Sword-and-Sandal Siren Wandisa Guida

Whether cast as a princess or a pauper, she managed to bring ancient Rome to life with her sophistication and goddess-like looks.

Born in Puglia in 1935, Wandisa Guida entered the Miss Italia beauty pageant when she was 19 years old, winning the title of Miss Cinema. That victory led her to enroll in Rome’s film school, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, and a short but successful acting career followed.

Guida was a leading lady in several sword-and-sandal epics, a subgenre of Italian adventure films from the early 1960s that were predominately set in Greco-Roman antiquity. Guida’s ability to imbue her characters with grace, sophistication, and courage greatly contributed to the subgenre’s popularity.

Her breakout role came in Mario Costa’s 1962 “The Gladiator of Rome.” Boasting sumptuous sets and lavish costumes, the film is set during the tumultuous final days of Roman Emperor Caracalla’s chaotic rule. The international cast includes Guida as Princess Nisa and Gordon Scott as Marcus, who is charged by Nisa’s lover with keeping her alive to carry on her family’s bloodline.

When Nisa is abducted and sold into slavery, Marcus stays by her side. On the way to their destination, they witness an accident that sends a carriage into a lake. Marcus escapes his chains and dives into the water to save the occupants from drowning. One of them is the future emperor, Macrinus, who swears to never forget the slave who saved his life.

Marcus’ heroism and ox-like strength earn him a coveted position as a Roman gladiator, and both he and Nisa are spared a lifetime in shackles. Trouble always manages to catch up with the pair, however, and before long they’re on the run again.

When Nisa is taken prisoner by forces allied with the emperor, Marcus enlists the help of his fellow gladiators and other countrymen to rescue her. He and some of his comrades are captured during the ensuing battle. Sentenced to death, they hang on crosses, awaiting their fate, as the fight rages on.

Enter Macrinus to save the day. Having become emperor following the murder of Caracalla, he appears on the scene, putting an end to the armed conflict and snatching Marcus from the brink of death, just as Marcus had once rescued him from drowning.

Guida teamed up two years later with director Antonio Margheriti for “Giants of Rome.” Set during the Gallic Wars of 58-50 B.C., the film recounts a battle waged on behalf of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar that led to the defeat of the Druids.

Starring Richard Harrison and Ettore Manni as well as Guida, the film follows celebrated military leader Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who is ordered by Caesar to unravel a mystery, the solution to which would lead to the demise of the enemy.

Along the way, Claudius meets several characters who help him get the job done, including Lydia (Guida), who was taken prisoner by the Druids. She is rescued by Claudius, and the two fall in love. Due to the danger of the mission, Claudius sends Lydia away before engaging in a dramatic confrontation with the Druids. In the end, he completes his mission and is reunited with his love.

“Giants of Rome” has all the elements of a typical sword-and-sandal film, including epic battlefield scenes, muscular heroes, and a beautiful heroine. As with most of the entries in this subgenre, liberties were taken with the actual course of human events. The most obvious is the presence of celebrated military leader Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Though he did in fact exist, the real Marcellus died in battle while fighting the Carthaginians 150 years earlier, rendering him unable to participate in the movie’s fictionalized storyline.

The sword-and-sandal films were made during the heyday of icons like Fellini, Visconti, Pasolini, Antonioni, Rosi, and Wertmüller. They competed for screen time with legendary commedia all’italiana characters portrayed by Sordi, Tognazzi, Gassman, and Manfredi. Although they are not considered golden-age classics like the films of the aforementioned artists, they were very popular during their time.

Several sword-and-sandal films are available to stream on Amazon, including “The Gladiator of Rome” and “Giants of Rome.” Click on the titles to stream them.

Comments

Anna Foglietta: Actress and Activist with Old School Elegance

One look at actress Anna Foglietta in her any of her roles, and the Golden Age of Italian cinema comes to mind. Among Italy’s most sought-after actresses today, Foglietta brings to the table a classic eloquence of yesterday while representing Italy’s modern woman. Born in Rome in 1979, Foglietta began her career in 2005 with a role in the RAI television series La squadra . Her character Agent Anna De Luca had a two-year run on the series as she was transitioning to cinema with Paolo Virzì’s 2006 ensemble project 4-4-2- Il gioco più bello del mondo . Since then, she has become one of Italy’s most diverse actresses, transforming herself into interesting, layered characters for comedies and dramas alike. Aside from a small part in Anton Corbijn’s 2010 film The American starring George Clooney, Foglietta’s work began reaching mainstream American audiences in 2015. As Elisa in Edoardo Leo’s 2015 comedy Noi e la Giulia , Foglietta showed her funny side playing a goofball pregn...

Director Gianni Di Gregorio explores relationships in later life with 'Never Too Late for Love'

In “Astolfo” (“Never Too Late for Love”), director Gianni Di Gregorio delivers a coming-of-age film for the golden years of life about a retired professor who leaves Rome to return to a tiny mountain village in Abruzzo. The film opens with the title character, played by Di Gregorio, walking through the streets of his Roman neighborhood, groceries in hand, only to find his landlord waiting for him when he arrives home. She is there to announce that he will have to vacate his humble residence to make way for her daughter, who is getting married soon. After some contemplation, he calls his ex-wife to ask her about an old family castle he split with her in their divorce. When she confirms that a portion of the castle is his for the taking, he gleefully returns to his spacious new home only to discover it has been occupied by a squatter, who turns out to be an acquaintance from his childhood who is also down on his luck. Without hesitation, Astolfo adopts the man as his roommate. ...

La Grande Bellezza of Sabrina Ferilli

The 2015 Rome Premiere of "Io e Lei" Sabrina Ferilli has been gracing Italian screens, big and small, since the mid-80s. With her recent role in Paolo Sorrentino's international blockbuster, "La Grande Bellezza" (The Great Beauty), audiences throughout the world are getting the chance to see why she is one of Italy's most beloved treasures. Born in Rome in 1964, Sabrina Ferilli is the daughter of Giuliano Ferilli, the former leader of the Communist Party of the Lazio Region. Ferilli attempted to study her craft at Rome's Experimental Center of Cinematography, but later decided to abandon her studies and dive right into her career. Time has proven that she made the right choice. With dozens of movies to her credit, Ferilli has appeared on television and on the big screen, becoming a household name in Italy. Ferilli is the very portrait of Italian beauty with her infamous figure, long brown locks and dark eyes. But as cliched as it may sound, s...

Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni.. What cinema dreams are made of

The Toronto International Film Festival is wrapping up its retrospective of the cinematic collaboration of husband and wife team, Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni. Over the last few days, the couple have participated in discussions, Q & A sessions and have introduced several of their films. Today, I attended a screening of "La voce della luna" (The voice of the moon). It was Federico Fellini's last film and is a wonderful tribute to the director's signature poetic madness. The film gave Benigni the opportunity to team up with fellow beloved comic, Paolo Villaggio, and the two created a truly unforgettable adventure. Today's screening began with an introduction by Benigni. The moments leading up to his introduction were noticeably serious and somewhat tense. Benigni's publicist and TIFF security staunchly guarded his privacy. There was no interaction and no photos were allowed. Guided by ...

The Timeless Talent of Stefania Sandrelli

On screen since the tender age of 14, she has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14 years old playing the angelic cousin of a love-struck Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Stefania Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio in the province of Lucca in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s Gioventù di notte , Luciano Salce’s The Fascist, and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style . She instantly became a star and before long was a key figure in Italy’s legend...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog