Claudia Cardinale, one of the greatest talents from the Golden Age of Hollywood, has sadly passed away. Globally recognized for her role in The Pink Panther, the actress starred in numerous Italian, French, and Hollywood productions during her six-decade-long career. Born in Tunisia to Italian parents in 1938, Cardinale won a beauty contest at 16. The prize was a trip to the Venice Film Festival. There, she was approached by directors and producers who urged her to become involved in filmmaking. After that, everything fell into place.
One of the most prolific stars, Cardinale starred in 105 movies and 10 TV shows. Anyone looking to explore her work for the first time will thus be confused, wondering where to start. Well, all her movies are great, but if you can only spare a few hours, there are 10 essential ones. These films not only show her range as an actor, but they are also magnificently constructed in every other way.
Here are the 10 best movies of Claudia Cardinale’s long career that are absolutely essential.
‘Fitzcarraldo’ (1982)
Fitzcarraldo transports audiences to the tiny city of Iquitos, Peru, in the early 20th century. Thanks to a rubber boom, many European immigrants have settled in the city, including the Irishman Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (Klaus Kinski), known by the locals as “Fitzcarraldo.” A lover of music and big fan of Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, he dreams of building an opera house in the city. Aware that he has limited capital, he leases land from Molly (Claudia Cardinale), a brothel owner, and embarks on a rather shocking business venture to make it all happen.
Hard To Make, Beautiful To Watch
Director and screenwriter Werner Herzog drew inspiration from Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald, but the film is more fun than the life if the subject. The filmmaker starts with a simple scenario, then slowly builds the tension to an unforgettable high point that involves a steamboat. Cardinale’s brilliant turn is key to the adventure film’s impact, as her character is the protagonist’s biggest cheerleader. Nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Fitzcarraldo is also noted for its troubled production process. From plane crashes to deaths and injuries on set, the chaos never ended.
‘The Red Tent’ (1971)
The Red Tent tells the true story of an ill-fated 1928 Italian airship expedition to the North Pole, led by the famous General Umberto Nobile (Peter Finch). The airship Itali ends up crashing on Arctic ice, forcing survivors to set camp under a red tent, and as they wait for help, they struggle with hunger and cold. Cardinale plays Valeria, a nurse who is overly concerned about the mission.
More Cardinale, More Fun
Italian producer Franco Cristaldi, who made tragedy an art form, drew controversy for his conduct behind the scenes. A paramour to Cardinale at the time, he insisted she be given a bigger role, frustrating screenwriter Yuri Nagbin and causing him to quit. But, Cristaldi was somehow right. Cardinale is magnificent, and she sure did deserve all the screen time she could get. Apart from that, the score from Ennio Morricone is simply magical.
‘The Leopard’ (1963)
Based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel of the same name, The Leopard first ushers us into the world of Prince Don Fabrizio Salina (Burt Lancaster), an elderly Sicilian aristocrat who is frustrated by the declining influence of his class following Italy’s 19th-century unification. We then meet his nephew, Tancredi (Alain Delon), who is eager to get in bed with Angelica (Claudia Cardinale), the daughter of a fast-rising tycoon. Soon, conflicts emerge.
More Responsibilities? No Problem
This landmark, atmospheric Italian neorealist film helped cement Luchino Visconti’s reputation as one of the best filmmaker’s of his time. Not only is The Leopard a satisfying adaptation; it also exposes the paper thin line between money and power. But the most credit to Claudia Cardinale, who effortlessly portrays two characters in the movie. Apart from Angelica, she also stars as the damsel’s mother. And in each role, she oozes class and elegance.
‘The Professionals’ (1966)
In The Professionals, four rescue experts in the Old West, Rico (Lee Marvin), Bill Dolworth (Burt Lancaster), Hans Ehrengard (Robert Ryan), and Jake Sharp (Woody Strode) are hired by a wealthy rancher to find his wife Maria (Claudia Cardinale), believed to have been kidnapped by Mexican revolutionary Jesús Raza (Jack Palance). Tirelessly scouring through the territory, they find Maria, only to learn that she is with her captor willingly, having grown tired of her husband. What now?
Will they Choose Money, or Will They Do the Right Thing?
This superb Technicolor film also fascinates with the way it captures the Coachella Valley. The cinematography is simply astounding, and the Academy acknowledged that. Richard Brooks was also nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay, but it’s Cardinale who we will remember the most. In a cast full of rugged men, her beauty and aura stand out, made even better by her character’s unapologetic nature. Additionally, The Professionals has one of the most memorable final retorts. When the tycoon insults Rico, calling him a bastard, he responds with, “Yes, sir, in my case, an accident of birth. But you, sir, you’re a self-made man.”
‘Sandra’ (1965)
A modern-day retelling of the Electra story from Greek mythology, Sandra opens with the titular character (portrayed by Cardinale) visiting her ancestral home in Italy. On the eve of a ceremony commemorating their Jewish father’s death, Sandra revives an incestuous relationship with her brother, a move that alarms naive husband. The lustful siblings then plot to take down their mother and stepfather, who betrayed their father to the Nazis.
