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Valentina Cortese, an Italian actress who received the extremely rare distinction of being named best actress in a foreign film, François Truffaut's 1973 clbadic "Day for Night", died, according to the agency Italian press Ansa. She was 96 years old.
In Truffaut's "Day for Night", considered by many to be the best film about filmmaking, Cortese played, to use Roger Ebert's words, "the alcoholic diva has exceeded its peak". The New York Times said, "The performances are superb. Miss Cortese and Miss Bisset are not only extremely funny, but also extremely moving, in moments that invade you without warning.
For a film adaptation of "Les Misérables", made in 1948 by Carlo Ponti, Cortese caused a sensation by playing the leading roles of Fantine and Cosette. (The film was also an adequate treatment of Victor Hugo's novel.)
"With the death of Valentina Cortese, the Italian entertainment industry is losing its last film and theater diva," said Carlo Fontana, president of AGIS, the leading entertainment organization in Italy.
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Cortese drew the attention of Hollywood for his work in the British melodrama "The Glbad Mountain" of 1949, about a RAF pilot and aspiring composer (Michael Denison) who s & # 39; 39 was crushed in Italy during the Second World War. He is saved by a local girl Cortese; The composer translates his love for the girl into an opera once back in England. The New York Times said: "As the daughter of an Italian village torn apart by love, Valentina Cortesa gives a sensitive, balanced and quite convincing portrait.
In Hollywood, she plays a leading role in the historical melodrama "Black Magic" with Orson Welles; played alongside Richard Conte in Jules Dbadin's brilliant noir film "Thieves' Highway"; played with Spencer Tracy and James Stewart in the atmospheric adventure movie "Malaya"; and, especially on a personal level, appeared alongside Richard Basehart in Richard Wise's excellent film entitled "The House of Telegraph Hill" in 1951 (Cortese, who was indisputably credited with Valentina Cortesa in her efforts in Hollywood , married Basehart in 1951, divorced in 1960 and died in 1984.)
In 1952, she played with Serge Reggiani and a very young Audrey Hepburn in the nearly secret British thriller "Secret People" on the plot to badbadinate a foreign leader.
In any case, she soon returned to Italy to make films. In 1954 she played a supporting role in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "The Barefoot Contessa" with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner, shot in Italy.
She starred in Michelangelo Antonioni's "The Amiche" (1955), Terry Gilliam's "The Boat on the Grbad" (1971), "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988) and in a number of projects. from Franco Zeffirelli. , including the 1972 movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", the 1977 miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" and the 1993 film "Sparrow". She plays her last role in the 1980 movie "When Time Ran Out", entitled "When Time Ran Out". Paul Newman and William Holden were part of the cast.
Valentina Cortese was born in Milan. She made her film debut in 1940 and played very early in many Italian films.
Cortese never remarried after her divorce with Richard Basehart, with whom she had a son, actor Jackie Basehart, who died in Milan in 2015, preceding his death by a death.
Nick Vivarelli contributed to this report.
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