Author Archive: Retro

British Cold War thriller about espionage.

A troubled ex-sailor finds redemption training at a nautical school.

A slave girl marries Emperor Justinian and becomes Empress of Byzantium.

German biopic of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of military intelligence.

Egyptian comedian Ismail Yassin encounters Frankenstein.

French widow is killed by a poisoned-tipped arrow and it’s up to Inspector Hanaud to investigate. Based on the novel by A.E.W. Mason. Dir. Michael Anderson

In Rome, a young man is falsely accused of killing his girlfriend.

The life and work of the great Italian operatic composer Giuseppi Verdi (1813-1901) is depicted in this 1953 film, made in Italy. Pierre Cressy portrays the composer with intensity and feeling, while Gaby Andre his second wife with tenderness and pathos. A host of fine singers adorn operatic excerpts, including Tenor Mario del Monaco in a startling death scene from “Otello” and Tito Gobbi in a dramatic moment from “Rigoletto.” Throughout the film there are elaborately staged scenes from “Nabucco,” “Il Trovatore,” “La Forza del Destino,” “Aida,” and “Falstaff.” A rare look at the domestic and love life of this composer is afforded, within the usual dramatic license given such biopics. On his death-bed, the Italian composer thinks back on his life; from his childhood to his final opera. Contains pieces from many classic operas: “Otello”, “Rigoletto”, “Nabucco”, “Il Trovatore”, “Aida” and more. English dubbed. Dir. Raffaello Matarazz