Bellissima (1951)

 Luchino Visconti's "Bellissima"

In perhaps her greatest role of her career, Anna Magnani teams up with renowned filmmaker Luchino Visconti for the 1951 Italian film "Bellissima." She stars as a desperate mother attempting to get her 5 year old daughter into the film industry. Visconti, now a seasoned auteur of the film medium, carries flourishes of neo-realism with him in this film. Overall, it's a great piece of work with great direction and great performances.

One important thematic element from the film is the situational needs of all the characters, including our protagonist. The film centers around an audition for the "Prettiest Girl in Rome" contest. All of the mothers are desperate to get their daughters entered into the contest. Due to the low economic living standards of many of the characters, as well as the real life citizens of Italy at the time, this desperation was completely necessary. Even many of the film industry professions are vying for positions and stoop to bribery and other means to cling to the realms of economic security. Magnani's character, Maddalena, does everything she can to get her daughter into this contest whilst eviction hangs in the balance. She makes friends with one of the studio assistants, she buys her a dress, enrolls her in dancing lessons, and many other things in order to improve her daughter's chances of being noticed and chosen. Other characters get involved, like the acting teacher, because they too think they can gain economic benefits from this opportunity. The entire film is surrounded with characters who are desperate and bending over backwards for the opportunity of financial security. 

However, the film industry acts only as a stand-in for the concept of industry itself. In this new post-war landscape, people have become reliant on industry to fulfil their economic lacks. Because of this, industry can use that leverage to oppress and abuse. In one scene, Maddalena is watching Howard Hawks' 1948 film "Red River." The scene we are shown is the one in which the characters must move their cattle over the river. Visconti then cuts to a shot of herds of women attempting to get their daughters into the filming room. Visconti's subtle cut implies that these desperate women are like cattle to the film industry. These themes become even more prominent in the climax of the film when the filmmakers are cackling and laughing at Maddalena's daughter's audition, mocking her. Maddalena spent the entire film bending over backwards only to have her daughter be laughed and mocked. 

Visconti blends neo-realism with a more financially enhanced visual image. He uses non-professional actors (aside from Anna Magnani) as well as a visual realness. However, he does film on designed sets in a film studio, which breaks away from the traditional neo-realist approach of filming in real-world locations. However, the real stand-out of the film is Anna Magnani, whose emotions range from rage, humiliation, to maternal love. The entire film is enhanced through the life she breathes into her character and the array of emotions she experiences. It is perhaps her greatest achievement as an actress.