Page 64 - PROTAGONIST-124

Sophia Loren is a star capable of landing the

cover of Time Magazine and being referenced
by Bob Dylan in his song I Shall Be Free.

“Madonna mia. Help me.” These were It wasn’t the first Oscar that went to an Ital- ly obsessed with her for years, even when
the first words that Sophia Loren uttered ian actress (Anna Magnani received one in he married his second wife Britt Ekland
with candor and irony at the end of the 1956 for The Tattoo Rose), but it was the first in 1964.
standing ovation she received from the one given to an actress for a foreign lan- Sure, but the Academy Award is the
elite of Italian cinema, gathered together guage film. The award definitely launched Academy Award. After winning it, Sophia
for the David di Donatello award ceremony her as an international star, beloved and kept on working in Hollywood, but she
that took place in early May. in-demand throughout the world. A star also established herself as the female face
Sophia Loren, 86 years and 232 days capable of landing the cover of Time Mag- of Italian cinema worldwide, the perfect
old, walked on stage to receive her sev- azine and being referenced by Bob Dylan counter to the “Felliniesque” Marcello
enth David di Donatello for Best Actress in his song I Shall Be Free: “Well, my tele- Mastroianni. The same Mastroianni with
in her vast career. The seventh out of sev- phone rang it would not stop / It’s President whom Sophia Loren worked in four of the
en nominations (a clean sweep, as they say Kennedy callin’ me up / He said, My friend, other five movies that incidentally won her
in the United States), plus a special plaque, Bob, what do we need to make the coun- the David di Donatello awards: Ieri, oggi,
a Special David Award, and a Career try grow? / I said, My friend, John, Brigitte domani – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
David Award. Bardot / Anita Ekberg / Sophia Loren / (1963), Matrimonio all’italiana – Marriage
As if we even needed prizes to convey Country’ll grow.” Italian Style (1964), I girasoli – Sunflow-
the grandeur of an actress. Or to explain Even before receiving an Oscar ers (1970), and Una giornata particolare –
how you become the symbol of Italian (which she then won again in 1991 when A Special Day (1977).
cinema abroad. We don’t need them, we the Academy Awards gave her one for her Mastroianni never received an Oscar.
shouldn’t need them, but they help, at least career), Sophia Loren had already worked But Roberto Benigni did (so far, he is the
to trace the map of an extraordinary career. in Hollywood often, and next to actors only Italian actor alongside Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren won her seventh Da- the likes of Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, and Anna Magnani): it was 1999 when he
vid for her performance in what she said William Holden, and Anthony Quinn. won the Academy Award for La vita è bella
might be her last movie: La vita davanti a She performed twice with the most belov- – Life Is Beautiful. And who else could be on
sé – The Life Ahead, incidentally, written and ed and popular star from that time, Cary the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
directed by her second son Edoardo Ponti Grant, first in The Pride and the Passion, in Los Angeles announcing it but her: So-
(her firstborn son is Carlo Jr.). A David di and then in Houseboat. Even elegant, phia Loren. As she opened the envelope,
Donatello that came to symbolically close cool and collected Cary Grant fell head she let out an excited cry of joy that became
the circle of a career, a life, and also a love over heels for her and asked her to mar- a part of Italian and international film
story. As she mentioned on stage, the sev- ry him; however, Sophia Loren turned history: “Roberto!”
enth David arrived sixty years after her first down his proposal and went on to marry For her, for us, for everyone, all it took
one: the one she received back in 1961 for Carlo Ponti. was the name.
La ciociara – Two Women, Vittorio De Sica’s Ponti was a powerful producer who But only Sophia Loren – mother, god-
famous film based on the novel of the same risked his career and prison for her because mother, uncontested queen of Italian cin-
name by Alberto Moravia. of the accusations of bigamy he received ema – could ever say it with such elegance
But aside from the David, Sophia Lor- after marrying her by proxy abroad. She and spontaneity. The same elegance and
en basically won everything she could with stood loyally by his side for the rest of his spontaneity that she brought to the 2021
La ciociara: the Silver Ribbon, Best Actress life, much to the chagrin of another great David di Donatello Awards, making every-
in Cannes, and, above all, the Academy actor, Peter Sellers, who starred with her in one else who stepped on stage before and
Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. the comedy The Millionairess; he was tru- after her pale in comparison.

62 Cinema Protagonist