Description
Book SynopsisEuropean stardom is very different from that of Hollywood, where the industry concentrates intensively on establishing and promoting major stars. This unique book sets out to highlight the career of Sophia Loren as a prime example of a highly original rise to fame in a European context. Pauline Small emphasizes that although primarily an Italian star, Loren’s career crossed the boundaries of a shifting network of film-making ventures that spanned Italy, Hollywood and Europe.Loren was one of the leading figures in the 1950s whose professional achievements, Small argues, were undervalued and to a degree remain so. Using written and visual materials ranging from government archives to academic journals, from the popular press to her major films, Sophia Loren: Moulding the Star gives a fuller understanding of the forces, commercial, industrial and cultural, that combined to forge her enduring star status and the cult of a major film personality.
Trade Review"An antidote to conventional star biographies which explain a star's career in personality terms, Pauline Small's careful research into the realities of a film industry usually described as 'Byzantine' puts Sophia Loren into a much more rounded and interesting context. This book will be immensely valuable for students and teachers of Italian cinema, giving fascinating insights into Italian society and the Italian and Hollywood film industries, and how the star functioned within them. Pauline Small has uncovered a wealth of information, changing our perceptions of Italian popular cinema." - Mary Wood, Professor of European Cinema, University of London
Table of ContentsChapter 1: 'Why Sophia?' - Page 9 - Pauline Small Chapter 2: 'Loren and Ponti' - Page 15 - Pauline Small Chapter 3: 'Loren and Hollywood' - Page 39 - Pauline Small Chapter 4: 'Loren and De Sica' - Page 63 - Pauline Small Chapter 5: 'Loren and Mastroianni' - Page 89 - Pauline Small
