Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon, the 1955 Roman Legion-Hare (featuring Yosemite Sam), directed by Friz Freleng.
The lions in this cartoon previously appeared in 1955's Tweety's Circus, also a Freleng short. Speaking of whom, This was the first cartoon for Freleng to be credited as "Friz Freleng" instead of "Isadore Freleng" or "I. Freleng".
We've picked another entry from the excellent reference book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by Steven Jay Schneider for today's feature. Today's choice is the 1952 Vittorio De Sica's neorealism classic Umberto D. starring Carlo Battisti. Mr. Battisti, then 70, was a professor of Linguistics at the Università degli Studi di Firenze, who had never acted before. Once again, a film seen as a masterpiece overseas when released was considered a flop in Italy and condemned for, "washing Italy's dirty linen in public." The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like you to join us in watching Umberto D. So push away from the table, get comfortable and enjoy the film.
Non-actress Maria Pia Casilio, who plays the role of the house maid in the film, got the part when she accompanied a friend to see the real actresses competing for the film's audition. Director Vittorio De Sica spotted her in the balcony and knew she was exactly what he was looking for in the role. Maria went on to work with De Sica in three other films. She continued to work in films until the late 1990s.
Demand Euphoria!
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