Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life
Page 28
The cover of the November 4, 1951, issue of Sogno, when I worked under the name Sofia Lazzaro, with a dedication I wrote to Mammina. The issue contained this episode from “Princess in Exile,” in which I played the part of Michelle Dumas, “a wild and moody type of girl” who tries to win over the handsome Prince Rojo.
A rare moment of relaxation with Mammina.
Yet I hardly ever had time to relax, as I mentioned in this note written years later, in which I regretted having somehow skipped my adolescence, busy as I was chasing my dream.
1954. At last, the movies. Here I am with Totò, known as “the prince of laughter,” in The Anatomy of Love, a comedy . . .
. . . and that same year with Carlo Mazzarella in Neapolitan Carousel, the first major Italian musical after WWII.
The words Vittorio De Sica wrote on this photograph many years after it was taken recall our first encounter at Cinecittà. I was nineteen, not fifteen, however, and he offered me my first important opportunity.
In those days, my beauty wasn’t considered “orthodox,” and the photographers and cameramen would say things like: “She’s impossible to photograph. Her face is too short, her mouth is too big, and her nose is too long.”
Many years later, I wrote these words in English in a notebook: “Don’t ever try to disguise yourself in order to approach an ideal. Think of the irregularities of your face as the Treasure—which they really are.”
1954. On the set with Marcello Mastroianni. Here we are taking a break from shooting Too Bad She’s Bad, a fast-paced comedy, in which we appeared together for the first time.
This picture was taken on the set of Woman of the River, also made in 1954, when Carlo and I realized we had fallen in love.
The poster for “Mambo Bacan,” a song written for Woman of the River.
1955. A dinner party to celebrate The Gold of Naples, the film based on the eponymous book by Giuseppe Marotta (behind me). I’m sitting between Cesare Zavattini (left) and Vittorio De Sica. Behind us are the reporter Augusto Borselli and actor Paolo Stoppa.
An evening at Carlo’s home, with all the friends who had worked on Woman of the River. From the left, Antonio Altoviti, Lise Bourdin, Carlo, Suso Cecchi D’Amico, me, Mario Soldati, Basilio Franchina, Gérard Oury, and his wife.
1956. With Cary Grant, in Spain.
1957. Cary and I, during two separate breaks (see above and below) on the set of The Pride and the Passion.
When I got to my hotel in Athens I found this note from Cary. On his personalized stationery he had written the words: “Forgive me, dear girl. I press you too much. Pray, and so will I. Until next week. Goodbye, Sophia, Cary.” The envelope reads: “Sophia, with only happy thoughts.”
On the set of Legend of the Lost with Carlo, shot in 1957 in the Libyan desert, also starring John Wayne.
Another letter from Cary, this one from New York. He wrote: “If you think and pray with me, for the same thing and purpose, all will be right and life will be good.”
My career had become international. I was always flying somewhere . . .
During that hectic period in our lives, to get some rest Carlo and I would take refuge in Bürgenstock, Switzerland. In this picture, we’re standing at the door to our home, saying good-bye to our neighbor, Audrey Hepburn.
1958. A letter I wrote to my mother from America, in which I tell her about my work for a new movie, and I ask her to send me articles about me in the Italian press.
Early 1959. On the set of Heller in Pink Tights, adapted from a Louis L’Amour novel, in which I starred with Anthony Quinn.
With Zia Dora and a neighbor, when I went back to my hometown for It Started in Naples . . .
. . . which is where this picture with Clark Gable was taken, during a break.
1962. With Peter Sellers on the set of The Millionairess, a loose adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw play.
1960. On the set of Two Women, Vittorio plays a prank on me. Behind us Eleonora Brown smiles with amusement.
A scene from the movie.
On the set with Alberto Moravia, author of the novel on which Two Women was based.
A long interview with Moravia after the movie, which went all the way back to my difficult childhood, and was picked up by many magazines around the world.
Vittorio, Carlo, and I celebrate after receiving, first thing in the morning, the news of my Oscar for Two Women.
I celebrate my statuette with Mammina and Maria . . .
. . . and with Vittorio, to whom I owed so much.
An affectionate note from dear Audrey, congratulating me on my Oscar.
1961. But there’s more work to be done. Me making a funny face on the set of Madame Sans-Gêne.
In the fall of the same year, while making “The Lottery.”
