Turfseer 'Bellissima' begins with a radio presentation of Donizetti's opera L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love). In it, a poor peasant, Nemorino, falls in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner. He relies on a charlatan's magic potion that he believes will help him to gain Adina's love. We're suddenly interrupted by an announcement of a casting competition for (real-life) director Alessandro Blasetti, who is searching for a child, age 6 to 8, to star in his latest film. 'Bellissima' is heralded director Luchino Visconti's third film and he wastes no time in introducing us to the crazy world of the Italian film industry, where a large gaggle of star struck stage mothers accompanied by their little tots are attempting to get their 'big break' in the movie business.Perhaps the most determined of all the mothers is our protagonist, Maddalena Cecconi, played by subsequent Oscar winner, the superb Anna Magnani. She lives in a working-class tenement with her equally 'passionate' husband, Spartaco, who both appear to be good parents to little Maria, the unprecocious child who Maddalena is convinced is the next 'Shirley Temple'. Like Nemorino in Donizetti's opera, Maddalena needs a magic potion to escape the drab existence which she perceives is her life—and that magic potion is the film contract which will enable her to live vicariously through her daughter's success. If Spartaco tries to convince his obsessed wife that motion pictures are just a 'fantasy', Maddalena will have none of it—every week there's another Hollywood picture projected on the big screen in the building's courtyard and Maddalena is enraptured whenever a big actor like Montgomery Clift makes his captivating appearance.Back to the initial auditions: Maddalena finally finds little Maria with her soiled dress by a pool—the rest of the stage mothers have already been let in to the studio and a seemingly kind director's assistant, Alberto Annovazzi, manages to get Maddalena and Maria inside the doors, despite the late hour.We break into Act II when Maria is chosen for a call back audition. Visconti doesn't only affectionately ridicule the naïve Maddalena but Italian society in general, obsessed with their own self-interest. It begins with an older washed-up actress who shows up at Maddalena's door insisting that she has the ability to polish the little one's act and ensure she wins the film competition. Later Spartaco kicks the woman out of the house, but up until that point, Maddalena doesn't question her credentials, only hoping that the woman's instruction will give her little one, an edge.Due to her naivety about the film business, Maddalena is often gullible with those she interacts with; but she's also stubborn and aggressive. The obsessed mother butts heads with a photographer referred to her by Annovazzi and a dress maker, who hilariously doesn't buy into taking injections for preventative health (Maddalena works a nurse and gives injections to diabetics). More funny stuff: a hairdresser allows his young son to cut Maria's pigtails and Maddalena expects instant results during initial ballet lessons (dig the crazy ballet director's absurd dance across the studio floor!). There's also a great scene where Maddalena accuses Spartaco of beating her—the gossipy neighbors get in on the act, and take Maddalena's side (in contrast to their constant criticism of her).Visconti throws in a nice twist when Annovazzi hits Maddalena up for the 50,000 lire which was going to be used for the purchase of a new house. Annovazzi tells Maddalena he'll use the money to make the necessary connections to ensure Maria gets the screen test. The twist is that Maddalena doesn't seem to mind that he used most of the money to buy a scooter for himself. And when Annovazzi tries to seduce Maddalena during a visit at her mother-in-law's, Maddalena also isn't perturbed at all—she dismisses it as men's 'typical behavior'.Before the classic denouement, Maddelena meets a woman who she recognizes as a former actress in a couple of director Blasetti's movies. She warns Maddelina that the move business isn't what it's cracked up to be. After acting in two films, she didn't get anywhere, so she took the more mundane job as a film editor. Still, Maddalena is undeterred and believes there's still a chance Maria might be selected. So she finagles her way up the projection room and watches the rushes. To her chagrin, Maria breaks out crying during her screen test. Blasseti's colleagues (including Annovazzi) find this uproarious and burst out laughing. Maddalena confronts the director and chastises him and his colleagues for their bad behavior. Blasseti basically agrees with Maddalena and fires Annovazzi on the spot. But that's not enough to assuage Maddalena's hurt feelings and she storms off.At this point, Maddalena's world is shattered. Sitting on park bench, she clutches Maria and cries out, 'Help'. Back at the studio, Blasseti watches the rushes again and improbably sees a different Maria. Before you know it, the studio executives are offering Maddalena and Spartico a contract for Maria to star in their next picture. But Maddalena, no longer living in the world of illusion, does the 'right thing' and tells the executives that the film business is not for her daughter or for the rest of the family.Most of 'Bellissima' I would describe as comic but there are moments (particularly the ending) which are more touching and poignant. On occasion, the constant bickering between some of the characters, goes on a little too long but for the most part, Visconti's narrative displays brilliant insights into the unfortunate human phenomena known as selfishness. The many layered, brilliant performance of Anna Magnani and the supporting players is the type of acting you rarely see anymore. This is a film that I highly recommend for those who enjoy watching classic cinema.

