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The Emergence of Film Fandom in Postwar Italy: Reading Claudia Cardinale's Fan Mail

2009; Routledge; Volume: 29; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01439680903363222

1465-3451

Réka Buckley,

European history and politics

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Dedication I would like to dedicate this article to the memory of my beloved father, Martin John Buckley, with eternal thanks. Notes Notes 1. See Edgar Morin, Le Stars (original French publication 1957, Italian publication: Redifin—Edizione Olivares, Milan, 1995), in particular Chapter 3—La Liturgia Stellare, 86–121. 2. Fulvio Paloscia and Luca Scarlini, Il mondo dei fan club (Rome, 2000). 3. See for example Francesco Casetti and Elena Mosconi (eds), Spettatori Italiani: riti e ambienti del consumo cinematografico (1900–1950) (Rome, Carocci editore, 2006); Mariagrazia Franchi and Elena Mosconi (eds), Spettatori: forme di consumo e pubblici del cinema in Italia, 1930–1960 (Venice, Marsilio editore, 2002) (of particular interest here are the two chapters that deal with stardom: Modelli, forme e fenomeni di divismo: il caso di Vittorio De Sica, by Paola Valentini, 108–139; and Modelli, forme e fenomeni di divismo: il caso di Alberto Sordi, by MariaPia Comand, 204–225); Francesco Casetti, Dentro lo sguardo: il film e il suo spettatore (Milan, Bompiani, 1986); Vittorio Spinazzola, Cinema e pubblico: lo spettacolo filmico in Italia—1945–1965 (Milan, Bompiani, 1974). 4. See Réka Buckley, Glamour and the Italian female film stars of the 1950s, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, 28(3) (2008), 267–289, at 281–282. 5. Claudia Cardinale, Le stelle della mia vita (Casale Monferrato, Piemme, 2006), 146. It is, however, interesting to draw parallels here with the apparent stringent controls that Cardinale claims to have been placed under by her contract with Vides production house. Whilst on the one hand she seems to have rejected the notion of Hollywood re-working her image and persona, she accepted the fact that her contract with Vides stipulated the names of fashion designers who would provide her wardrobe, prohibited her from altering her physical measurements, or from cutting or changing the colour of her hair without prior permission from Franco Cristaldi, the head of the production house, 59–60. 6. Ibid., 107 7. An example of star polls can be found in Il nostro referendum "10 con lode", Festival, 12 March 1955, 4. 8. Jackie Stacey, Star Gazing: Hollywood cinema and female spectatorship (Routledge, London, 1994), 167–170, and chapter 6, 176–223. 9. Ottavio Alessi, Il cinema propone e la moda dispone, Festival, 28 February 1953, 12–13. A more detailed discussion of the influence of stars in setting fashion trends during this period can be found in Buckley, Glamour and the Italian female film stars of the 1950s, 267–289, in particular at 272–274. 10. In particular, this refers to one of the few publicised scandals involving Italian female stars of the period, namely the Loren/Ponti affair. Loren married, by proxy, the already married father of two, film producer Carlo Ponti. For a discussion of this, see Buckley, Marriage, motherhood and the Italian film stars of the 1950s, in: Penelope Morris (ed.), Women in Italy, 1945–1960: an interdisciplinary study (Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2006), 35–49, at 38–40. 11. Anon., Tutto il cinema italiano ha famiglia, Le Ore, 4 July 1953, 35. 12. Her aptly entitled autobiography Scandalosamente per bene: Ninípampan (Gremese Editore, Rome, 2004) is yet further evidence of this. 13. Anon, Ieri oggi domani, Annabella, 10 January 1954, 31. 14. See Paloscia and Scarlini for a further discussion of this. 15. See Stacey, 139–142. 16. Paloscia and Scarlini, 26. 17. An example where the addresses of particular stars were printed in the photo-magazine Bolero Film can be found in the 25 November 1956 issue, where Elsa Martinelli, Delia Scala and Milly Vitale's addresses were published. In addition, the 16 December 1956 issue of the same magazine published the requested addresses of Virna Lisi and Silvana Mangano. 18. An example of this was P. Giuseppe's letter to the editor asking for Delia Scala's address, Le Ore, 27 June 1953, 4. 19. Please note that the translation offers an idea of the grammatical errors committed by P. Giuseppe, but incorrect spelling and terminology have not been reproduced here as in the original. Ibid., 4. 