March 3, 1962. Maria’s wedding, a moment of happiness for our family.
And less than a year later, in January 1963, my niece Alessandra’s christening.
1963. The year we made Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. I had to learn how to do a striptease. In this picture I’m with an expert from the Crazy Horse.
The original 45 rpm of “Abat-jour” by Henry Wright, the movie’s striptease theme.
The April 23, 1964, issue of Oggi, launching Marriage Italian Style.
An article in the magazine described how I was made to look older to play the part of Filumena . . .
. . . and in this note written during the same year, I tell Mammina how I had been aged even more for Lady L (“three hours of makeup, with glue used to pull my skin”).
A portrait I made of Carlo on the letterhead stationery from a Paris hotel . . .
. . . and a self-portrait.
Carlo and me.
England, 1965. An image from the set of Arabesque, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also starring Gregory Peck.
1964. With Vittorio while we were shooting Marriage Italian Style.
With Charlie Chaplin, before appearing in a scene from A Countess from Hong Kong. I had to stay completely motionless so I wouldn’t wrinkle my dress.
At the press conference for the movie.
April 9, 1966. My wedding day.
1967. With actor Vittorio Gassman while shooting Ghosts, Italian Style by Eduardo De Filippo.
Soon after the birth of Carlo Jr.! The two of us are pictured here with Alfred Eisenstaedt, our photographer.
Our friends share our joy. Among the many congratulations, we received a telegram from Vittorio, a lovely letter from actress Giulietta Masina, and a note from Joan Crawford.
With Carlo Jr. on the set of Man of La Mancha.
1970. With Marcello and director Dino Risi, while shooting The Priest’s Wife.
1973. Another year of bliss: Edoardo is born.
A note with a poem that Carlo Jr. wrote for me when he was at elementary school.
Here I am with my beloved Cipi & Edo.
Memories from my dear friend Richard Burton.
The photograph that Richard dedicated “To my beloved Cipi.”
A note I wrote about the charm of his gaze: “Eyes are an actor’s most important tool because they have direct emotional control over an audience. Burton would hypnotize you with his eyes.”
Two images from the set of The Voyage, also made in 1973, my last movie with Vittorio.
1977. Marcello and I, together again in A Special Day.
The letter I wrote from prison to the then president of the Italian Republic, Sandro Pertini.
1991. Gregory Peck presented me with an Honorary Oscar for “a career rich with memorable performances.”
The telegram I received from Frank Sinatra congratulating me.
A letter, including some illustrations, written by Marcel Marceau in 1993, inviting me to enter the Comité de l’Épée, the Society of the Sword.
1994. With Marcello on the set of Ready to Wear.
With Giorgio Armani.
At a fashion show with my dear friend Roberta Armani.
1999. I presented Rob
erto Benigni with his Oscar for Life Is Beautiful.
Two scenes from Human Voice, my latest movie, thanks to Edoardo.
My most beautiful portrait, as a grandmother.
The Films of Sophia Loren
1950
Bluebeard’s Six Wives
The Vow
Hearts at Sea
Tototarzan
1951
I Am the Capataz
White Leprosy
The Return of Pancho Villa
Milan Billionaire
Quo Vadis
Magician by Chance
The Industrialist
It Was Him! . . . Yes! Yes! (uncredited)
Anna
1952
I Dream of Zorro
Girls Marked Danger
The Piano Tuner Has Arrived
1953
Africa under the Seas
Aida
We’ll Meet in the Gallery
Good People’s Sunday
The Favorite
1954
A Day in the Lower Court
Town of Bells
Two Nights with Cleopatra
The Anatomy of Love (segment: “The Camera”)
Neapolitan Carousel
Poverty and Nobility
Pilgrim of Love
The Gold of Naples (segment: “Pizza on Credit”)
Attila
Woman of the River
