Fernanda Negri Pouget: Silence is Golden

A silent film luminary, she shunned celebrity and stepped away from the spotlight entirely with the advent of audio.

Born in the Eternal City in 1889, Fernanda Negri Pouget was one of the first stars of Italian cinema. Her rise to fame was swift, and she went on to dominate Italy’s silent film era.

Negri Pouget studied the performing arts at Rome’s National Academy of Santa Cecilia, one of the oldest musical institutions in the world. She made her big-screen debut at the age of 17 in the 1906 short film “Il romanzo di un Pierrot,” which was produced by Rome’s leading production house, Alberini & Santoni. Three years later, she was chosen by prolific director Mario Caserini to star in his 1909 release “Beatrice Cenci.” The movie made her a star and was the first of many successful collaborations between the two.

In 1912, she relocated to Torino, where she joined the Ambrosio Film production company. There, she starred in a string of hits. Among them was Caserini’s 1913 “Dante e Beatrice” (The Life of Dante). Set in Florence during the 13th century, the story line follows the young Dante Alighieri (Oreste Grandi) as he meets and falls in love with Beatrice (Negri Pouget), the wistful daughter of a prominent banker. The two marry, and she eventually meets a tragic end. Overcome with grief, Dante seeks consolation in the arms of a courtesan and embarks on the path that will lead to the writing of the “Divine Comedy.”

The film was released in Italy in February 1913 and in the United States the following April. In 2007, Cineteca di Bologna restored it as part of a project to recover and enhance the silent movies created by Torino production companies. It was later presented at the Cineteca di Bologna’s annual summer festival, Cinema Ritrovato, which features restored films.

Also in 1913, Negri Pouget starred as Nidia in Caserini and Eleuterio Rodolfi’s “The Last Days of Pompeii.” The film’s action takes place right before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1834 novel, it is one of early Italian cinema’s epic achievements.

The film follows a large cast of characters behaving badly as they obsess over wealth, beauty and passion. Negri Pouget steals the show with her brilliant portrayal of a blind slave who falls in love with Glaucus (Ubaldo Stefani), a wealthy man who rescued her from an abusive master. Her sensitive performance is what sets this film apart from other early Italian blockbusters like “Dante’s Inferno” and “Cabiria.” It’s one for the record books and should be part of film school coursework for aspiring actresses.

As a love story slowly emerges, Nidia’s tragic life tugs at the audience’s heartstrings. Her naivete gets her into trouble after she inadvertently ruins Glaucus by trusting one of his adversaries. In the end, she redeems herself with the ultimate act of sacrifice. The storyline and performances are so riveting, it’s easy to forget the impending cataclysm.

If you’ve ever visited the vast ruins of Pompeii or have seen images of it, this film will bring that long lost world to life. From the populous streets and opulent baths to the luxurious costumes and detailed props, the elaborate, sumptuous sets paint a vivid portrait of a rich, cultured society.

Negri Pouget was as private as she was famous. She was married to French actor Armand Pouget, but no wedding date was ever made public. According to Italian director and critic Lucio D’Ambra, she stood out in that she “detached herself from the world of divas.”

She had no desire to live the life of a star and stepped away from the public eye entirely after the silent film era came to an end. Her last appearance was in Torello Rolli’s 1923 movie “La gola del lupo” (The Wolf’s Throat). She passed away in February 1955 at the age of 65.

Watch “The Last Days of Pompeii” on Amazon.

-Written by Jeannine Guilyard for the May, 2022 issue of Fra Noi Magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Comments

The Legend of Alberto Sordi - Rome's Eternal Son

′′They will always judge you, whether you behave well or if you behave badly. So screw it and live as you want but above all don't listen to anyone.′′ - Alberto Sordi By giving his fellow Italians something to laugh about during tumultuous times, he emerged as his generation’s King of Comedy. One of Italy’s best-loved personalities, Alberto Sordi played a pivotal role in Italian cinema from the end of World War II to the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. During those tumultuous years, he gave his countrymen a hearty laugh when they might have otherwise cried. Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi perhaps said it best: “Alberto Sordi interpreted the feelings of Italians, especially in their most difficult and tough moments.” Born in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome in 1920, Sordi grew up in a creative household. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father, a professional musician for the Rome Opera House. A young Sordi joined the children’s choir o...

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann. Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty. He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence. Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...

Portrait for a friend: 'How Strange to Be Named Federico'

Ettore Scola on the set of 'How Strange to Be Named Federico' A sentimental portrait for a friend, Ettore Scola’s 2013 “Che strano chiamarsi Federico” (“How Strange to Be Named Federico”) is both a tribute to Federico Fellini and a reflection on friendship, and an artist’s passion for filmmaking. Scola created a personal and imaginative film that moves between documentary, fiction, memory, and fantasy, bringing to life important moments he shared with Fellini during their decades-long friendship as well as highlights from Fellini’s own life and career while showing how deeply Fellini influenced Scola himself. The result is an inviting, nostalgic, and at times playful portrait of one of Italy and the world’s most beloved filmmakers. The film opens on the beach where a figure depicting Fellini sits in a director’s chair and watches performers audition for him. The beach is likely symbolic of Fellini’s roots in the seaside town of Rimini and his beach-going days on the c...

The Timeless Vision of Pier Paolo Pasolini

Pondering his films and poetry, I wonder if the uniqueness of Pier Paolo Pasolini's films was rooted in his unconventional childhood. Born in Bologna in 1922, Pasolini's father was a lieutenant in the army, and his family was always moving. He grew up in various small towns in Northern Italy. After his parents separated, he spent most of his time in his mother's hometown of Casarsa, in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. There, he grew to respect the area's peasant culture and began to write poetry in the region's dialect. He studied literature and art history at the University of Bologna and was drafted into the army during World War II. The war proved to be especially tragic for his family as his younger brother was executed by Communist partisans. Following the war, he returned to Casarsa where he worked as a teacher and ironically became a leading member of the Communist party there. Pasolini was later expelled from the party due to allegations of homo...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog