Condottieri | |
Director: | Luis Trenker |
Starring: | Luis Trenker Loris Gizzi Laura Nucci |
Cinematography: | Walter Hege Carlo Montuori Klaus von Rautenfeld |
Editing: | Giorgio Simonelli |
Studio: | ENIC |
Distributor: | ENIC |
Runtime: | 88 minutes |
Country: | Italy |
Language: | Italian |
Condottieri is a 1937 Italian historical drama film directed by Luis Trenker and starring Trenker, Loris Gizzi and Laura Nucci. It portrays the life of Giovanni de' Medici, a celebrated condottiere of the sixteenth century. A separate German-language version was also made.
The film received 9.6 million lire of funding from the Italian government,[1] as part of a major drive by the Fascist authorities to develop the Italian film industry (which also involved the construction of the large Cinecittà complex in Rome). Along with Scipio Africanus, the film was an attempt to harness history to support the Fascist regime's current policies. Condottieri drew parallels between the dictator Benito Mussolini and the historical figure of de' Medici, portraying both as unifying Italy.[2] The film's elaborate sets were designed by Virgilio Marchi and Erich Grave, while Herbert Ploberger produced the costumes.