The Last Days of Pompeii

The Last Days of Pompeii 1913

5.40

Well-respected Pompeiian Glaucus performs an act of kindness by purchasing Nydia, a blind slave being mistreated by her owner. Nydia falls in love with her new master, but he only has eyes for Ione. Ione in turn is lusted after by Arbace, an Egyptian high priest of Isis. When Nydia beseeches Isis for help in capturing Glaucus' heart, Arbace gives her a "love" potion-- an elixir made to drive Glaucus mad, securing Ione for himself. Ultimately, Mount Vesuvius will end their lives and seal their fates in a terrible, glorious eruption.

1913

Nero, or The Fall of Rome

Nero, or The Fall of Rome 1909

5.50

Roman emperor Nero is used to getting what he wants. He has grown tired of his wife Octavia, and has become infatuated with Poppea. He succeeds in making Poppea the new empress, but soon he faces opposition from an outraged populace. Informed of the danger of an imminent popular uprising, Nero orders to set fire to the city, which he watches from a terrace, rejoicing and playing his lyra.

1909

The Last Days of Pompeii

The Last Days of Pompeii 1908

5.50

Pompeii 79AD, mere days before the Vesuvian eruption. Glaucus and Jone are in love with each other. Arbaces, the Egyptian High Priest, is determined to conquer Jone. Glaucus purchases Nydia, the blind and long-suffering slave. Nydia falls in love with Glaucus and asks Arbaces for his help. He gives her a potion to make Glaucus fall in love with her-- In fact, a poison which will cause violent insanity.

1908

Othello

Othello 1914

1

The 1914 Italian version of William Shakespeare's Othello.

1914

The Ship

The Ship 1921

4.20

The newly-settled city of Venice in the Sixth Century AD: A wandering people struggle to establish Christian Theocracy. Basiliola Faledro, an exotic dancer, wicked and cunning, arrives from faraway lands seeking to avenge her pagan lineage; Her father and brothers blinded and humilated by frenzied zealots. Her primary targets are the brothers Gràtico, both newly-elected to positions of power: One, Marco, an arbiter and tribune, the other, Sergio, a bishop. The title refers to a bold pronouncement made by Deaconess Ema Gràtico to her subjects the Venetians, a seafaring and desperate tribe-- That their native homeland is aboard a ship.

1921

If One Could See Into the Future

If One Could See Into the Future 1911

6.40

A mother confronts Death as to why he has to take her young boy. And he shows her the future to explain why he need to be eliminated.

1911

Alice's Awful Dream

Alice's Awful Dream 1911

4.00

Alice, a beautiful dressmaker, musing on her hard lot, falls asleep and dreams that she wins the heart of a wealthy admirer, who lavishes his wealth upon her. Through an accident, her face becomes terribly disfigured, and her lover abandons her. She awakens as her sweetheart, a poor but honest workman, calls, and realizes that his loyal heart is worth more than all the riches in the world.

1911

Dante e Beatrice

Dante e Beatrice 1913

6.50

Early biopic of Dante. From the Cineteca Milano collection.

1913

The Queen of Nineveh

The Queen of Nineveh 1911

1

The Queen of Nineveh plots with Prince Canach to destroy the King. Hidden behind a curtain they see the King drink poisoned wine. The High Priest takes the King's young son Aznra, and hides him, and fifteen years later brings him forth and presents him to the populace, which greets him with acclamation and moves on the palace to avenge the death of the King. Prince Canach cravenly hides when the Queen bids him lead the royal guard against the mob, and she dons his armor and takes his place at the head of the troops. A sensational battle takes place .reaching its height on the steps of the palace. Azura singles out, as he thinks, Prince Canach and when his opponent falls mortally wounded he finds it was his own mother.

1911

The Devil on Two Sticks

The Devil on Two Sticks 1910

3.70

A young man befriends a limping demon to get rid of a woman who's after him.

1910

La nuova cameriera è troppo bella

La nuova cameriera è troppo bella 1912

5.00

The new maid and her mistress devise a plan to foil the men in the house. ...[The mistress of the house finds her chambermaid using her toiletries.]... She is dismissed and the lady advertises for a new maid. The new maid arrives at the front gate and the bemused gate keeper lets her in. The page boy sees her walking up to the house and admires her beauty. She is shown in to meet her new master, who also admires her, and mistress.

1912

The False Oath

The False Oath 1909

7.00

An adaptation of Balzac's La Grande Bretêche

1909

The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola

The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola 1913

5.60

Saturnino Farandola: Raised by monkeys, taken in by sailors, captain of a frigate. He sets off to chart unknown worlds with his loyal crew. Beneath the sea he encounters love in the person of Mysora the beautiful. On land he comes up against a mad wise man, a Machiavellian mandarin and bloodthirsty Apaches, but nothing will be able to stop his desire to explore.

1913

The Hostage

The Hostage 1909

1

A young man sentenced to death manages to postpone his execution because of the impending wedding of his poor sister, who is to be married off. His best friend vouches for his return. After taking care of his sister, the young man hurries back, but is delayed by numerous unexpected obstacles. Nevertheless, he continues the journey, determined to join his now-presumably dead friend.

1909

Robinet’s White Suit

Robinet’s White Suit 1911

5.50

In this play on the symmetry of black and white, Robinet leaves home in his bright new suit for a stroll through a blackening industrial landscape. (MoMA)

1911

Ashes

Ashes 1917

5.80

Dame Eleonora Duse plays a poor woman who, incapable of raising and feed him, leaves her illegitimate son with foster parents. Before she leaves her boy, the woman gives to the child an amulet in order to protect him. The amulet will be the key to put him in connection with his old mother when the boy grows up.

1917

The Faun

The Faun 1917

6.25

The model Fede loves the writer Arte, but he is enmeshed by the beautiful Femmina. Fede takes comfort in the Faun, a mythological creature who becomes animated from the stone sculpted by Arte. The love story with the Faun represents a return to a dreamt wildness impossible by now, for the modern man, to reach and maintain.

1917

Miss Tweedledum

Miss Tweedledum 1912

4.30

Robinet disguises himself as a woman to get away from his girlfriend’s husband, and discovers the unexpected pleasures of public drag amidst mobs of flirtatious men. (MoMA)

1912

The Miracle Water

The Miracle Water 1914

5.90

In this sophisticated romantic comedy, healing waters are the cover for an extramarital affair that “cures” the infertility problems of a childless couple.

1914

Pedestrian Love

Pedestrian Love 1914

5.10

The story of the meeting and falling in love of a man and a woman. The story is told by showing the characters from below the knees only. A man in smart shoes prepares to go out. His maid gives him his coat, he dusts off his shoes and leaves. As he leaves the building an elegant woman drops her purse. He returns it to her and follows her home.

1914