Sophia Loren. This Italian actress is an icon! She’s been in numerous period films, and while the costumes are often very much of their era, she still manages to be 1000% fabulous. Let’s run her frock flick resume!
La Favorita (1952)
An adaptation of an opera, set in 14th century Spain. Loren plays Leonara, favorite of Castilian King Alfonso XI.
Aida (1953)
An adaptation of the famous opera. Loren plays enslaved Ethiopian princess Aida — in full black face. Sigh. We’ve said it before and we’ll keep on saying it: black (/brown/yellow/red/etc.) face isn’t okay now, but films of previous eras don’t get a pass. IT WASN’T OKAY THEN EITHER.
Miseria e nobiltà (1954)
A comedy set in late 19th century Naples. Loren plays a dancer being courted by a rich count (played by Totò, one of the most famous actors in Italian cinema).
Attila (1954)
A biopic about Attila the Hun, set in 450-52 BCE. Loren plays Justa Grata Honoria, sister of the emperor and supporter of Attila.
Neapolitan Carousel (1954)
A musical comedy in which a storyteller wanders Naples telling stories from its history. Loren plays “Sisina.”
Two Nights with Cleopatra (1954)
A comedy in which Loren plays Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra and one of her ladies-in-waiting who is basically identical.
The Miller’s Beautiful Wife (1955)
Another comedy, set in 1860 Naples. The governor tries to seduce the beautiful wife (Loren) of the local miller.
The Pride and the Passion (1957)
Okay, based on the photos, this one KILLS ME. It’s allegedly set in the Napoleonic Wars, and please just take a look. Cary Grant plays a British navy officer; Frank Sinatra (ha!) plays “Miguel,” a Spanish soldier; and the two guys fight over “Juana,” played by Loren.
Desire Under the Elms (1958)
I’m unclear exactly which era this takes place in, but basically a New England farmer who has worked two wives to death marries an Italian woman (Loren) who then has an affair with her husband’s son. Tragedy ensues!
A Breath of Scandal (1960)
An Austrian princess (Loren) falls in love with an American mining engineer in the early 20th century.
Heller in Pink Tights (1960)
A Western with costumes designed by Edith Head. Loren plays Angela, part of a theatrical troupe in 1880 Wyoming.
El Cid (1960)
An epic historical drama loosely based on the life of the 11th-century Castilian warlord Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called “El Cid.” Loren plays his wife, Doña Ximena.
Madame (1961)
An adaptation of a French play about real-life laundress-turned-duchess known for her uncouth behavior at Napoleon’s court.
The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
Loren plays Lucilla, daughter of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius who joined her adoptive brother Lucius Verus in revolting against another brother, Emperor Commodus.
Lady L (1965)
A comedy in which an elderly Corsican lady (Loren) recalls past loves, including an anarchist and an English aristocrat.
More Than a Miracle (1967)
A fairy tale-type story in which a village girl (Loren) and a Spanish prince (Omar Sharif) fall in love. I THINK it’s set in the 17th century?
Man of La Mancha (1972)
An adaptation of the musical based on the story of Don Quixote. Loren plays Dulcinea/Aldonza. I’ve shockingly never seen it, so that’s all I can tell you!
A Special Day (1977)
In 1938, while Hitler visits Mussolini, a pro-fascist woman (Loren) gets to know her anti-fascist neighbor.
Blood Feud (1978)
A thriller set in 1922.
Brass Target (1978)
A suspense film set in just after the end of World War II. Loren gets involved with army officers trying to stop a conspiracy to kill Gen. Patton.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday (1990)
All I can tell is that it’s about a family in turn-of-the-century Italy.
Soleil (1997)
A mother (Loren) in 1940 Algeria travels to Paris to find her husband.
Francesca e Nunziata (2001)
In early 20th century Italy, a rich woman (Loren) adopts a girl who later falls in love with her adoptive brother.
What’s your favorite of Sophia Loren’s historical roles?
I love Sophia’s costumes in El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire. They’re not authentic, Fall’s are especially fantasible, but they do look lovely on her! Sophia had a rather impressive rack and costumers were clearly determined that audiences would see it!
I’ve watched Madame a few years ago, and it was quite fun. Not sure if her court dresses were very period, but all the bling! and her character creating huge fuss at the court being so blunt! Loved it.
It’s a look? More like ‘Tits a look!’
You missed “Two Women”, the movie for which she won her Oscar. Admittedly the costumes are pretty much in tatters for most of the movie so there’s not much of anything of interest frock wise but it is technically historical …. and she did win that Oscar.
Loren has proved herself a good actress but no director can pass up two of her most popular assets.
God, I adore Sophia. Like Ava Gardner, the less make-up she wears, the more haunting her face. Her historical dramas tend to not be nearly as good as her work with Marcello Mastroianni, but I just enjoy watching her. (Has Marcello made enough costume dramas to qualify for MCM?)
P.S. “An Austrian princess (Loren) falls in love with an American mining engineer in the early 20th century.” is the best capsule summary I’ve read this year.
Little know FACT: El Cid is proof that the New Look was really the Old Look as the silhouette was invented in the 11th century and what goes around comes around. AmIright???
The keyhole necklines are authentic. The layers might be too. But the figure hugging tailoring was all sixties! In the eleventh century men and women alike wore baggy tunics hanging straight from the shoulders and bloused over any belt. Fitted clothes required several more centuries of sartorial development. Not to mention buttons.
I think Nancy’s comment above is spot on; I feel like I just got a mini-lesson on the male gaze. I’m so glad she got roles that seemed to make better use of her, and some gorgeous costumes along the way. (Also, can we talk about how she was playing an older woman in 1965? like, what??)
For More than a Miracle, I caught part of it on tv as a kid and my sister and I laughed our tails off. It’s delightfully ridiculously, and I do think they had just been running. I think this was after the dishwashing contest–a.k.a. Prince (Omar Sharif)’s attempt to make her the clear choice for his wife as she was a kitchen maid or something. But a sneaky real princess messed with her plates or something, she runs off.. St. Joseph of Cupertino like…floats by? (He’s known as the “flying friar”.) Some sort of reconciliation/it’s ok happens and they all live happily ever after. It’s been years but it was deeply entertaining to us. Very much fantasy/fairytale.
For Man of La Mancha, when I read the play (and the forward by the playwright) in college, I decided it shouldn’t ever be anything but a stage play–the world of Don Quixote should rely on shadow, light, and imagination, in my view. Be that as it may, I grew up watching the film version and have a deep affection for it. The browns make more sense in context, as it takes place entirely in a prison.
Joseph of Cupertino flies past? Really? Hilarious! 🤣
Listen, when you have Sophia Loren in your movie, it’s all about the tits. And such an astounding rack they are.
Yes, sort of like basketballs. Something else I admire about Sophia is that she did get a nose job early on, but a good one; she arrived at an appropriate nose for her large and beautiful bone structure.
Sophia Loren acted also alongside Richard Burton in the period film “The Voyage” from 1974: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072364/ It is available on Youtube with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcRAejF9oTE I wonder what your opinion about the costumes in this film is.
Oh goodness, you are giving me high school Spanish class flashbacks with Man de La Mancha. My teacher adored the movie and would sing along with it. I didn’t care for it, but it was the late 90s, so maybe it was a generation thing?