Valentina Cortese
Valentina Cortese (January 1, 1923 - July 10, 2019) was an Italian film actress.
The Milan-born actress starred in The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) directed by Robert Wise, and costarring Richard Basehart and William Lundigan. Cortese, aged 28, married Basehart in 1951, and had one son with him before they divorced in 1960.
She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1975 for her performance in François Truffaut's Day for Night.
Cortese appeared in Jules Dassin's Thieves' Highway (1949), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's The Barefoot Contessa (1954), Michelangelo Antonioni's Le Amiche (1955), Gérard Brach's The Boat on the Grass, Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), and in the Franco Zeffirelli projects such as the 1972 film Brother Sun, Sister Moon, his 1977 miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth and the 1993 film Sparrow.
| Known For | Acting |
|---|---|
| Most Rating | 1.2242 |
| Birthday | 1923-01-01 |
| Place of Birth | Milan, Lombardy, Italy |
| Also Known As | Valentina Cortesa, |
1973
Day for Night
7.777/674
A committed filmmaker struggles to complete his latest project while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and cre...
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Day for Night
1971
The Boat on the Grass
5.125/8
Despite their social differences, poor David and the rich Olivier are the best friends. David took the young Eleanor in Olivier's Paris apartment. Whe...
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The Boat on the Grass
1979
Ring of Darkness
4.85/10
Once a Satanist who surrendered her soul and body to the devil himself, Carlotta Rhodes begins to regret her tryst with Lucifer when her teenage daugh...
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Ring of Darkness
1972
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
7.035/142
In his delirium from his return from war, Francesco Bernardone goes back in his memories to the days when he lived for parties and carnal pleasures. H...
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Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1949
Thieves' Highway
7.274/117
Nick Garcos comes back from his tour of duty in World War II planning to settle down with his girlfriend, Polly Faber. He learns, however, that his fa...
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Thieves' Highway
1972
The Assassination of Trotsky
5.302/58
A Stalinist assassin tracks exiled revolutionary Leon Trotsky to Mexico in 1940.
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The Assassination of Trotsky
1948
Les Misérables
6/8
In 19th century France, Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both me...
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Les Misérables
1961
Barabbas
6.9/188
Epic account of the thief Barabbas, who was pardoned for his crimes and spared crucifixion when Pilate offered the Israelites a choice to pardon Barab...
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Barabbas
1941
L'attore scomparso
7/1
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L'attore scomparso
1963
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
6.912/193
A tourist witnesses a murder and finds herself caught up in a series of bloody killings.
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The Girl Who Knew Too Much
1954
The Barefoot Contessa
6.749/285
A washed-up filmmaker gets a second chance at stardom when he discovers stunning peasant Maria Vargas dancing in a Madrid nightclub. Goaded by his pro...
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The Barefoot Contessa
1951
The House on Telegraph Hill
6.443/70
Concentration camp survivor Victoria Kowelska finds herself involved in mystery, greed, and murder when she assumes the identity of a dead friend in o...
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The House on Telegraph Hill
1954
Jailbirds
5.5/2
Three jailbirds— a surgeon, a robber, and a wrongly convicted man— must adjust to their lives once released from prison.
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Jailbirds
1988
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
6.982/1032
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences with his band of misfits.
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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1949
Malaya
6.9/17
Soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, cynical former newspaper correspondent John Royer devises a scheme with his old editor and government...
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Malaya
1994
Sparrow
7.357/28
Catania, Sicilia 1854. A serious epidemic of cholera is hitting the region. Maria a 16 years old novice leaves her convent and returns her home to avo...
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Sparrow
1980
When Time Ran Out...
5.341/85
An active volcano threatens a south Pacific island resort and its guests as a power struggle ensues between the property's developer and a drilling fo...
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When Time Ran Out...
1955
Le Amiche
6.703/91
Clelia, a self-made woman coming from humble means, travels back to Turin, her hometown, to scout locations for the successful Roman atelier she works...
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Le Amiche
1965
Juliet of the Spirits
7.219/345
Middle-aged Giulietta grows suspicious of her husband, Giorgio, when his behavior grows increasingly questionable. One night when Giorgio initiates a...
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Juliet of the Spirits
1974
Appassionata
5.6/58
Two teenage friends conspire to find out how much their youthful sensuality can disrupt one of their households, headed by a dentist and his mentally-...
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Appassionata
1949
Black Magic
6.354/25
A hypnotist uses his powers for revenge against King Louis XV's court.
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Black Magic
1968
The Legend of Lylah Clare
6.048/31
A dictatorial film director hires an unknown actress to play the lead role in a planned movie biography of a late, great Hollywood star.
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The Legend of Lylah Clare
1970
The Love Mates
4.6/10
Julien and Agatha appear to be a great couple, loving, caring and seem to feel complete with each other. Though Julien often gives the impression of b...
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The Love Mates
1956
The Rocket from Calabuch
7.466/44
Professor Hamilton, a naive Nuclear scientist who once thought bombs were good for humanity, realizes his mistake and runs away from his inventions. H...
