What's My Line? Anna Magnani

[neonknights]

This was probably somewhere around 1953-1954, as Bellissima premiered in the US in 1953. Also, as Magnani says, she never made an American picture by that time. It was still five years in the future when she co-starred with Brando in Sidney Lumet's The Fugitive Kind.

[neonknights]

Kurt Vonnegut wrote that Americans are teached from childhood not to care about other languages, other cultures, anything which is not American or English. Anna Magnani was one of the most brilliant actresses of the 20th century, she is just not that well-known in the US, because she rarely worked on English language films. You shall check out her amazing filmography (most of the greatest titles were mentioned here by others). I especially recommend Mamma Roma.

[neonknights]

@neonknights I mean taught. Sorry. Well, you see I'm just a non-English European. :D

[tazal5011]

i only know miss Magnani from is the role she got the oiscar for thr rose tatoo

[PlayIt4MeAgainSam]

@TheBigValley This is a wonderful vintage TV clip! As well as being a fantastic actress, she had perfect hand-writing too. I really miss seeing that these days. They don't teach, "script writing" anymore.

[nightforcemana]

Che gran pezzo di gnocca che era a quell'età

[MikeIdy6000]

I love her 'candid' cameo in Fellini's "Roma"! Viva Italia!

[beaugarsNYC]

Wow, both Arlene and Dorothy stood up for her. She must've been quite the lady.

[Richard40171]

Actually Williams wanted her for the stage version of ROSE TATTOO but she declined claiming her English was not good enough; later, when her English had improved, she accepted the role in the film version opposite Burt. She was obviously a gifted or very gifted actress. See her in ROSE TATTOO, with Alex North's fine score.

[AziaXtremeInphinity]

I thought she knew how 2 speak English

[darius595]

god these questioner's are bad...such stupid questions thqt go nowhere

[minervajayne]

@VTMCompany you wouldn't think that if you ever watched her powerhouse talent in a motion picture. She was not a "glamour girl" but an artist. She was amazing.

[SpaceCowboy641]

Ugly? No! She was no "cute beauty" She was was a natural "harsh" beauty. She knew how to handle spaghetti. Both kinds of them... And her acting: Emotion 100 %.

[VTMCompany]

she appears ulgy and exhibits hints of both physical and mental retardation.

[gabsylv]

@VTMCompany u get that impression perhaps because she is not an english speaker, but i don't see what u're talking about boff

[melofaiilpiacere]

Bellissimo video, complimenti, mamma mia un Anna Magnani inedita wow.

[joplin49b]

the italian equivalent to Bette Davis

[monopolyblack2007]

She was such a great actress that Arlene and Dorothy both stood up to shake her hand, which was not customary. It shows the respect and admiration they had for her.

[eb641]

The hideously leeering Benett Cerf is almost matched in stupidity by the always annoying talentless Steve Allen

[AlenaCihalikova]

He only asked about the good looking because he needed time to come up with a good question, I read minds thrust me.

[siempremarisol]

ITS TRUE SHE WAS THE BEST WITH EDWIGW FEULLIERE WILLIAM LOVE THIS FRENCH ACTRESS TOO

[hassledguy]

She didn't act...she was. No one comes close to her ability to express emotion.

[luigicamp69]

"That sort of continent"? lol, that woman doesn't even know about Europe?

[MsSarjen]

Am I correct in assuming there was a slight cultural difference between American and Italian fashion there? Both Magnani and the interpreter wore dresses with long sleeves, and "high necks", and very long and wide skirts. Of course, ms Killgallan wore a long skirt, but still her dress was very very different.

[MsSarjen]

@weightfeather1 You're so right!! She didn't use any highlights for her hair, nothing to take away wrinkles, never too much make-up - but her face had true character. I love the way she looked.

[Zva26]

Magnificent Magnani ----- one of a kind. Passion and genius personified!

[htuomnom]

There never was nor will there ever be another Anna Magnani.She passed away much to young.

[TheLonesomeEchoesite]

That was great!

[rubbermodel]

Nannarella is the flag of Ialy!

[tpjl25]

The has never been a better actress. Ever.

[hchristopher1]

love, love , love La Grandissima Anna!

[anthonysosio]

i love her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[schillerforme1]

I LOVE ANNA MAGNANI

[spelvin214]

It can hardly be overstated what an impact "Open City" and Magnani's performance had in the late 1940s. It was one of the new "neorealist" films that, for better or worse, changed the course of film history. I think Magnani's Oscar-winning performance in "The Rose Tattoo" is one of the best of all time. At times she seems to be improvising, it's so natural, yet everything she says and does is in the original play and the film script.

[MsSarjen]

@spelvin214 And her giving the impression that she was improvising (which I seriously doubt she was, considering she wasn't very good at English), says something of her talent.

[spelvin214]

I, too, have become fascinated as to when AF and DK stood to shake hands. I noticed it for Eleanor Roosevelt, Jimmy Durante, Gertrude Berg, Sophie Tucker ... I believe women were supposed to stand for high ranking officials (President, Governor, First Lady), the elderly and the clergy. I believe, though, there was one other case, and this might be why they stood for Anna Magnani: a visitor from a foreign country, as a sign of respect and welcome.

