Bellissima (film)

Bellissima is a 1951 Italian neorealist drama film directed by Luchino Visconti and starring Anna Magnani, Walter Chiari and Tecla Scarano. The film is a satire of the postwar Italian film industry, and particularly the dreams of stardom encouraged by the neorealist movement which plucked out ordinary members of the public to appear in productions. Bellissima is the only feature film in Visconti's oeuvre with a predominantly comic tone. It was not a box office success.
Production.
Alessandro Blasetti, a contemporary film director, appears as himself. Keeping in with the tradition of neorealism a number of roles went to members of the public. Magnani played a part in their selection, approving of Gastone Renzelli a butcher who was cast as her husband.
The film's sets were designed by the art director Gianni Polidori. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios, which appear prominently in the film.
Plot.
"Bellissima" centers on a working-class mother in Rome, Maddalena (Anna Magnani), who drags her young daughter (Tina Apicella) to Cinecittà to attend an audition for a new film by Alessandro Blasetti. Maddalena is a stage mother who loves movies and whose efforts to promote her daughter grow increasingly frenzied.