Ironie della vita (S)

The Italian love story, Ironie della vita (The Ironies of Life), was produced at the climax of the First World War and is nowadays considered a lost film. All that is known to survive is a short fragment containing French “flash titles” that is preserved at the Austrian Film Museum. The strength of this film lies in its talented cast, in particular the leading lady, Italia Almirante-Manzini (1890-1941), who ranked amongst the most popular Italian film stars of the silent era. Even though little of her performance remains, her diva-like screen presence is clearly apparent. The driving scene present in the surviving fragment stands as testimony to the artistic talents of the film’s now forgotten director, Mario Roncoroni.