20. Morin, '[…] wherever there is a white screen in a darkened room, a new religion has been installed. […] The star system has something of the old religion of immortality and something of the new, omnipotent, earthly religion: love,' 121. See also Chris Rojek's more contemporary reworking of Morin's ideas in his discussion of celebrity worship in Celebrity and religion, in: P. David Marshall (ed.), The Celebrity Culture Reader (Oxon, Routledge, 2006), 389–417. Rojek suggests here, for example, that 'there are many striking parallels between religious belief and practice and celebrity cultures that reinforce the hypothesis that considerable partial convergence between religion and celebrity has occurred' (p. 393). 21. Both my own systematic study of the Catholic intellectual periodical La Civiltà Cattolica [in Réka Buckley The Female Film Star in Postwar Italy (1948–1960), Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of London 2002, chapter 6, Marriage, motherhood and the stars, in particular the section The Catholics and the stars, 285–292] and Stephen Gundle's close analysis of the popular Catholic family publication Famiglia Cristiana revealed the absence of references made to Italian stars in Catholic publications. Gundle writes in Cultura di massa e modernizzazione: Vie Nuove e Famiglia Cristiana dalla guerra fredda alla società dei consume, in: Pier Paolo D'Attore (ed.), Nemici per la pelle: sogno americano e mito sovietico nell'Italia contemporanea (Milan, Angeli, 1991), 249–250: 'On the whole the Catholic publication dedicated very little space to the cinema. Film reviews were rare and Italian cinema was almost entirely ignored. Not a single article was published on an actor or actress who had reached national fame between the end of the 1940s and early 1950s, perhaps with the intention of not encouraging the phenomenon of stardom or of inspiring unwholesome aspirations.' 22. Le Ore, 27 June 1953, 4. 23. As Claudia Cardinale's letter reveals in: G. Grazzini (ed.), Cara Claudia …: Lettere dei fans alla Cardinale (Longanesi & C., Milan, 1966), 23–27 at 25–26. 24. An example of which is Piero Palumbo's assessment of fandom carried out for the illustrated weekly Lo Specchio in 1958, which is concerned with the relationship between music stars and their admirers, rather than with other forms of fandom. See Palumbo, in particular Una tessera contro la noia, Lo Specchio, December 28, 1958, 12, and also the earlier instalment published in the previous issue of December 21, 1958. 25. Paloscia and Scarlini, 27. For the letters written to Yvonne Sanson see Stelio Martini, Mia leggiadrissima Yvonne (quattro lettere a una diva), in: Guido Aristarco (ed.), Il mito dell'attore: come l'industria della star produce il sex symbol (Bari, 1983), 315–319. 26. For a comprehensive overview of the early career of Cardinale see chapters 1 and 2 of her autobiography, Le stelle della mia vita, 13–50. 27. For more information on this, see Buckley, The Female Film Star in Postwar Italy (1948–1960), Buckley, Glamour and the Italian female film stars of the 1950s, 267–289, and Buckley, National body: Gina Lollobrigida and the cult of the star in the 1950s, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, 20(4) (2000), 527–547. 28. For a detailed discussion of this see Cardinale, Le stelle delle mia vita, 172–180, in particular 173–174. 29. This differs from the fans of Yvonne Sanson analysed by Martini, 'Mia leggiardrissima Yvonne,' who he claims were mainly located in the villages and towns of the South of Italy, 315–319, at 315. 30. This can be compared with fan mail written to Yvonne Sanson. In this instance, Sanson's on-screen persona is translated into her off-screen image. She is perceived in reality as virtuous, maternal and good. The tone used, therefore, is often affectionate with Mamma (Mummy) or sorella (sister) being the two most habitual forms for addressing the star in correspondence, Martini, 315. 31. Noemi G. (Imola, 15 June 1965), in Cara Claudia, 135–136. 32. Lucia V. (Spilimberto, Modena, 10 May 1964), in Cara Claudia, 114–115. 33. Luca P. (Siena, 12 June 1963), in Cara Claudia, 93–95 34. Piero R. (location unknown, 25 August 1961), in Cara Claudia, 37–39. For a discussion of obsessive levels of fandom, see for example Andrew Evans and Glen D. Wilson's Fame: the psychology of stardom (London, Vision, 1999), in particular 105–107 and 108–112. 35. Dino B. (Lippstatd, Germany, 24 December 1961), in Cara Claudia, 40–42. 36. Il Direttore (Prof. *) (location unknown, 31 December 1961), in Cara Claudia, 44—please note that this refers to the first of two letters written to Cardinale by the Professor *. 37. 'Sous Lieutenant' Bernard R. (Zeinmorah, Algeria, 3 March 1962), in Cara Claudia, 49. 