[MarthaDelios]

Thank you so much for this little gem. I've been fortunate enough to have a serious film buff for a mother, who's worshipped Anna Magnani ever since she can remember, and has passed on the Magnani cult to her daughter. One of the greatest actresses ever to grace the screen, the words 'talent' and 'charisma' cannot accurately describe her.She was more like a carefully cultivated force of life (i.e.,no excess,no hyperbole). The film 'Bellissima',mentioned by John Daly, is by Luchino Visconti.

[tortillas90]

amo questa donna!!!!

[71gmf]

what strucks me the most is that her talent produced such an effect worldwide that Arlene and Dorothy had the urge to stand up and greet her. Unbelievable!

[7855waldo]

It is probably not her, but the interpeter looks like the writer William Murray's mother, Natalia, who was a publishing executive in New York City (and a close friend of the author Janet Flanner, of the New Yorker magazine).

[chicparisienne]

Love her signature!!

[cyncityful]

This was so great to see. Thanks so much for posting this!! :)

[eb641]

Once again the insufferable Bennet Cerf can't pronounce a last name. You must remember he called Nancy Kwan "Nancy KWAI"......Of course Steve Allen is even MORE indufferable

[vortexnyc]

We can now see her astonishing performance in Rossellini's "Open City" AT LAST in a decent print courtesy of Criterion DVDs this week 1/25/10.... but aside from that, let me join the chorus of admirers who loved the late, great WML...THANK YOU for uploading this

[MouYijian]

WHY on this earth are there no wonderful programmes like this anymore?Always witty, elegant and funny, yet not a boring minestrone of political correctness.

A perfectly balanced entertainment.

The American English they speak is GORGEOUS, by the way, with just a bit of Britishness in it.

[revolver04]

Wow! Couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Absolutely divine!

[loverofoldtimes]

This program was broadcast in 1953, and Anna didn't make her American movie debut until 1955, when she starred in "The Rose Tattoo" (and won the Oscar).

[NYVoice]

Oh, this BEFORE The Rose Tattoo! She may not have been glamorous or naturally pretty but I wanted to lock her in that shack, temper and all and make love to her in the most intense ways.

[dreamangels06]

It's Meryl Streep!

[buffalmacco76]

she was not an actress....she was the actress.

[TheTubePortal]

@buffalmacco76 Of what? What is she best known for? (I'd rather get your opinion rather than merely a fact that can be acquired in wikipedia)

[buffalmacco76]

@TheTubePortal It isn't necessary answer to other opinions. I'm free to say what I think. Someone call it DEMOCRACY.

[TheTubePortal]

@buffalmacco76 Calm down. You misunderstood me. My question was a friendly one - I was asking you what you like about her? What made her a good actress? What were some of her best roles? Tell me about her. I wasn't being critical, I was being curious. Yes, I could go to the page on Wikipedia, but I prefer to see what a fan thinks about her, and what you recommend.

[buffalmacco76]

@TheTubePortal So, I apologise. I didn't understand. For me (but for many many actors too, such as Bette Davis, Barbra Straisand, Marlon Brando,Robert De Niro, Maryl Streep) Anna Magnani has considerated the best actress ever lived. Unfortunately she is not so famous abroad Italy just because she rarely played in english (3 or 4 times only). Here on youtube you can find a lot of videos taken from her movies.

[TheTubePortal]

@buffalmacco76 Is there any particular role or film that you like the best? What, in your opinion, is her best performance? I might like to rent a DVD of what you recommend.

[buffalmacco76]

@TheTubePortal I like her in the movie "Nella città l'inferno" (I don't know its English title) directed by Renato Castellani in 1957 and "La sciantosa" by Alfredo Giannetti 1971. These are my favorite but other greats are "Bellissima" by Luchino Visconti, "Roma città aperta" and " L'amore" by Roberto Rossellini and "Mamma Roma" by Pier aolo Pasolini.

[chucknyc123]

People who don't know her brilliant work need to check it out. I think Tennessee Williams said she was the greatest actress he ever worked with, and that includes Jessica Tandy, Vivien Leigh, and Katharine Hepburn -- so that's saying something.

[ombreross]

Wonderful!

Greatest Italian actress ever and one of the greatest screen actresses of all times.

[exeuroweenie]

Anna Magnani was hot just writing on a chalkboard and grunting"uh huh".I've never seen so much soul and fire in one person before.

[graperonto]

And here's another one where even the female panelists stood to shake hands. That makes five now that I count.

[ombreross]

I saw it happened also for Eleanor Roosevelt. Wha are the other three?

[graperonto]

Bishop Sheen, and the dentist nun were two others that come to mind immediately.

[graperonto]

See above... also Dorothy's father.

[graperonto]

Also when Dorothy Kilgallen's Father was a contestant (not even mystery guest, but they were blindfolded)

[CharlotteDuras]

Incredible! Marvelous! Thank you so much for posting it!!

Actually, it was springtime 1952, during the American promotion of film Bellissima, her first time in the USA.

[soulierinvestments]

This is at least a year, maybe two, before she won the 1955 Oscar for best actress.

(0:27) Maybe the earliest example of superimposing the star's name in a screen label. I cannot think of another mystery guest who came with an interpreter.

She looks positively thrilled to be recognized.

I don't actually know Ms. Magnani's work, but notice that she had big prestige -- for DK and AF stand up to greet her.

[loverofoldtimes]

It's from 1953

[nunctecognovi]

thank you for posting this video!

[weatdamal]

Thank you!!