I'm sure due to the obscurity of this picture that nobody will ever read this, but I simply found it amusing while looking for epic Roman-themed films that Scipio Africanus (the scurge of Carthage and the nemesis to Hannibal) would be played by an actor whose first name is... you guessed it Hannibal (of course in the Italian spelling of it). Just thought it funny.
shareI just wanted to let you know, that I read this and I appreciate this tidbit of information.
Le temps détruit tout.
I just watched this film in my Italian film class, and no, I did not notice that. Thanks for the information!
shareWell thanks from 7 years in the future!! I'm glad someone read my ramblings from way back. Tell you what. If either of you guys that replied read this, post a hello and we'll keep it going for years. lol Take care.
shareYes, Castricv, I noticed immediately the outstanding irony of the actor portraying the great Roman general who defeated Hannibal possessing the name "Hannibal" ( in all accuracy, the name's Italian counterpart, "Annibale")in real life as soon as I read a partial cast list consisting of "Scipione l'Africano"'s major leads at the start of the chapter devoted to the film in Harry and Michael Medved's "The Hollywood Hall Of Shame", in which the film--aesthetically and historically, anyway--simply did not belong, nor did "Kolberg", the 1945 German film depicting the West Pomeranian town of Kolberg's population's efforts to resist the conquest of their home by Napoleon in 1807, a film which, given the World War II allies' march across German-occupied Europe in general--and, later, Germany in particular--during the making, and brief release period, of the film--from both East and West, is, indisputably, the greatest example of art imitating life in all of history, that was produced by the Nazi regime allied with Mussolini's government, the chapters dealing with both films being placed by the Brothers Medved in the section entitled "Fascist Follies".
What I would like to know is, did anyone notice the equally great irony of the real name of the actor portraying Hannibal, Camillo Pilotto? This is a most ironic occurrence, indeed, given that "Camillus" (the original Latin counterpart of the Italian "Camillo")was the name of a mythical Roman general who fought in Rome's war of Liberation against her Etruscan conquerors, and who was overwhelmingly respected not only by his own people, but, also, by the Etruscans themselves for not only his courage and military brilliance, but, also, his unfailing personal nobility and great, unswerving sense of honor.
What I would also like to know is, is what the Medved brothers claim about "Scipione l'Africano" true? Specifically, I would like to know if these film historians' claims that, despite the great effort placed into this film by--and the honors heaped upon it--by Mussolini himself, the movie was a huge box-office failure within Italy itself, and is considered by most Italians--to this day--to be a laughingstock are true. I would also like to know if the release of "Scipione l'Africano"--and, especially, "Kohlberg"--on videocassette and DVD has finally made these films at all profitable, thereby rescuing them from the commercial failure that the Medveds claim as these films' lot.
So, can anyone help me here? I would be most grateful to anyone who can!