Discuss Valentina Cortese
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R.I.P. Valentina Cortese
posted by rudely_murraySTAFFMOD on July 10, 2019 at 9:13 AM
The Italian actress has died aged 96. She was a memorable presence in a number of films as far back as the '40s and had the role of a lifetime as the drunken actress who cannot remember her lines in Truffaut's Day for Night. Such a brilliant, hilarious performance. R.I.P.
Reply by PT 100
on July 30, 2019 at 7:01 PM
Yes, she was a fine actress who will be missed. Playing Richard Conte's love interest in the excellent noir film Thieves' Highway, Cortese didn't know a word of English when she made this film. She had to memorize all her dialog phonetically. Amazing job on her part. (They had considered Shelley Winters for her part, but I'm glad they picked her instead.)
Reply by rudely_murray
on July 30, 2019 at 7:14 PM
Wow, that is an eye-opener - I agree that Thieves' Highway is a fine film, and had no idea that Cortese did not speak any English at the time - of the handful of her English language performances which I've seen, that is probably the best.