The Lovers of Verona (French: Les amants de Vérone) is a 1949 French drama film directed by André Cayatte and loosely based on the William Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. The film was a joint project of screenwriter Jacques Prevert and director Andre Cayatte and enjoyed great international success. it was released in Italy in 1949, then internationally in 1951.[1] This time the story is set in post war Italy and involves Angelo, a glass-blower from Murano, and Georgia Maglia, the daughter of a fascist magistrate.

The Lovers of Verona
Directed by	André Cayatte
Written by	André Cayatte Jacques Prévert
Produced by	Raymond Borderie
Starring	Serge Reggiani Anouk Aimée Pierre Brasseur
Cinematography	Henri Alekan
Edited by	Christian Gaudin
Music by	Joseph Kosma
Production company	Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique
Distributed by	Les Films Corona
Release date	7 March 1949 (1949-03-07) (France)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	France
Language	French

Angelo and Georgia are thrown together when they become stand-ins for the stars of a film version of Romeo and Juliet being shot on location in Venice. Inevitably they fall in love and their affair parallels the Shakespeare tragedy. The principal difficulty is the scheming of Rafaële, the Magia family's ruthless consigliere. In the end, Angelo is killed and Georgia dies at his side.

Main cast

• Serge Reggiani as Angelo (Romeo)
• Anouk Aimée as Georgia (Juliet)
• Martine Carol as Bettina Verdi, the star of the movie
• Pierre Brasseur as Rafaële
• Marcel Dalio as Amedeo Maglia
• Marianne Oswald as Laetitia
• René Génin as The guardian of the tomb
• Yves Deniaud as Ricardo, an actor
• Charles Blavette as The head of the glassworks
• Marcel Pérès as Domini, a glass blower

Production

It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris and on location in Venice. The film's sets were designed by the art director René Moulaert.

In his memoirs, cinematographer Henri Alekan recalled when 16-years-old Anouk Aimée was forced to dive completely naked into the cold waters of the Adige river, without anyone managing to keep away the onlookers obviously interested in the scene.[2]

Critical reception

TV Guide called it "An intriguing romance",[3] but Bosley Crowther did not like the film, calling it, "a story set within a weird and grotesque frame of contemporary morbidness in Venice and gaudy film-making in Italy."[4] Pauline Kael said, "The film's sensuous poetic elegance contrasts with the seamy elements it encompasses... You may feel you've been made too aware of the film's artistic intentions, and the romanticism can drive you a little nuts."[5]

References

External links

• Les amants de Vérone at IMDb
• Les Amants De Verone at Fandango