Harlem

Synopsis

This propaganda film was partly inspired by the story of the first Italian heavyweight champion Primo Carnera who, after winning the title with Al Capone’s help in 1933, was beaten the following year by the Jewish Max Bear and then again by the ‘Brown Bomber’ Detroit Joe Lewis in June 1935, on the eve of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. This match provoked numerous racial skirmishes on the streets of Harlem between the Black community and pro-Fascist Italian-Americans. The film overturns historical facts and here, obviously, it is the white boxer who wins in order to demonstrate the superiority of the “Aryan Italians” over the “sinister Jewish entrepreneurs” and the “savage Afro-American fans in Yankee Stadium”. In the film, these were played by South African prisoners-of-war interred in a work camp, which the German and Italian propaganda ministries had set up near Cinecittà “for cinematic purposes”.

Main Cast

Massimo Girotti

Tommaso Rossi

Age : 84 | Popularity : 7%

Amedeo Nazzari

Amedeo Rossi

Age : 71 | Popularity : 7%

Vivi Gioi

Muriel

Age : 58 | Popularity : 3%

Elisa Cegani

Gangster woman

Age : 84 | Popularity : 3%

Osvaldo Valenti

Chris Sherman

Age : 118 | Popularity : 7%

Erminio Spalla

Franckie Battaglia, the coach

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Writing	Screenplay	Sergio Amidei Emilio Cecchi Guido Angeli Pietro Petroselli
	Writer	Giuseppe Achille
Directing	Director	Carmine Gallone
Camera	Director of Photography	Anchise Brizzi
Editing	Editor	Maria Rosada Renzo Lucidi
Production	Producer	Jacopo Comin
Art	Production Design	Italo Tomassi Guido Fiorini
Sound	Music	Willy Ferrero
Costume & Make-Up	Costume Design	Aldo Calvo
Department	Role	Name

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