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The Rocket from Calabuch
1966
Black Sun
4.8/4
A young Gallic heiress Christine is looking for her long-lost brother in Algeria. She's not looking for danger, but that's what comes in her way from...
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Black Sun
1952
Secret People
6.4/22
This tale of intrigue finds Valentina Cortese involved in an assassination plot. She helps the police apprehend the conspirators after an innocent bys...
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Secret People
1987
Blue Tango
6/2
Tango blu is a night club in Milan where various bizarre characters meet. Among them a womanizing photographer and a porter who works in a slaughterho...
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Blue Tango
1955
Magic Fire
5/8
Director William Dieterle's film biography of classical composer Richard Wagner stars Carlos Thompson, Yvonne De Carlo, Rita Gam, Alan Badel and Valen...
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Magic Fire
1954
Il matrimonio
6.8/5
An Italian historical comedy film consisting of three segments, based on three stage plays by Anton Chekhov.
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Il matrimonio
1975
Son tornate a fiorire le rose
5.75/4
The birth of a nephew upsets the life of Paolo and Carlo who, unable to grow old, try to prove that they are lively.
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Son tornate a fiorire le rose
1978
Tanto va la gatta al lardo...
5.8/3
Film in four episodes, inspired by the chronicle of the time: three mature sisters give themselves to a stranger, Maria tries to escape her husband, t...
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Tanto va la gatta al lardo...
1974
Amore mio non farmi male
5.071/7
Anna and Marcello, two wealthy high school students. they would like to consume their Platonic love so far, going against the directives of their pare...
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Amore mio non farmi male
1970
First Love
5.5/8
The story of two young lovers takes a tragic turn as the girl falls in love with the boy's father.
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First Love
1947
Il passatore
6/4
The story of the most infamous bandit in Romagna, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor.
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Il passatore
1946
Un americano in vacanza
9/1
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Un americano in vacanza
1991
Buster's Bedroom
4.25/4
A young woman who is obsessed with Buster Keaton stays in the sanatorium where the actor was once a patient.
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Buster's Bedroom
1953
La passeggiata
8/1
A meek and simple-minded boarding school teacher falls in love with a prostitute and gets the boot from school. He tries to have her change her way of...
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La passeggiata
1961
Square of Violence
6.4/5
Set in Italy, the story takes place in this very country, during WW2, where German occupation army ruled everything, just before the allied forces cam...
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Square of Violence
1964
The Visit
7.2/42
Carla Zachanassian had a child by Serge Miller as a teenager. When Serge refused to marry her, she was driven out of town. By her own wit and cunning,...
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The Visit
1942
Quarta pagina
8/1
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Quarta pagina
1962
Story of San Michele
6.5/2
A biographical drama is based on the 1929 autobiography of Swedish doctor Axel Martin Fredrik, The Story of San Michele. It follows the physician, psy...
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Story of San Michele
1942
La regina di Navarra
0/0
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La regina di Navarra
1942
Girl of the Golden West
6.5/2
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Girl of the Golden West
1942
Orizzonte di sangue
8/1
Directed by Gennaro Righelli.
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Orizzonte di sangue
1972
Chronicle of a Homicide
5.536/14
Roma.During a clash between demonstrating laborers (whose fight the students have joined) a policeman and a student are both killed. The investigating...
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Chronicle of a Homicide
1968
Listen, Let's Make Love
4.5/8
When his father dies, young lad travels to Milan to attend the funeral and decides to follow in his father's footsteps as a gigolo. He is successful a...
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Listen, Let's Make Love
1942
The Jester's Supper
6.1/17
In Florence, at the time of Lorenzo de Medici, known also as Lorenzo the Magnificent, the aristocrat brothers Chiaramantesi rule with an iron fist the...
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The Jester's Supper
1974
The Kiss
3.5/4
Countess Elena marries the charming Guido Rambaldi, only for him to be seduced by dancer Nara during their Venice honeymoon.
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The Kiss
1949
The Glass Mountain
6.8/5
An aspiring composer, in the British Air Force for WWII, is downed in Italy and rescued by an Italian girl. He returns home to his wife, inspired to w...
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The Glass Mountain
1955
Adriana Lecouvreur
9/1
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Adriana Lecouvreur
1948
L'ebreo errante
10/1
Matthew, a rich nationalist Jew and a contemporary of Jesus, regards the latter as an obstacle in this struggle to free their people from the Roman yo...
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L'ebreo errante
1945
No One Comes Back
6/2
A host of college girls take different life paths in the Italy of the 1930s.
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No One Comes Back
1943
Giorni felici
8/1
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Giorni felici
1958
Love and Troubles
6.3/9
Three vignettes about couples trying to get together and the problems that continue to keep them apart.
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Love and Troubles
1948
Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris
6/4
The story of Jean Valjean, still pursued by Javert, continues with a love developing between Cosette and radical student Marius, a blackmailing attemp...
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Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris
1948
Crossroads of Passion
9/1
Lisbon, the capital of Neutral Portugal, is a hotbed of spies. Mario, a cabaret singer working for the Allies is responsible for the death of an Itali...
