(VIDEO) "Black Arrow" TV Series Movie

17 February 2023

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The film "Black Arrow" is a television drama produced by Rai in 1968: based on the historical novel of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson and directed by Anton Giulio Majano, it was broadcast in seven episodes on Sunday evenings on national television Italian RAI, from 22. December 1968 to 2 February 1969.

It was one of the most successful scripts on Italian television: the love between the two protagonists and the struggle between good and evil in 15th century England have in fact fascinated generations of viewers. Quite well known and well received by the Albanian Public Television TVSH during the 80s.

The script was shot between July and September 1968, in Rai's studio 3 in Milan and for exterior shots in Emilia and Piedmont, namely the park of Monte Moria in the Piacenza area, the park of the Ducal Castle of Agliè in the province of Turin, and "ricetto di Candelo", at that time in the province of Vercelli. Some of the castles seen in the opening and closing credits, as well as in the transition scenes, were filmed in Scotland.

The production effort was extraordinary: a large cast, with famous actors even in small roles, hundreds of extras and costumes, dozens of settings – not only interiors – reconstructed in the historic Milanese studios in Corso Sempione. Titus Vossberg's costumes were very accurate, even if the audience could not appreciate the bright colors, since the script was shot in black and white, as was practically all television of the time. Special care was taken in the fight scenes, with dozens of stunts instructed by Enzo Musumeci Greco, a master-at-arms who oversaw the many sword duels, fights in the stands and many falls from the horse.

Another feature of Black Arrow is that it has a lot of externals compared to the average drama created up to that point. And in announcing the soap opera, the press pointed out that the filming was done with the then innovative technical-cam, film camera to get a cinematic definition. Among the outside operators on the set was a young Dante Spinotti, who later became an internationally renowned cinematographer.

The music of the script was composed by Riz Ortolani. The song Black Arrow, sung by Leonardo and the choir, was written by Sandro Tuminelli, who also played the role of one of the rebels in the sea.

The verses of the song have more or less this meaning: The wind whistles, the night is approaching / and the gloomy forest becomes threatening; it passes, but you shudder if you hear a rustle / maybe it's a farewell sign that life gives you; draw your sword / if your heart can't hold you, because this is the illegal path we have taken the black arrow / whistling, it crashes / and the vile, stench / gives you the greeting from this world; come on brother, these are the people / who are worth less than nothing, because they have nothing. But if fate / overturns their yoke / shall arise in the morning / a fiery arrow of freedom!

CAST Aldo Reggiani: Dick Shelton Loretta Goggi: Joan Sedley Arnoldo Foà: Sir Daniel Brackley Glauco Onorato: Ellis Duckworth Leonardo Severini: Bennet Hatch Tino Bianchi: Sir Olivier Gianni Musy: Will (the outlaw) "Senzalegge" Aldo Barberito: Bill Sandro Tuminelli: Burt Marcello Tusco: Harry Giampiero Bianchi: Green Giorgio Biavati: Chapper Mauro Di Francesco: Robby Agostino De Berti: Al Claudio Ruffini: Alan Franco Odoardi: Worth Franca Parisi: Jane Donatella Ceccarello: Meg Lia Rho Barbieri: Beth Milla Sannoner: Alicia Risingham Adalberto Maria Merli: Richard, Duke of Gloucester Franco Mezzera: Lord Foxham Gianni Mantesi: Lord Risingham Alberto Terrani: Lord Shoreby Carlo Bagno: Clipsy Ciccio Barbi: Villager of Tunstall Paride Calonghi: Nim Mario Ferrari: Nick Appleyard Attilio Corsini: First Soldier Luciano Pavan: second soldier Emilio Delle Piane: third soldier Sandro Moretti: Selden Elio Crovetto: host Armando Alzelmo: Kondall, the "loan shark" Rino Silveri: first customer Dino Peretti: second customer Leo Gavero: Saksen Egisto Marcucci: Randolph Fernando Pannullo: Gordon Franco Moraldi: first guard Gilfranco Baroni: first injured Enrico Carabelli: second injured Mario Silvestri: third injured Giuseppe Quadrelli: fourth injured Rina Centa: Irma Maria Grazia Bianchi: Kitty Remus Varisco: Throgmorton Elio Jotta: Carter Piero Mazzarella: First Merchant Roberto Paoletti: Second Merchant Ottavio Fanfani: Friar Valerius Augusto Soprani: Willmore Gianni Solaro: First Patron Piero Tordi: Second Patron Guido Verdiani: Third Patron Franco Tuminelli: Fourth Patron Franco Ferrari: butler Bruno Vilar: a guard Carlo Bonomi: Felice Leveratto: a guard Aldo Suligoj: officer Mimmo Craig: Ross Diego Michelotti: Norfolk Carlo Hintermann: Catesby Cip Barcellini: Hastings Franca Mantelli: country girl from Tunstall Sandro Borchi: owner Marcello Tiller : the captain