Tigre reale is a 1916 Italian silent film, a melodrama directed by Giovanni Pastrone, starring Pina Menichelli. The story revolves around passion, seduction, and destructive love, in which Menichelli shines in her role as the femme fatale.
Giovanni Pastrone (1883–1959) was one of the pioneers of early
Italian cinema. He is best known for his monumental film Cabiria
(1914), one of the most important works of the silent film era.
Pastrone revolutionized filmmaking, particularly by introducing
technical innovations such as the camera pan (a movable camera on
rails), which had a major impact on the aesthetics of cinema at the
time. Cabiria was one of the first films to introduce the epic format
and to address major historical themes with elaborate sets and
special effects. The film tells a story set during the Punic Wars and
set new standards in storytelling and visual effects. Pastrone was
also a forerunner in the commercialization of cinema, helping to
establish film as an art form and a medium for entertainment. His
work inspired many later filmmakers.
Lead actress Pina Menichelli (1890–1984) was one of the great stars of Italian silent cinema in the 1910s and 1920s. She is known for her intense, passionate roles and her striking charisma, which made her an icon of the femme fatale type.
Menichelli began her film career in 1913, but her breakthrough came in 1915 with her leading role in Il fuoco, directed by Giovanni Pastrone. In this film she played a seductive poetess, and her sensual, expressive acting made her immediately famous. Her roles were often those of seductresses, women who led men to their downfall through their beauty and allure. Menichelli's image of the femme fatale made her popular not only in Italy but also internationally.
In Tigre reale Menichelli plays the role of a Russian
countess who embarks on a passionate and obsessive love affair with
an Italian diplomat. Their relationship is doomed from the start due
to the emotional cruelty and unstable nature of the countess, who is
portrayed as both irresistible and dangerous. The film shows her as a
mysterious and destructive force, leading both the diplomat and
herself into the abyss.
Giorgio La Ferlita falls in love with the Russian Countess Natka at a ball and is injured in a duel with a rival. After his recovery, he receives a letter in which Natka confesses her love, but she leaves. He searches for her without success and finds a new lover. Later he crosses paths with Natka, but she avoids him. She eventually invites him, but again ignores him. Only later does she tell him about her tragic past, in which she had an affair with a Polish revolutionary, Dolski, who committed suicide after their separation. Natka becomes infected with tuberculosis. She continues to reject La Ferlita, despite her feelings. Years later, she asks him to meet her at the Hotel Odeon, where she takes poison. La Ferlita rushes to her, but her husband locks them in while she dies. During a fire, they escape through the window, and Natka miraculously comes back to life.
The title, Tigre reale (Royal tigress), refers to the ambiguous nature of the main character: she is at once seductive and ruthless, a woman who uses her animal instincts to manipulate the men around her. It also symbolizes her uncontrollable passion and the threat she poses to her lover.
The film is a typical example of the Italian diva film style, which focuses on strong female characters, often surrounded by intrigue, tragedy and sensuality. Other famous divas from these years were Francesca Bertini and Lyda Borelli. Menichelli's intense acting and her flamboyant appearance gave the film its power and made it a success at the time.
With its beautiful cinematography, dramatic sets and Pina Menichelli's charismatic performance, Tigre reale is one of the most emblematic films of Italian silent film melodrama.
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My goal is to discover interesting movies that are not already on all the "greatest movie" lists.
All films discussed in this blog are public domain and can be watched via YouTube or Archive.org