Morally Weak Siblings with a Noble Mission
Revisiting the forgotten pain caused by Nazis in Italy, Luchino Visconti’s tumultuous Golden Lion-winning feature is a masterpiece of visuals and mood. Cutting rapidly between disparate images (landscape and faces, for instance), the filmmaker mostly narrates using visual poetry instead of the usual narrative exposition. When you are done appreciating the views, pay close attention to Cardinale and watch how she keeps switching between icy restraint and sudden emotional outbursts. A true expert in her field.
‘Gebo and the Shadow’ (2012)
Gebo and the Shadow was the final feature directed by Portuguese great Manoel de Oliveira, who was 104 years of age when it premiered. It centers on the elderly bookkeeper, Gebo (Michael Lonsdale), his wife Doroteia (Claudia Cardinale), and daughter-in-law Sofia (Leonor Silveira), living a quiet life until Gebo’s criminal son João (Ricardo Trêpa) returns, after a long absence. Tensions escalate, threatening the stability the old man has worked to hard to preserve.
Fighting for Peace
Oliveira directed many landmarks, but Gebo and the Shadow is where he really left a mark as a director, capturing a pivotal moment in a family’s existence. Various sequences — such as Gebo’s quiet monologue at a table — still hold the power to shock, but there isn’t an overabundance of gratuitous moments. Here, we really feel that we are in the hands of a master artist. The film has a flawless 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, and all that wouldn’t be possible without the great work put in by the cast, notably Cardinale, who nails both calm and anger in the flick.
‘Rocco and His Brothers’ (1960)
Rocco and His Brothers sees the Parondi family migrate from rural southern Italy to the city of Milan, looking for better opportunities. There, well-meaning matriarch Rosaria (Katina Paxinou) struggles to maintain harmony between her five sons, Vincenzo (Spiros Focás), Rocco (Alain Delon), Simone (Renato Salvatori), Ciro (Max Cartier), and Luca (Rocco Vidolazzi). Cardinale portrays two characters: an unnamed laundry worker and Vincenzo’s fiancé, Ginetta.
A Favorite for Filmmakers
Profoundly melancholic and deeply moving, Rocco and His Brothers is another gem sprung from the brilliant mind of Visconti, but his cast takes all the glory. Cardinale plays the two characters so differently, you’ll doubt the same person did both jobs. The rest of the actors also do a great job of maintaining the tension. So good is the film that it has been widely appreciated by other directors. Martin Scorsese included it on his list of “39 foreign films to see before you die,” and Francis Ford Coppola cited it as an inspiration for The Godfather.
‘The Pink Panther’ (1963)
The Pink Panther introduces the bumbling lawman, Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers). His mission involves the priceless Pink Panther diamond, owned by Princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale). While she stays at a ski resort in Cortina d’Ampezzo, jewel thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plots to steal it. Clouseau’s wife Simone (Capucine) also happens to be having an affair with Lytton. Let the drama begin.
Cartoon-Like Mayhem
There’s plenty of fun in the highest-grossing film of 1963, mostly stemming from the slapstick moments. The caper-comedy benefits from great effort by the entire ensemble, including David Niven, Robert Wagner, and Claudia Cardinale. And the mood on the set was apparently great. “The best compliment I ever got was from actor David Niven while filming The Pink Panther.” Cardinale once recalled. He said: ‘Claudia, along with spaghetti, you’re Italy’s greatest invention.'” How sweet!
‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968)
In Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, former prostitute Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) arrives at Sweetwater to find her new husband and his kids murdered by Frank (Henry Fonda), a gangster working for railroad tycoon Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti). It turns out Morton wants the land her husband owned, because a lucrative railway project is coming. Jill thus allies with the outlaws Harmonica (Charles Bronson) and Cheyenne (Jason Robards) against the virile villain.
An Unforgettable Cardinale-Leone Collaboration
Before Once Upon a Time in the West, Sergio Leone had vowed never to do Westerns again. We are glad he changed his mind. Here, the filmmaker pairs queen of damsels Cardinale with action star Bronson to strong effect. Meanwhile, scene stealer Fonda sizzles as a henchman without an ounce of mercy. Beyond that, we have yet another amazing score by Ennio Morricone and spellbinding widescreen cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli. A true Western gem.
‘8 ½’ (1963)
Federico Fellini’s 8 ½ has famous Italian director Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) struggling with personal issues and “director’s block” as he prepares for his next big movie. Overwhelmed by actors, producers, critics, and his estranged wife, Luisa (Anouk Aimée), he eventually believes he has found his perfect muse in the young actress Claudia (Claudia Cardinale). But things won’t be as straightforward as he hopes.
One of the Greatest Films of All Time
With its metafictional narrative, atmospheric lighting, dreamlike sequences, and stark cinematography, 8 ½ is exemplary of avant-garde comedy-dramas of the time, but Fellini gives it a gratifying boost by packing in heavier themes. Once again, Cardinale is stunning, giving a simple character plenty of emotional layers. The Italian flick would eventually win Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, and has been cited as an inspiration by filmmakers like Arthur Penn and Woody Allen.
