Valentina Cortese is an Italian theater, film and television actress. Winner of the British Academy Award (BAFTA), Oscar and Golden Globe nominee for Best Supporting Actress in American Night.
In 1974, the actress was nominated for an Oscar, but the award that year went to an equally famous performer - Ingrid Bergman. When Ingrid took the stage to give a speech and receive the Oscar statuette, her first words were that the award should go to Valentina and she considers the jury's decision unfair.
Throughout her career, Valentina worked with many famous directors, including: M. Antonioni, F. Felinni, F. Zeffirelli, J. Dassin, J. Mankiewicz, F. Truffaut, T. Gilliam, S. Kramer. The artist was able to win the love and recognition of the public all over the world.
Biography facts
Valentina was born in Italy on the first day of 1923. Her parents were from the small town of Stresa, located in northern Italy. The family later moved to Milan.
Since childhood, the girl dreamed of an acting profession. At the age of 17, she first appeared on the screen and soon attracted the attention of producers and directors.
In the creative biography of the performer, there are more than a hundred roles in television and film projects. She began acting in 1940 and last appeared on screen in 1993.
The actress passed away in July 2019 at the age of 96. Many connoisseurs of Cortese's work, colleagues and famous filmmakers called her "the last diva of Italian cinema."
Film career
The actress made her film debut in 1941 in the film “Painted Horizon” by the Italian director G. Salvini. In the same year, the artist appeared on the screen in several more films: "The Lost Actor", "The Venetian Executioner", "First Love".
A year later, Valentina starred in the films: "Lady West", "Dinner of Fools", "The Queen of Navarre", "Soltanto un bacio", "Orizzonte di sangue", "Fourth Page".
Then the audience was able to see Cortese in the musical film of the Italian director Guglielmo Giannini "4 ragazze sognano", and then - in the war drama by A. D. Magiano and O. Biancoli "La carica degli eroi".
In 1945, the actress starred in the drama directed by A. Blazetti "Nobody Comes Back".
In the same year, she appeared on the screen in Giorgio Walter Chile's film The Ten Commandments. Work on the painting began during the German occupation. Soon the production of all films in all Italian film studios was stopped. During this period, with the support of the Vatican, only 2 films were shot. The first of these was the "Ten Commandments" and the second was the "Gates of Paradise".
The actress played the following roles in the projects of Italian filmmakers: “Who Seen?”, “Rome, Free City”, “American on Vacation”, “Lost”, “King's Courier”.
In the drama Les Miserables, based on the work of the same name by V. Hugo, Valentina appeared on the screen as Fantina. The famous Italian performer Gino Cervi became her partner on the set.
With Worms Cortese played one of the main roles in the next film - "Storm over Paris". The film tells about the former prisoner Jean Valjean, who spent 18 years in hard labor. Returning to his homeland, he again commits a crime - he steals a silver candlestick from the priest who sheltered him in his home. Soon, the man repents of his misdeed and decides to devote his future life only to good deeds. Many years later, he became the mayor of a small town, where a new police inspector, Javert, was appointed. He recognizes Jean as a former prisoner.
In 1949, Cortese starred in the detective drama Black Magic directed by G. Ratov and O. Wells. The film tells the story of a gypsy boy, Joseph Balsamo, whose parents were executed on the orders of Vicont de Montega. A few years later, the young man discovers his amazing ability to hypnosis and becomes Count Cagliostro, hatching in his soul plans for revenge on Victont.
Since 1950, the artist has appeared on the screen in many famous films and worked with famous directors and actors. Cortese starred in projects such as Thieves Highway, A Woman Without a Name, Shadow of an Eagle, House on Telegraph Hill, Secret People, Lulu, Wedding, Barefoot Countess, Girlfriends "," Rogue Barabbas "," The Girl Who Knew Too Much "," Visit "," The Lake Woman "," Juliet and the Spirits "," Black Sun "," Madley "," Brother Sun, Sister Moon "," The Assassination of Trotsky”,“American Night”,“Appassionata”,“Superplut”,“Jesus of Nazareth”,“The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”.
The last time the actress appeared on the screen was in 1993 in the drama "Sparrow" by Franco Zeffirelli.
In the early 2000s, Cortese wrote her autobiography, Valentina Cortese Quanti sono i domani passati. In 2012, the book was published in Italy.
Personal life
In the spring of 1951, Valentina married American actor John Richard Basehart. They met on the set of the film "House on Telegraph Hill" and within a few months became husband and wife.
The marriage lasted several years and ended in divorce in 1960. After that, Valentina never married again.
In October 1951, the couple had a son, John Anthony Carmine, Michael Bazehart (Jackie Bazehart). He also chose an acting profession and became a famous performer.
Valentina outlived her son by 5 years. Jackie died in the spring of 2015 from a very rare brain disease - progressive supranuclear palsy.
The actress passed away in July 2019 in Milan at the age of 96.
