Main Cast: Anna Magnani, Duncan Lamont, Riccardo Rioli, Odoardo Spadaro, Paul Campbell
Release Year: 1952
Country: IT/FR
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
Set in 18th-century South America, The Golden Coach (Le Carrosse D'Or) stars Anna Magnani as an earthy Commedia Del Arte performer. Magnani is lusted after by diplomat Duncan Lamont, who leaves both his job and his mistress to pursue the sexy actress. Also vying for Magnani's favors are a bullfighter and a nobleman. Magnani tries to avert bloodshed by giving away the Golden Coach that had been bestowed upon her by the expansive Lamont. When director Jean Renoir was asked if he intended The Golden Coach to be Pirandellian, what with its linking of reality and theatricality, Renoir responded that his intention was to establish that "life is life and the stage is the stage." Maybe so, but the film's brilliant Technicolor and superb performances easily transcend that mundane entity known as Real Life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jean Debucourt - Eveque de Carmol; Elena Altieri - Duchess of Castro; Joe Dante - Hariequin; Raf dela Torre - Chief Justice; Nada Fiorelli - Isabella; George Higgins - Martinez; Gisella Matthews - Marquise Irene Altamirano; Juan Perez; Dante Rino; Ralph Truman - Duke of Castro; William Tubbs - Aubergiste; Renato Chiantoni - Captain Fracasse
Credit
Renzo Avanzo - Associate Producer, Maria de Matteis - Costume Designer, Lee Kresel - First Assistant Director, Marc Maurette - First Assistant Director, Giulio Macchi - First Assistant Director, Jean Renoir - Director, Mario Serandrei - Editor, David Hawkins - Editor, Alberto de Rossi - Makeup, Romolo Demartino - Makeup, Piero Gherardi - Production Designer, Mario Chiari - Production Designer, Claude Renoir - Cinematographer, Valentino Brosio - Production Manager, Francesco Alliata - Producer, Mario Chiari - Set Designer, Gianni Polidori - Set Designer, Joseph DeBretagne - Sound/Sound Designer, Renzo Avanzo - Screenwriter, Jack Kirkland - Screenwriter, Jean Renoir - Screenwriter, Giulio Macchi - Screenwriter, Ginette Doynel - Screenwriter, Antonio Vivaldi - Featured Music, Prosper Merimée - Play Author
The Golden Coach (French: Le Carrosse d'or; Italian: La carrozza d'oro) is a 1953 film directed by Jean Renoir that tells the story of a commedia dell'arte troupe in eighteenth century Peru. The screenplay was written by Renoir, Jack Kirkland, Renzo Avanzo and Giulio Macchi and is based on the play, Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement by Prosper Mérimée. It stars Anna Magnani, Odoardo Spadaro and Duncan Lamont.
An Italian commedia dell'arte troupe arrives in a small Peruvian town in the eighteenth century. The chief aristocrat in the town, the Viceroy, has acquired a fabulous golden coach from Europe. He is planning to give it to his mistress, but then falls in love with Camilla, leading actress of the troupe, and gives it to her instead. Camilla, enjoying the high life of being the Viceroy's mistress, is also loved by the leader of the troupe, and by the local star toreador. The Viceroy’s ministers are shocked by his profligacy, and threaten to depose him. Camilla eventually solves the problem by donating the coach to the Bishop of Lima. Camilla returns to the theatre troupe, and the film ends with a celebration of theatre's superiority over life.
Production
The film was shot at Cinecittà in Rome. A French-Italian co-production, it was filmed in three different versions: English, Italian and French. Renoir reputedly preferred the English version.[1]
