The May 18, 1940 edition of the Rome newspaper “Il Messaggero” lists the Imperiale and Bernini as separate cinemas. It lists what was playing in each of those two places. The webpage www.cartesio-episteme.net/cinema says the Bernini was on Via Borgognona. It says the Imperiale was on Via del Corso.
The May 18, 1940 edition of “Il Messaggero” lists the Fenice (La Fenice) Cinema showing “Caffe' Internazionale” which was the French “Cafe' de Paris” with Jules Berry. So this cinema existed in the 194os and earlier under that name.
“In this cinema on April 17, 1949, 2000 people were rounded up by the Nazis. About a thousand were sent to various camps throughout Europe, and almost half would never return. Nearby in the Quadraro area there is a memorial plaque which recalls this event.” -Fabrizio Antonelli, 2013, on Roma Sparita webpage. (translated from the Italian.)
On August 27, 1969 I sought out the Cinema Belsito to see an infrequently shown film by Bernardo Bertolucci called “Partner.” I had already seen it at the New York Film Festival but wanted to catch it again.
YouTube video by neighborhood citizens concerned about the condition and fate of the former Cinema Puccini. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPFyQaQBUsM
On December 26, 1990 I went to this cinema to see the Ettore Scola film then playing, “Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa.” I remember the cinema as being spacious and pleasant.
The Tom Mix film is the 1933 “Terror Trail.” Like everything else imported, it would be dubbed in Italian.“Genoveffa” could be the 1923 French silent or the 1932 Italian-American film made in New Jersey, in Italian, and circulating in the U.S. in ethnic venues around that time.
The place had a long previous history in the 19th Century, when it was used for variety shows as the Teatro Nazionale, before being transformed after 1929 into a movie theatre.
Numerous flyers for this theatre from the 1930s survive and reveal a variety of very good programming of Italian and non-Italian films. A number of them have been posted. Most of the admission prices were between one and three liras, depending on the location. Galleria (balcony) seats were more expensive than orchestra seats; that was true of most cinemas in Italy.
On August 29, 1970 I took a cab out here from the center of Rome to see the film “Banditi a Milano,” by Carlo Lizzani at the Cinema Cassio. It was a film that would achieve some cult praise in the U.S. (in the English dubbed version) as “The Violent Four.” It was worth going out of my way for.
The May 18, 1940 edition of the Rome newspaper “Il Messaggero” lists the Imperiale and Bernini as separate cinemas. It lists what was playing in each of those two places. The webpage www.cartesio-episteme.net/cinema says the Bernini was on Via Borgognona. It says the Imperiale was on Via del Corso.
The May 18, 1940 edition of “Il Messaggero” lists the Fenice (La Fenice) Cinema showing “Caffe' Internazionale” which was the French “Cafe' de Paris” with Jules Berry. So this cinema existed in the 194os and earlier under that name.
“In this cinema on April 17, 1949, 2000 people were rounded up by the Nazis. About a thousand were sent to various camps throughout Europe, and almost half would never return. Nearby in the Quadraro area there is a memorial plaque which recalls this event.” -Fabrizio Antonelli, 2013, on Roma Sparita webpage. (translated from the Italian.)
The film poster on the left is for Rossellini’s 1954 “Dov'e' la liberta'?” with Toto'.
Ingmar Bergman film.
The Metropolitana station stop is S. Agnese/Annibaliano on Line B
“Eadie Was a Lady” was released in 1945. Must be a 1945 double bill.
On August 27, 1969 I sought out the Cinema Belsito to see an infrequently shown film by Bernardo Bertolucci called “Partner.” I had already seen it at the New York Film Festival but wanted to catch it again.
The year is alternately given as XIII or the 13th year of fascism.
YouTube video by neighborhood citizens concerned about the condition and fate of the former Cinema Puccini. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPFyQaQBUsM
The Music Hall burned down on February 2, 1922.
On December 26, 1990 I went to this cinema to see the Ettore Scola film then playing, “Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa.” I remember the cinema as being spacious and pleasant.
“Due Mondi” was the 1930 British film by E.A. Dupont “Two Worlds.”
XV refers to the 15th year of fascism.
The Tom Mix film is the 1933 “Terror Trail.” Like everything else imported, it would be dubbed in Italian.“Genoveffa” could be the 1923 French silent or the 1932 Italian-American film made in New Jersey, in Italian, and circulating in the U.S. in ethnic venues around that time.
“Napoli d'altri tempi” is a wonderful film with a great cast. First saw it at MoMA.
“Educational and moral films for families and children.”
The place had a long previous history in the 19th Century, when it was used for variety shows as the Teatro Nazionale, before being transformed after 1929 into a movie theatre.
Numerous flyers for this theatre from the 1930s survive and reveal a variety of very good programming of Italian and non-Italian films. A number of them have been posted. Most of the admission prices were between one and three liras, depending on the location. Galleria (balcony) seats were more expensive than orchestra seats; that was true of most cinemas in Italy.
Note the supervision of the second film by Vittorio Mussolini, the dictator’s son.
The film showings in their cinema were probably meant to raise funds for their work with the deaf.
On August 29, 1970 I took a cab out here from the center of Rome to see the film “Banditi a Milano,” by Carlo Lizzani at the Cinema Cassio. It was a film that would achieve some cult praise in the U.S. (in the English dubbed version) as “The Violent Four.” It was worth going out of my way for.
1935 film.
“The Rainmaker.”
In July 1989 I went to two movies here: “Amori in corso” on the 17th, “Ladri di saponette” (The Icicle Thief) on the 28th. Pleasant cinema.