A Day Well Spent

With more than a few errands to run in town, my day was spent enjoying the view driving around the valley. Then I came home and worked on a number of projects, almost flitting from one to the other the way I do. And I made sure my lists were current so what I plan for various gifts or other deadlines doesn't get lost.

A new swap I have engaged in is a "Movie Challenge of the Month" where you agree to watch a movie made or set in the location of your swap partner. Much to my delight, mine is from Naples, Italy. When I went looking for films, I found 10, and yet also wanted to find them online so went to You Tube and found a 1914 silent film "Assunta Spina" starring Francesca Bertini who is considered one of the first divas of cinema. https://www.youtube.com/watch Assunta Spina

In some places, she is listed as Co-Director of the film. Her performance sets the standard for acting and is considered extraordinary to this day. She wanted the effect of her acting to be close to reality, so never looked at the camera, used everyday gestures and related internally to external events with her acting responses.

While most of this film takes place indoors and is colorized by adding one of four colors to it, there are other realistic sets for the action, one of which included wooden sidewalks on the outside of buildings. I took this from my computer screen.

In the end, the story shows how women of that era were put upon by men as well as the system. Even a strong woman such as Assunta Spina had little hope for her happy ending.

Bertini, on the other hand, knew world wide acclaim portraying a wide range of female characters, and became a symbol for feminine elegance, and authenticity. I've looked at You Tube for more information about her, and none of the videos are in English, including a final interview with her where she appears in fur and pearls after a few clips from her movies showing her beauty and the drama in the films. https://www.youtube.com/Bertini

Good Goddess, she was stunning. And while I did not know what she said, it was so fun to LISTEN!

My Gramma Anna used to tell the story of being infatuated with a man from Naples and that her Father refused the union because he had moved to America and wanted his children with him. He arranged a marriage to my Grandfather. She would have been the same age as Assunta in the movie. I love the costuming and the indoor sets. Yes, I plan to watch it again.