“No, I just never dared to call myself his heir. The Romanity unites us, but we had different styles. They even said that we hated each other…but go, he was a special friend” so Carlo Verdone recalled his relationship with Alberto Sordi, his film mentor and for many his putative father in the seventh art.
Twenty years have passed since the death of Alberto Sordi, but his impact on Italian cinema and popular culture is still tangible. With his work, Carlo Verdone makes “the national Albertone” always present and always present. We discover the similarities and differences of two purebred horses of Italian cinema.
Foto – it.wikipedia.org
Alberto Sordi has been able to capture the essence of an era through his long career, channeling the social, political and cultural dynamics of twentieth century Italy into his iconic characters.
Alberto Sordi: a journey through history
“The National Albert” needs no introduction. He was a versatile actor and able to speak to entire generations, passing through with skill and acumen critical decades for Italy, from the post-war period to the economic boom.
He has gone from the style of the playwright to the playwright, from the satirical to the tragic, adapting to roles of all kinds characterized by human complexity and addressing still current issues.
His talent in capturing the changes in society and the nuances of everyday life and his chameleon-like nature have bound him to the public, making him an undisputed icon of Italian cinema, just like Totò, Aldo Fabrizi and Anna Magnani.
The Rome of Alberto Sordi
No one else has embodied the spirit and culture of the Capital as Deaf. For him, Rome was not only an inimitable setting, but a character in its own right, whose soul he managed to capture.
Through his gaze, the city was animated with its own life, transmitting to the public an authentic and irresistible atmosphere. The love of the great interpreter of the Italian comedy for the capital was palpable, an affinity that captured the spirit of an era.
The artistic heritage: from Alberto Sordi to Carlo Verdone
Carlo Verdone has been unanimously recognized as the natural successor of Alberto Sordi: both have demonstrated the ability to interpret a wide range of characters, passing easily from the tones of comedy to the bitterness of the drama coming to satire.
Both actors had the ability to reflect in a pungent and often satirical way on the Italian society of their time. Their interpretations ranged from the representation of average Italian to family dynamics, offering a keen and often entertaining look at everyday life.
Both Sordi and Verdone have rooted their career in the representation of the city of Rome. For both, the capital has been a source of inspiration and a central element in their works. The atmosphere, the streets and the peculiarities of the city have often been protagonists in their films.
Foto – garystockbridge617.getarchive.net
They also shared the screen in films that have become true classics of Italian cinema. The friendship and collaboration between the two artists has created memorable moments, helping to consolidate the link between their careers.
In particular, thanks to the assignment respectively of the role of father and son, the film “In viaggio con papà” directed by Sordi, candida the interpreter of the character Cristiano D’Ambrosi to his heir.
The natural recognition took place on the set of “Troppo forte”, when Verdone sat behind the camera and Sordi dressed as the lawyer Giangiacomo Pigna Corelli in Selci.
Carlo Verdone’s resistance to the label of “heir”
Despite having been indicated as the natural heir of Alberto Sordi, Carlo Verdone has always resisted this label because, according to the actor of “Borotalco”, his career and his artistic career have been distinct and independent from those of Sordi.
His decision not to accept the definition of “heir” of one of the greatest exponents of the Roman art does not derive from a lack of interest or a lack of respect for the cultural heritage of his friend and colleague, but rather by the desire to be recognized as an artist with a unique path and style.
Foto – profilo ufficiale instagram.com
On the other hand, Alberto Sordi and Carlo Verdone have focused on characters-masks very similar and at the same time different: the giant Alberto Sordi has embodied the average Italian of his time, characterized by cynicism, careerism and, sometimes cruelty, towards the weak; Carlo Verdone has created parodies of eccentric and characteristic Italian characters, anti-bourgeois heroes devoid of the careerism and cynicism typical of the characters of Sordi.
Carlo Verdone, however, has never hidden that he feels very close to the discipline and extreme dedication to the work shared with the great master. It is thanks to this almost all-encompassing devotion that both have managed to create memorable characters, giving life to stories that have touched the heart of the audience.
Despite the differences in their careers, Verdone has always nurtured a deep respect and admiration for Alberto Sordi and never made a mystery of having learned much from him, who was first of all a great friend.
Copertina: firenzemadeintuscany