He died yesterday at the age of 91 Rinaldo Smordoniwho in ’46 was with Franco Interlenghi, at 13, one of the two young protagonists of one of the masterpieces of neo realism, “Sciuscià” by Vittorio De Sica, who in 48 obtained the first Oscar as a foreign film and the first Silver ribbon. What if Interlenghi he then had a notable career in cinema (he was one of “Vitelloni” by Fellini), Smordoni, like many kids launched by the cinema resurrected after fascism, he failed to become a star.
The careers of the so-called actors taken from the street, as well as those of the American child prodigies, were never easy: this is demonstrated by famous titles such as “bike thieves” (Enzo Staiola it was the son, Lamberto Maggiorani the father), “Germany year zero” Of Rossellini (Edmund Meschke was the protagonist), until “New Cinema Paradiso” (Salvatore Cascio) to quote famous films. Nevertheless “Sciuscià” was a historic debut due to the historical, social and artistic importance of a film that made the public rediscover many values submerged by the regime and the violence of history.
It tells of two boys who dream of having a horse, meanwhile they shine the shoes of the American saviors (the title combines the words shoes and shine, shining shoes), but they commit petty thefts, end up in a reformatory run by former fascists and their lives end up end in tragedy. De Sica he was inspired by two children he had met during the war, but within the realism of the images there is the often surreal touch of Zavattini, screenwriter. A film full of feeling and courage in showing offended youth: too much for an audience that was getting used to colorful American dreams. “Sciuscià”like other period masterpieces revalued later, grossed only 56 million upon its release, a small amount even considering inflation, but today it is a piece of cinema history, so much so that in 2014 a documentary was made about the film by Mimmo Verdescawhere the protagonist of the time also appears, Smordoniwhich was also very successful when the film was restored at “Cinema rediscovered” from the Cineteca di Bologna.
But the former shoush had changed jobs, becoming first a marble worker and then a Roman public driver.Atac “Even though in life I have done a completely different job – he said – dressing in the shoes of Josephdirected by De Sica, it was an experience that marked me forever.” It was so natural, not artificial, that De Sica he chose his real mother for the role of his mother and it was always him, Smordoni, who reported the very young and unknown Interlenghi. But as an actor there were only two other experiences: in ’48 it was Gavroche, the little boy on the barricades of “Les Miserables” in “Manhunt” and had a small part in “11 men and a ball” and in “Fabiola”but the dream of cinema had vanished.