Ilpo Hirvonen Luchino Visconti's third feature film, Bellissima (1951) is without a doubt his key work. In this film Visconti's common themes and the basis of his art are portrayed. Bellissima is a very realistic film; the first observation of Visconti is the alienation of man -- that's why he locates his characters in social relations. Luchino Visconti was able to trap his characters into their own existence. The characters are prisoners of their own environments. Bellissima is a very beautiful film, but the beauty doesn't come from picturesque images or incredibly misery. The beauty comes from the way how the film is able to honor people in all situations. Bellissima is a tribute to life and innocence.A director announces that he needs a 6-8 year old girl to play a role in his film. Just like hundreds of women, Maddalena Cecconi drags her daughter to the audition. The dream of her daughter's career puts everything else aside; their family savings are spent to the girl's ballet lessons and new dresses. Maddalena is blinded by fame, fortune and romantic illusion. But in the end the cruelty and superficiality of the industry make her realize what really matters.A common feature in the films by Visconti is the escapism of drama. Anna Magnani's character escapes to the world of cinema, watching John Wayne and Montgomery Clift's adventures in Howard Hawks' Red River. Through cinema she denies her responsibility -- cinema is her redemption. This refers to Maddalena Cecconi's relationship between her daughter. She is completely alienated from her and by taking her to the world of cinema, she tries to escape the problematic milieu, combine reality and fiction; to make ugly look beautiful. But Maddalena is actually only changing her alienation to another form.The film exudes social reality, the one which forces one to act. It seems like the only way to keep your purity. But eventually one will leave this aesthetic life behind and realize the true dignity of man. Anna Magnani's character has been blind her whole life, for many years. But the cruelty of the film industry suddenly makes her realize this deep dignity. The ending of Bellissima is absolutely beautiful; the camera chases through the apartment and takes a close-up of the girl asleep. This is the first time fiction, fantasy and illusion have been forgotten; now only the true innocence and beauty are revealed. The true beauty of life.

anthony_retford I was really disappointed with this movie. Perhaps it had something to do with Mama Roma which I had just watched. I did not find Magnoni realistic for the part. She was acting so hard it hurt me. I can understand a mother who pursues an acting chance for her child but this mother took it to excess and then threw away the opportunity she had "sacrificed" so much for. The ending of the movie was ridiculous - she returns from the screen test to find a contract waiting for her, and at 2,000,000 lira to boot, and can find nothing to say but that she is hurt that her daughter was used as a fun object and laughed at. With the brazenness and unfeeling attitude she displayed all through the film I could not find her rejection of a contract believable in the least.We were supposed to see her husband as a brutish lout but he just did not appear that way. He seemed the sensible parent, not like the mother. She made a show of showing the way she was beaten but there were no signs at all. And when she said to him at the end about slapping her it was not realistic at all. That part was just in the story I suppose to make her a repository of our sympathies. But it just did not work. In my opinion he was a much better parent than she.I am am not sure why people find Magnoni a compelling actress. She is earthy and annoying. She seems one-dimensional to me. I could not see much difference in her performances in this film and Mama Roma.

bethlambert117 It was as if I had taken a time machine back to 1951. Sitting at the open theater of Tiberina Island in Rome, Anna Magnani's voice bounced off the ancient angles of this stunning roman spot. "Bellissima" is a timeless masterpiece. A rarity in Visconti's oeuvre. He puts all of his uncanny attention to detail to the service of Magnani's bombastic, tender, funny, extraordinary performance. Visconti knew how to bring the best in his actors. Even Maria Callas who, under Visconti's guidance, went from the greatest Opera singer to the greatest actress singing Opera. There are moments in "Bellissima" that can only be described as a love letter from Visconti to Magnani and vice versa. She has a few close ups that tells us how much love, respect and admiration existed between this two enormous artists. Look at her moments in the mirror, combing her hair naturally, debating under her breath the proper pronunciation of a word. She, not a conventional beauty, looks ravishing. The message about the dangers of immediate fame and fortune could have been written today. If you have a chance, don't miss it. If you love film, it's a must!