| Kean: Genius or Scoundrel | |
| Director: | Vittorio Gassman |
| Producer: | Franco Cristaldi |
| Starring: | Vittorio Gassman Eleonora Rossi Drago Gérard Landry Valentina Cortese |
| Music: | Roman Vlad |
| Cinematography: | Gianni Di Venanzo |
| Editing: | Enzo Alfonzi |
| Studio: | Lux Film |
| Distributor: | Lux Film |
| Runtime: | 83 minutes |
| Country: | Italy |
| Language: | Italian |
Kean: Genius or Scoundrel (Italian: Kean - Genio e sregolatezza) is a 1956 Italian historical biographical film co-written, directed by and starring Vittorio Gassman. It also features Eleonora Rossi Drago, Gérard Landry and Valentina Cortese A dramatization of the life of nineteenth century actor Edmund Kean, it is based on the drama play Kean (1836) by Alexandre Dumas and its 1953 adaptation with the same name by Jean-Paul Sartre.[1] [2] It was Gassman's first film as director.[3] It was screened at the Locarno Film Festival in 1957.
The film's sets were designed by the art director Gianni Polidori. Much of the film was shot at the Teatro Valle in Rome.
In 19th century London, Edmund Kean was an adored Shakespearean comedian. An inveterate Don Juan, he amuses good London society with his eloquence and his wit. Eléna, the charming wife of the Danish ambassador, is in love with the actor. The Prince of Wales learns that this emotion is mutual, and offers her to give up this idyll for a large sum of money. But soon, Kean falls in love with Anna, a young but promising first actress.[4]