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Crossroads of Passion
1970
Give Her the Moon
5.76/25
Marie, a young provincial girl, is seduced by an American billionaire. She agrees to stay with him if he moves her village to New York.
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Give Her the Moon
1970
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
6.856/66
During World War II, Italian villagers hide their wine from the German army.
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The Secret of Santa Vittoria
1988
Facciaffittasi
9/1
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Facciaffittasi
1977
Widows' Nest
7/1
The arrival of some unwanted visitors interrupts the peaceful Cuban home life of sisters Dolores, Carmen and Elvira, as their presence stirs up unwelc...
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Widows' Nest
1954
Angels of Darkness
3.6/5
When "Tamara" throws herself from the window of their brothel, her colleagues are made to realise that a new law will close down the source of their l...
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Angels of Darkness
1941
Il bravo di Venezia
9/1
Marco Fuser, an outlaw. returns to Venice after many years. His son who works in the studio of a celebrated painter is unaware of his father's history...
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Il bravo di Venezia
1975
Kidnap Syndicate
6.733/31
After his son is kidnapped, a millionaire industrialist seeks revenge, in spite of the potential danger that his rash actions will bring about for his...
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Kidnap Syndicate
1976
The Big Operator
4.646/24
The aging villain Émile Morland talks his old friend Aristide into helping him with to kidnap the son of a millionaire.
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The Big Operator
1975
Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza
6.219/16
A boorish, snobish toothpaste factory owner, Constantino Nicosia, gives his wife and everyone a hard time having let success and wealth go to his head...
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Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza
1943
4 girls dream
7/1
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4 girls dream
1969
Oh, Grandmother's Dead
5.667/6
Relatives brawl over the estate of a deceased grandmother who owned an insecticide factory.They stop at nothing, including bumping each other off.
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Oh, Grandmother's Dead
2000
Federico Fellini's Autobiography
6.4/10
Federico Fellini was one of the most individual and thought provoking directors who based most of his films upon his own reflections, dreams, life eve...
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Federico Fellini's Autobiography
1942
Soltanto un bacio
10/1
Italian film from 1942.
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Soltanto un bacio
1987
Via Montenapoleone
3.824/17
Via Montenapoleone in Milan is the ritziest street in the city and here the destinies of several characters, playboys, models and gays cross and diver...
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Via Montenapoleone
2017
Diva!
8.2/4
The moving life and international career of actress Valentina Cortese is acted out by eight Italian actresses who interpret parts of her biography. A...
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Diva!
1974
Tender Dracula
4.2/17
Two writers and their girlfriends visit the castle of an actor who specializes in playing vampire roles. As the night progresses, they begin to wonder...
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Tender Dracula
1947
Il corriere del re
10/1
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Il corriere del re
1950
Shadow of the Eagle
6.5/4
During the eighteenth century the Empress of Russia sends her lover to kidnap her rival for the throne.
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Shadow of the Eagle
1965
Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials
6.333/9
A behind-the-scenes documentary about director Michelangelo Antonioni as he's shooting his segment of The Three Faces, a vehicle for Soraya, the forme...
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Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials
1941
Primo amore
9/1
An Italian emigrant, who found fame and success in America, comes back to his hometown after over twenty years.
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Primo amore
1946
Rome: Free City
5.4/11
In a post-war Rome (1946) a cat burglar inadvertently saves the life of a would-be suicide man who returns from the war to find that he has been betra...
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Rome: Free City
1955
Il Conte Aquila
8/1
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Il Conte Aquila
1976
Nick the Sting
6.8/12
Nick Hezard, a young con man, wants to avenge the death of a friend of his and organizes a swindle trying to cheat Robert Turner, an American business...
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Nick the Sting
1957
Kean: Genius or Scoundrel
7.333/6
England, first half of the 19th century. Edmund Kean is a celebrated theatre actor, notorious for his tumultuous private life. He is in love with the...
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Kean: Genius or Scoundrel
1945
Chi l'ha visto?
7/1
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Chi l'ha visto?
1993
La Classe américaine
7.585/253
George Abitbol, the classiest man in the world, dies tragically during a cruise. The director of an American newspaper, wondering about the meaning of...
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La Classe américaine
1965
The Possessed
6.771/59
While visiting his favorite resort village during winter, a writer investigates the apparent suicide of a woman he was infatuated with.
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The Possessed
1971
The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire
5.268/41
In Dublin, the acid-scarred, razor-slashed corpse of a young woman is discovered in the boot of the Swiss Ambassador's limousine. The Ambassador, his...
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The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire
1953
Lulù
0/0
Mario, a student from a noble Milanese family, falls in love with Lulù, a young slender girl.
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Lulù
1965
Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'
7.5/1
Documentary about the making of Federico Fellini's film JULIET OF THE SPIRITS, with behind the scenes footage and interviews with the director.
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Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'
2007
Le ragazze di Milano
0/0
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Le ragazze di Milano
2001
Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema
9/1
A look back at the life and works of Michelangelo Antonioni.
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Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema
1981
La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa
10/1
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La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa
1988
Young Toscanini
6.7/10
A fanciful biopic of legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini as a very young man.
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