38. See Onorato O. (Rome, 23 September 1963) or Gian Maria G. (Genoa, 23 August 1965), in Cara Claudia, at 100 and 144 respectively. 39. Paolo V. (Lugano, Switzerland, 31 January 1965), in Cara Claudia, 133–134. 40. Giacomo F. (Rome, 14 September 1964), in Cara Claudia, 117. 41. This concurs with Morin's analysis of fandom in relation to Hollywood stars where he suggests that the cult of the star is transformed into a fetishism. He claims that photographs and autographs in particular are the two principal forms of fetishistic desires for fans to own. He also mentions that the possession of locks of their star's hair was of great importance too in the collection of quasi-religious star reliquaries. Morin, 106 and 107. 42. Peter J. (Uppsala, Sweden, 27 December 1964), in Cara Claudia, 128. 43. Luigi P. (Pavia, 2 November 1962), in Cara Claudia, 72. 44. Manuel A. M. (Lisbon, Portugal, 20 January 1965), in Cara Claudia, 131–132. 45. Annibale C. (Palermo, 1 May 1963), in Cara Claudia, 86. 46. Vittoro R. (Trapani, 23 August 1964), in Cara Claudia, 119–20. 47. Ferdinando S. (Patti, Sicily, 10 August 1964), in Cara Claudia, 118. 48. This is interesting as it concurs with Martini's findings in his research into Yvonne Sanson's fan mail. He suggests that her fan mail was divided into four categories: (1) those who want a photograph and/or autograph of the star (approximately 60% of the letters); (2) those who ask the star for money; (3) those who ask for help with finding a career in the world of cinema; (4) declarations of love and marriage proposals. 49. Emma B. (Caivano, Naples, 20 December 1964), in Cara Claudia, 125–126. 50. Giulia B. (Contrada *, Ascoli Piceno, 4 February 1962), in Cara Claudia, 46 51. Fiorenza P. (Albisole Superiore, Savona, 11 April 1963), in Cara Claudia, 85. 52. Anna G. (Andria, 8 February 1962), in Cara Claudia, 47. 53. B.S. (Catursi, Salerno, 18 June 1962), in Cara Claudia, 63. 54. Marisa V. (Taranto, 28 December 1964), in Cara Claudia, 129. 55. Lucrezia P. (Rome, 16 November 1962), in Cara Claudia, 75–76, at 75. 56. Rosalba A. (Turin, 25 November 1964), in Cara Claudia, 122. 57. Maurizia R. (Udine, 25 August 1962), in Cara Claudia, 68–69, at 68. 58. Ada A. (Catanzaro, 22 May 1963), in Cara Claudia, 87–88, at 87. 59. Adele R. (Macerata, 2 September 1965), in Cara Claudia, 147–148. 60. C. Cardinale (***, Naples, 13 November 1962), in Cara Claudia, 73–74. 61. The interview was first published as an article in Esquire magazine with the title 'The Next Goddess of Love.' This interview was translated and republished in numerous languages around the world and was then the basis of a book that Moravia published of his interview with the star (Alberto Moravia, Claudia Cardinale, Milan, 1963)). An example of references made to the Moravia interview include the accountancy student, Fulvio R. from Osimo, Ancona's letter to Cardinale (2 December 1962), in Cara Claudia, 79–80. Cardinale also refers to her interview with Moravia in Le stelle della mia vita, 130–132. 62. The film producer Franco Cristaldi had stipulated that Cardinale's pregnancy out of wedlock should remain a secret and that the star had to pass off her son Patrick as her brother. The reasoning he gave behind this was that should her motherhood be discovered that she would lose her 'good girl image', which would fundamentally affect her fan base and possibly bring her career to an end. See Io, Claudia Tu, Claudia: il romanzo di una vita (Milan, Frassinelli, 1995), 36, and also Buckley, Marriage, motherhood and the stars of the 1950s, 35–49. 63. Reverend Antonio L. (New York, 12 January 1961), in Cara Claudia, 32–33, at 32. 64. Naomi G., in Cara Claudia … , 135–136, at 135. 65. Idem. 66. Claudia Cardinale, in Cara Claudia, 26. 67. Il Direttore (Prof. *) (location unknown, 3 April 1962), in Cara Claudia, 45. 68. Mariuccia C. (Turin, 15 June 1965), in Cara Claudia, 142–143. 69. Naomi G., in Cara Claudia … , 135–136, at 136. 70. Mariuccia C., in Cara Claudia, 142–143. 71. Lucia V. (Spilimberto, Modena, 10 May 1962), in Cara Claudia, 114–115. This kind of quasi-religious fervour—discussed by Edgar Morin in his work Les stars (Chapter 3)—associated with a longing to be closer to their idol, to own images or articles pertaining to their idol could thus be applied here, to the fans of Cardinale. These goods could be equated to the relics of Saints whilst the images of their favourite star bares a similarity to iconic images of religious figures, a point also picked up on by Grazzini in his analysis of Cardinale's fans in the forward to the volume of collected letters, 14–16, 18. 