Theodora, Slave Empress
| Theodora, Slave Empress | |
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 American poster for Theodora, Slave Empress | |
| Directed by | Riccardo Freda |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Starring | Gianna Maria Canale |
| Music by | Renzo Rossellini[1] |
| Cinematography | Rodolfo Lombardi[1] |
Production companies |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
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Theodora, Slave Empress (Italian: Teodora, imperatrice di Bisanzio) is a 1954 film about Theodora, a former slave who married Justinian I, emperor of Byzantium in AD 527–565. It was directed by Riccardo Freda.
Cast
- Gianna Maria Canale as "Theodora"
- Georges Marchal as "Justinian I"
- Renato Baldini as "Arcal"
- Henri Guisol as "John of Cappadocia"
- Irene Papas as "Faida"
- Olga Solbelli as "Egina"
- Roger Pigaut as "Andres"
- Nerio Bernardi as "Belisarius"
- Carletto Sposito as "Scarpios"
- Alessandro Fersen as "Metropolita"
Release
Theodora, Slave Empress was the first of director Riccardo Freda's film to obtain a wide distribution outside Italy.[2]
Reception
In a contemporary review, The Monthly Film Bulletin gave the film a negative review referring to the film as a "dispiriting experience."[1] The review referred to Freda as direction as "laboured" and that he "brings neither gusto nor honest vulgarity to the narrative"[1] The review also referred to the action scenes, stating that only the chariot race is staged with "any suggestion of real flamboyancy or flair" and the Canale's erotic dance before Justinian is "painfully unexciting".[1]
See also
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Theodora, Slave Empress "(Teodora, Imperatrice di Bisanzio)"". Monthly Film Bulletin. London: British Film Institute. 22 (252): 36. 1955. ISSN 0027-0407.
- ↑ Quinlan 1999, p. 119.
References
- Quinlan, David (1999). Quinlan's Film Directors. B.T. Batsford. ISBN 0713477539.