Just rewatched this charming Zeffirelli film. Delightful.
Film
This week’s movies
The longer the lockdown, the less I am able to concentrate enough to read. So, I’ve turned to art history videos on Youtube and have watched these great American films:
On the Waterfront, 1954
Lust for Life, 1956
The Agony and the Ecstasy, 1965
Must see film: Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell”
Poignant, charming, must see:
The Roman fashion house of the Sorelle Fontana
The Sorelle Fontana fashion house was founded in Rome in 1943 by three sisters and Italian designers: Zoe Fontana (1911-1979), Micol Fontana (1913-2015) and Giovanna Fontana (1915-2004). I recently posted about their designs for Rita Hayworth in The Barefoot Contessa (1954).
There’s a fair amount of information available in the public sphere online, including on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sorelle+fontana
The actual atelier is featured in Luciano Emmer’s film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna. The film was shot in the Sorelle Fontana’s atelier near Piazza di Spagna in Rome.
Above: Lucia Bosè and Zoe Fontana in Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna.
Below: Anita Ekberg, testimonial of first perfume “Glory by Fontana” with Zoe Fontana.
Below: Raquel Welch, female costar in Eduardo De Filippo’s movie Spara forte più forte, wears Sorelle Fontana designs.
Rita Hayworth in The Barefoot Contessa; gowns by Sorelle Fontana
In 1954, the film The Barefoot Contessa was released, starring Rita Hayworth and Humphrey Bogart. I just watched the film on Amazon.it and loved it just for the settings and costumes. The fashion house of the Sorelle Fontana provided the gorgeous costumes worn by Hayworth and some of the other characters.
The Sorelle Fontana fashion house was founded in Rome in 1943 by three sisters and Italian designers: Zoe Fontana (1911-1979), Micol Fontana (1913-2015) and Giovanna Fontana (1915-2004). I’ll be posting strictly about the fashion house soon.
The Barefoot Contessa is considered one of director/producer Mankiewicz’s most glamorous “Hollywood” films, but it was produced out of Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy. The exterior scenes were shot at Tivoli (the olive grove), Sanremo, and Portofino. The film’s Italian production was part of the “Hollywood on the Tiber” phenomenon.
The Saturday Review called Ava Gardner “one of the most breathtaking creatures on earth.” It is hard to disagree.
I took a bunch of screen shots of the film to illustrate this post. The pictures aren’t great, but the costumes are.
We’re having a heatwave…
Cary Grant, filming North by Northwest in Rapid City, SD
Actors Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in downtown Rapid City during filming of the Alfred Hitchcock movie North By Northwest. The film was released in 1959.
The Hotel Alex Johnson is visible in upper left.
Please don’t kiss the sculpture!
As seen at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, where Pride and Prejudice was filmed. The bust is actually for all to see and dream of in the gift shop!
L’ Atelier des Lumières, Japan
The 60s in Florence
Liz Taylor e Richard Burton a Firenze negli anni ’60
Taylor and Burton along the Lungarno; they were staying at the nearby Excelsior Hotel, according to local sources
get back, lauretta! 
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