72. Naomi G., in Cara Claudia …, 135–136, at 135. 73. Mariuccia C. (Turin, 15 June 1965), in Cara Claudia … , 142–143: at 142. 74. Stacey, 203. 75. Ibid., 161. Morin also discussed a similar finding in Les Stars, 111. 76. Cesarina Z. (Ravenna, 19 July 1965), in Cara Claudia … , 141. 77. C. Cardinale (Naples, 13 November 1962), in Cara Claudia … , 73–74. 78. Stacey, 210. 79. Carla T. (Milan, 6 June 1965), in Cara Claudia … , 138. 80. Franca N. (Catania, 20 February 1964), in Cara Claudia, 112–113. Once again, the letters of Franca N. and Carla T. display the quasi-religious nature of fandom in that they seek intercession from Cardinale to help her to remedy the struggles that they are facing in their daily life. Would it be too far-fetched to suggest that Cardinale, through her goodness and beauty, is somehow being perceived by these suffering women as a sort of Virgin Mary, sent to intercede with God for help on their behalf? 81. Anna P. (Pavia, 7 July 1965), in Cara Claudia … , 137. 82. XX (location unknown, 21 October 1963), in Cara Claudia, 101. 83. Cardinale, Le stelle della mia vita, 167–168 84. See Gemma L. from Padua's letter (5 March 1962) to the star in which she reproves her for wearing a low-neckline when being presented to Queen Elizabeth II. She calls Cardinale disgusting and immoral and says that she has humiliated Italy abroad, in Cara Claudia, 50. She even signs herself as 'your ex-admirer.' Thus Jib Fowles' notion of stars functioning as national role models or cultural icons (Fowles, Star Struck: celebrity performers and the American public, Smithsonian Institute, 1992) can be seen here in Gemma's critique of the star. A particularly intriguing observation when one considers how Cardinale had taken the mantle of national icon by 1962 despite the fact that she had actually grown up not in Italy, but Tunisia, and that her first language was French, not Italian. One male correspondent also wrote to criticise Cardinale on her attire at this same event. He merely signs himself as 'Un Triestino' ('A man from Triest') (26 March 1962), in Cara Claudia, 54. 85. See Reverend Antonio L.'s letter to Cardinale (New York, 12 January 1961), in Cara Claudia, 32–33. 86. Evans and Wilson, 108–112. 87. Peter Von ** (date and location omitted), in Cara Claudia, 149. 88. The fact that, at this time, the killing of women was deemed dishonourable if it was considered unnecessary (and necessary meant that the life of a member of the Cosa Nostra was at risk) would be enough to suspect that 'Cut Throat' was not who he claimed to be. For further insight into the Mafia, see for example John Dickie's Cosa Nostra: a history of the Sicilian Mafia (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 2004), or Norman Lewis's The Honoured Society: the Sicilian Mafia observed (Eland Publishing Ltd., London, 2003). 89. See Cardinale's letter to Grazzini, preface, Cara Claudia, 25: 'All the letters that I receive, and they are now in their thousands, I jealously conserve. My father has gathered them into an archive, subdivided by year, and methodically numbered; at the bottom of every letter, even those which request only a photograph with or without autograph, the reply date is stamped.' 90. Claudia Cardinale in Cara Claudia, 25. 91. Ibid., 26. 92. Evans and Wilson, 99–100. 93. Franca N. (Catania, 20 February 1964), in Cara Claudia, 112–113; Cardinale, Le stelle della mia vita, 47–48. 94. Cardinale in Cara Claudia, 26. 95. An example of this is her mentioning that female correspondents can be far more vulgar than her male correspondents, whilst 'punishing' those young male admirers who request nude photos, ibid., 25 and 26. 96. Cardinale in Cara Claudia, 27. 97. I wrote to a number of prominent Italian stars of the postwar period to request access to their personal archives of fan mail, but my requests received no response. Jackie Stacey reveals that she too came across similar obstacles in her own research into Hollywood stars when she received no or negative responses from the various star fan clubs and the 10 Hollywood stars whom she had written to in the hope of accessing star fan mail. See Stacey, 58–59. 98. Cardinale in Cara Claudia, 24–25. 99. The popular Roman singer, Claudio Villa, was the first star to have a fan club in Italy following his success at the San Remo Festival in 1955. For further details about Villa and his fan clubs, see David Forgacs and Stephen Gundle, Mass Culture and Italian Society: from Fascism to the Cold War (Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 2009), 188–192, in particular 190–191.