May 8 - Robert Rossellini

Happy Birthday, Roberto Rossellini! Born today in 1906 as Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini , this Italian screenwriter, producer and film director was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing the the movement. 

  

Of the 1940s, his most notable works include the 1945 Italian black and white war/drama film 'Roma città aperta' ('Rome, Open City'), the 1946 Italian black and white neorealist war/drama film 'Paisà' ('Paisan') and the 1948 Italian black and white war/drama film 'Germania anno zero' ('Germany Year Zero'). 

  

Of the 1950s, his most notable works include the 1950 Italian black and white drama film 'Stromboli, terra di Dio' ('Stromboli, Land of God' or 'Stromboli'), the 1952 Italian neorealist drama film 'Europa '51' and the 1954 Italian/French black and white drama/romance film 'Viaggio in Italia' ('Journey to Italy'). 

  

Rossellini's films after his early neorealist films—particularly his films with his third wife Ingrid Bergman—(1950–1957) were commercially unsuccessful, though 'Journey to Italy' is well regarded in some quarters. She had also starred in 'Europa '51' and 'Stromboli'.  

  

He was an acknowledged master for the critics of Cahiers du Cinema in general and Jean-Luc Godard,, François Truffaut, and renowned and influential French film critic and film theorist. André Bazin in particular.  

  

Truffaut noted in his 1963 essay, Roberto Rossellini Prefers Real Life (available in The Films In My Life) that Rossellini's influence in France particularly among the directors who became part of the nouvelle vague was so great that he was in every sense "the father of the French New Wave". 

  

His posthumous ex-son-in-law Martin Scorsese has acknowledged Rossellini's seminal influence in his personal four-hour 1999 Italian/American black and white/color documentary film 'Il mio viaggio in Italia' ('My Voyage to Italy') (the title itself a take on Rossellini's 'Journey to Italy').  

  

An important point to note is that out of Scorsese's selection of Italian films from a select group of directors, Rossellini's films form at least half of the films discussed and analyzed, highlighting Rossellini's monumental role in Italian and world cinema.

This was aside from Scorsese's selection of Italian films by Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica and Michelangelo Antonioni.   

  

The films covered include his neorealist films to his films with Bergman as well as the 1950 Italian black and white drama/historical drama film 'Francesco, giullare di Dio', or 'Francis, God's Jester'). The film is better known as 'The Flowers of St. Francis', and told about St. Francis of Assisi.  

  

Scorsese notes in his documentary that in contrast to directors who often become more restrained and more conservative stylistically as their careers advance, Rossellini became more and more unconventional and was constantly experimenting with new styles and technical challenges.  

  

Scorsese particularly highlights the series of biographies Rossellini made in the 1960s of historical figures and, although he does not discuss it in detail, singles out his 1966 French Eastmancolor drama/historical drama film 'La Prise de pouvoir par Louis XIV' ('The Taking of Power by Louis XIV') for praise.  

  

Certain of Rossellini's film related material and personal papers are contained in the Wesleyan University Cinema Archives to which scholars and media experts from around the world may have full access.  

  

Rossellini's son, Italian film producer, left-wing political activist and communication innovator Renzo, is producing the Audiovisual Encyclopedia of History by Roberto Rossellini. 

This is a multi-media support containing all of Rossellini's works, interviews, and other material from the Rossellini archive. The Encyclopedia for now exists in prototype form. 

  

Among Rossellini's seven children, his most notable is Italian-American actress, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and model Isabella Rossellini.  

  

Isabella was married to Scorsese from 1979–1982. She had been partners with David Lynch (1986–1991), who had her co-star in his 1986 American neo-noir psychological mystery/drama film 'Blue Velvet' as lounge singer Dorothy Vallens. 

Isabella had also been partners with Gary Oldman (1994–1996). 

  

Rossellini had been active from 1936–1977. 

  

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