1955
Too Bad She’s Bad
The Sign of Venus
The Miller’s Beautiful Wife
Scandal in Sorrento
1956
Lucky to Be a Woman
1957
Boy on a Dolphin
The Pride and the Passion
Legend of the Lost
1958
Desire Under the Elms
The Key
The Black Orchid
Houseboat
1959
That Kind of Woman
1960
Heller in Pink Tights
A Breath of Scandal
It Started in Naples
The Millionairess
Two Women
1961
El Cid
Madame Sans-Gêne, aka “Madame”
1962
Boccaccio ’70
The Condemned of Altona
Five Miles to Midnight
1963
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
1964
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Marriage Italian Style
1965
Operation Crossbow
Lady L
1966
Judith
Arabesque
1967
A Countess from Hong Kong
More Than a Miracle
1968
Ghosts, Italian Style
1970
Sunflower
The Priest’s Wife
1971
Lady Liberty
1972
Man of La Mancha
1973
The Sin
1974
The Voyage
Verdict
Brief Encounter
1975
Sex Pot
1976
The Cassandra Crossing
1977
A Special Day
1978
Angela
Blood Feud
Brass Target
1979
Firepower
1980
Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
1984
Aurora
1986
Courage
1988
The Fortunate Pilgrim
1989
Running Away
1990
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
1994
Ready to Wear (Prêt-à-Porter)
1995
Grumpier Old Men
1997
Soleil (French)
2001
Francesca and Nunziata
2002
Between Strangers
2004
Lives of the Saints
Too Much Romance . . . It’s Time for Stuffed Peppers
2009
Nine
2010
My House Is Full of Mirrors
2011
Cars 2
2014
Human Voice
SOPHIA LOREN is an international film star who won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women. She has earned a record six David di Donatello awards for Best Actress, a Grammy Award, and seven special Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, as well as an Honorary Academy Award in 1991. Loren lives in Europe and frequents Los Angeles, where her two sons and grandchildren live.
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Index
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Page numbers in italics refer to photography insert.
A
Agiman, Sophie, 193
Aimée, Anouk, 271
Alexander, Sasha, 304
Alfieri, Vittorio, 159
Altman, Robert, 156, 269–272
Altoviti, Antonio, 16, 92
Andreotti, Giulio, 30
Annunziata, Peppino, 62
Armani, Giorgio, 61, 273–275
Armani, Roberta, 61, 275
Armstrong, Louis, 90, 104
Astaire, Fred, 122
Austen, Jane, 104
B
Bacall, Lauren, 271
Bach, Johann Sebastian, 110
Baker, Chet, 90
Balenciaga, Cristóbal, 274
Balmain, Pierre, 274
Bapst, Ruth (Ninni), xiii, 79, 196, 220, 223, 227, 276, 318
Barlacchi, Cesare, 50
Bartali, Gino, 97
Barthet, Jean, 274
Barzizza, Isa, 49
Basinger, Kim, 271
Bassani, Giorgio, 74, 84
Battaglia, Rik, 85
Beatles, The, 161, 211
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 110
Belafonte, Harry, 271
Belmondo, Jean-Paul, 146
Benigni, Roberto, 62, 295, 306
Benvenuti, Leonardo, 181
Bergman, Ingrid, 128–129, 190, 310
Bertoletti, Giulio, 35
Biagi, Enzo, 155, 166
Bianchi, Giorgio, 28
Bianchi, Regina, 182
Birri, Fernando, 76
Blanchett, Cate, 116
Blasetti, Alessandro, 46, 73–78, 93, 98, 104, 156
Blasetti, Mara, 75
Bloch, Phillip, 274
Bolognini, Mauro, 75
Bonnard, Mario, 28
Bordon, Furio, 295
Borselli, Augusto, 16
Bosè, Lucia, 42, 44, 106
Bourdin, Lise, 16, 89
Brambilla, Luisa, 126
Brandauer, Klaus Maria, 308
Brando, Marlon, 111, 201–207, 226
Braschi, Nicoletta, 296
Brazzi, Rossano, 118
Brecht, Bertolt, 161
Brel, Jacques, 227
Bridges, Alan, 231
Brown, Eleonora, 28, 146–147
/> Bruni, Sergio, 27
Bruscia, Ines, 92, 172–173, 174, 199, 211, 223, 228, 276
Bugliari, Anna Maria, 43
Burton, Richard, 52, 54, 228–234
C
Callas, Maria, 97, 289
Calvino, Italo, 162
Camerini, Mario, 46
Campanile, Achille, 74
Canale, Gianna Maria, 42
Cantarini, Giorgio, 296
Capitani, Giorgio, 156
Capra, Frank, 112
Carabella, Flora, 160