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| Cabiria |
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  (5/10)
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Runtime: 123 |
| Public Rating: 10.00 (5 votes) |
Director: Giovanni Pastrone |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Silent Historical Drama/Action |
Year: 1914 |
| Writer(s): Giovanni Pastrone, Gabriele D'Annunzio |
| Reviewed by: Vadim Rizov |
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Another one of those historically significant but incredibly dull silent films, Cabiria is, to quote the ever-knowledgable Peter Bondanella, "the acknowledged masterpiece of the Italian silent costume film." It does indeed include a number of significant elements, most notably the invention of the dolly, which allowed director Pastrone to (ye gods!) move the camera. It's still good for some camp value, and it has a marvelous final shot, but mostly it's dull historical hijinks, all spectacle and no sparkle.
Cabiria is kidnapped as a child from the house of her wealthy parents by the slaves during an eruption of Mt. Etna, and ends up in Carthage. There, Roman spy Fulvius Axillo (Umberto Mozzato) and trusty black slave Maciste (Bartolomeo Pagano, who sprung his muscular character into a time and globe trotting franchise) almost rescue her, but have to leave her at the last second. Years later, having learned her story from her parents, they're back and whupping the Carthaginians, and set out to find the little girl.
Originally 3 hours long, the fully restored Cabiria is still an impressive production as far as sets and costumes go, and the volcano eruption is remarkably realistic. But the film's acting is stereotypical silent-style overemoting, and the florid intertitles are ridiculously long and convoluted. But hey: it inspired D.W. Griffith to make Intolerance. And so it goes: historically significant but pretty dull now. Watch for the elephants crossing the Alps: those are real elephants crossing real mountains.
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