 1957 book of the same name. It was called The Night Watch when first released in the United States, but is released under its French title today...
(1960) - A Breath of ScandalA Breath of ScandalA Breath of Scandal, known as Olympia in Italy, is a 1960 film adapted from Ferenc Molnár's stage play Olympia. It stars Sophia Loren, Maurice Chevalier, John Gavin and Angela Lansbury and was directed by Michael Curtiz. The film is set at the turn of the 20th century and features lush technicolor...
(1960) - Rocco e i suoi fratelliRocco e i suoi fratelliRocco e i suoi fratelli is a 1960 Italian and French film directed by Luchino Visconti. Set in Milan, it tells the story of an immigrant family from the South and its disintegration in the society of the industrial North. The film stars Alain Delon, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot, and Claudia...
(1960) - Audace colpo dei soliti ignotiAudace colpo dei soliti ignotiAudace colpo dei soliti ignoti is a 1960 Italian comedy crime film directed by Nanni Loy...
(1960) - Il PostoIl PostoIl Posto is an Italian film directed by Ermanno Olmi. An extension of Italian Neorealism, it explores many of the dehumanizing practices of the corporation from the viewpoint of an Italian adolescent.-Synopsis:...
(1961) - La viacciaLa ViacciaThe Lovemakers is a 1961 Italian drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini based on a novel by Mario Pratesi. The film stars Claudia Cardinale and Jean-Paul Belmondo. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...
(1961) - Girl with a SuitcaseGirl with a SuitcaseGirl with a suitcase is a 1961 Italian romantic drama film by Italian Director Valerio Zurlini starring Claudia Cardinale as a naive nightclub singer who lives on the good will of others. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.-Synopsis:...
(1961) - A cavallo della tigre (1961 film)A cavallo della tigre (1961 film)A cavallo della tigre is an Italian film written and directed by Luigi Comencini in 1961. It was released as Jailbreak in the UK and On the Tiger's Back in the U.S.-Cast:*Nino Manfredi as Giacinto Rossi*Mario Adorf as Tagliabue...
(1961) - Les Sept péchés capitauxLes Sept péchés capitauxLes Sept péchés capitaux is a 1962 film composed of seven different segments, one for each of the seven deadly sins.- External links :...
(1962) - Le quattro giornate di Napoli (1962)
- Family DiaryFamily DiaryFamily Diary is a 1962 Italian film directed by Valerio Zurlini and based on the novel by Vasco Pratolini. It tells the story of two brothers who are brought up apart from each other at their mother's death, then brought together by difficult family circumstances.Once described as the "classiest...
(1962) - I Sequestrati di Altona (The Condemned of AltonaThe Condemned of AltonaThe Condemned of Altona is a play written by Jean-Paul Sartre, known in Great Britain as Loser Wins. It was first produced in 1959 at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris. It was one of the last plays Sartre wrote, followed only by his adaptation of Euripides' The Trojan Women...
, 1962) - The Whip and the BodyThe Whip and the BodyThe Whip and The Body is a 1963 Italian gothic horror film directed by Mario Bava.-Plot:The story concerns a cruel, domineering man who returns to his castle home and resumes his sado-masochistic relationship with his sister-in-law whom he vigorously flogs...
(1963) - Il GattopardoThe Leopard (film)The Leopard is a 1963 Italian film by director Luchino Visconti, based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel of the same name.-Cast:* Burt Lancaster as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina* Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara / Bertiana...
(1963) - Sodom and Gomorrah (1963)
- I FidanzatiI FidanzatiThe Fiances is a 1963 Italian film directed by Ermanno Olmi. It tells the story of a young man who moves to Sicily for a job, but pines for his girlfriend back home. It was entered into the 1963 Cannes Film Festival.-External links:*...
(1963)
External links
- IMDB http://www.imdb.com/company/co0046727/
- in Italian http://www.cinemotoreonline.net/titanus.html