External links
 | This article related to an Italian film of the 1930s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
| The Little Schoolmistress | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Guido Brignone |
| Written by | Guido Brignone |
| Based on | The Little Teacher by Dario Niccodemi |
| Produced by | Giuseppe Amato |
| Starring | Andreina Pagnani Renato Cialente Egisto Olivieri |
| Cinematography | Ubaldo Arata |
| Edited by | Giacinto Solito |
| Music by | Armando Fragna |
Production company | Gai |
| Distributed by | Società Anonima Stefano Pittaluga |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
The Little Schoolmistress (Italian: La maestrina) is a 1934 Italian drama film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Andreina Pagnani, Renato Cialente , and Egisto Olivieri. It was based on a play of the same title by Dario Niccodemi , which was again adapted into a 1942 film. [1] It was shot at the Cines Studios in Rome. [2] The film's sets were designed by the art director Gastone Medin. Brignone's sister Mercedes Brignone had starred in a 1919 silent film version of the story directed by Eleuterio Rodolfi.
Set in a village in rural Tuscany at the turn of the twentieth century, The Little Schoolmistress depicts an isolated community filled with gossip and small-minded judgments. The story highlights Maria Bini, a young schoolmistress who endeavors to teach the local youth, forming close relationships with them and her colleagues. Maria's daily routine involves educating the youth, but her reserved nature and nightly visits to the local cemetery become the subject of rumors among the residents. [3] [4]
As the rumors intensify, villagers accuse Maria of being involved in a romantic affair, speculating that her nighttime outings are clandestine meetings with a lover. The bidello takes with maintaining the school plays a key role in spreading these rumors, amplifying suspicion through casual conversations that spiral into scandals. The townspeople turn on Maria, but the podestà comes to her defense. Tensions rise, putting Maria's composure to the test. [3] [4]
The climax of the film reveals the truth behind Maria's visits, revealing she is an unwed mother who was told her illegitimate daughter died shortly after birth. She offered prayers nightly at the unmarked grave to protect her position and avoid being ostracized. The podestà, who is sympathetic to her plight, investigates and discovers the child is still alive and enrolled as one of Maria's own students. The conflict resolves with Maria's emotional reunion with her daughter, her innocence regarding the rumors is proven, and she marries the podestà, with the community reflecting on the harm of rumor and gossip, leaving her free to live her life openly. [5]
| | This article related to an Italian film of the 1930s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |