Cavalcade of a Half Century

A documentary film directed by seven famous directors, and narrated by several famous Hollywood actors. The film attempts to give the general filmgoing public a taste of art history and art appreciation.

The documentary focuses on Giotto's frescoes in Padua.

A text read by the narrator traces the vicissitudes of the crucifixion of Jesus, while the objective of the two directors investigates the style of Piero della Francesca by exploring his frescoes in the Arezzo church of San Francesco.

It is the story of three women in three different places: Turin, Paris and Luxembourg City. Stefania, whose husband has left her for a younger woman, lives alone and types fiction teleplays for a living... until the day she decides to open a new chapter of her life. Elena tries to commit suicide by jumping into the River Seine. She is saved by Bernard, a tramp who, after attempting to reanimate her, takes her to the emergency ward. Later on, they meet again. Stella tries to wake up her drunk companion so that he can become again Diabolique, the fire-eater of a small circus. She more or less manages to but her man is wounded while performing his act and finishes the night in a hospital room.

The famous painter of “La Vucciria” analyzes the work of another artist, in this case David and his Dead Marat, emphasizing how many artists love the works of others and often draw them to study their composition, geometry, and profound beauty. This, says Guttuso, is a severe, austere painting, devoid of any rhetoric.

The Legend of the Miraculous brothers according to the paintings of Beato Angelico.

A short documentary describing of some of the paintings of Vittore Carpaccio at a gallery in Venice depicting the life of Sant Orsola (Saint Ursula).

The evolution of Picasso's painting up to his “pink phase.”

The first art film by Emmer and Gras dedicated to Giotto's frescos in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. By capturing the humanity of the figures that populate the story of the life of Jesus, the two Directors treat the series of paintings like a true canvas, isolating the single scenes from the context of the work, and then re-composing them in a new synthesis. The film was re-edited in 1946 and entitled Il dramma di Cristo.

Presents life in 18th century Spain as the painter Francisco de Goya showed it to us.

The friendship between two high school friends is tested when they are forced to separate because of university.

A short Italian film from Luciano Emmer & Enrico Gras using paintings to tell a story of warriors.

Art documentary on the paintings of the French artist Balthus.

The elegant allegories of Botticelli are our guides as we explore a universe in which mysticism and paganism meet.

A traveling salesman is sent to prison after being accused of bigamy, while his wife and son are forced to consider leaving him permanently.