Introduction

The Old Guard (Italian: Vecchia guardia) is a 1934 Italian drama film directed by Alessandro Blasetti and starring Gianfranco Giachetti, Mino Doro and Franco Brambilla.

It was one several pro-Fascist films made by Blasetti during the era.

It was also known as Mario (Austria, Germany and Iran), Piccolo Eroe (US alternative title), and Old Guard (English worldwide alternative title).

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Outline

The film is set in a small Italian town in 1922, where a local group of Fascist blackshirts battle against rival socialists who have called a strike at the hospital. Mario, the young son of Doctor Cardini, is killed in the fighting. The film ends with the March on Rome that brought Benito Mussolini to power.

Cast

• Gianfranco Giachetti as Dott. Claudio Cardini.
• Mino Doro as Roberto.
• Franco Brambilla as Mario.
• Maria Puccini as La moglie.
• Barbara Monis as La maestra.
• Graziella Antonelli as La sorella della maestra.
• Ugo Ceseri as Marcone.
• Umberto Sacripante as Il pazzo Tralicò.
• Graziela Betti as La ragazza del convento.
• Gino Viotti as Il sindaco.
• Cesare Zoppetti as L’assessore.
• Aristide Garbini as L’uscere.
• Italo Tancredi as L’infermiere.
• Andrea Checchi as Pompeo.
• Ugo Sasso as Uno squadrista.

Trivia

• Although intended as sympathetic to the regime, and the methods by which it came to power, the film was not popular with the Fascist hierarchy who felt its portrayal of violence undermined the respectable image the party was now trying to cultivate.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Alessandro Blasetti.
• Producer(s):
• Writer(s): Livio Apolloni, Giuseppe Zucca, and Alessandro Blasetti.
• Music: Umberto Mancini.
• Cinematography: Otello Martelli.
• Editor(s): Ignazio Ferronetti and Allesandro Blasetti.
• Production: Fauno Film.
• Distributor(s): Filmimpero.
• Release Date: 1934 (Italy), 19 April 1937 (Germany), and 01 July 1937 (US).
• Running Time: 91 minutes.
• Country: Italy.
• Language: Italian.

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