Satan's Rhapsody

Nino Oxilia's 1917 Italian film is among the best known examples of the silent diva tradition. The elderly Countess Alba makes a pact with Mephisto to regain her youth, on condition that she stay entirely away from love. Restored to youth, she meets two brothers, both of whom fall for her, and the cost of the bargain becomes visible. Lyda Borelli is at the centre; her acting, built out of gesture and the body, is the defining instance of the period's diva cinema and remains extremely striking. The costume, the sets and the tinted frames show the ambition of the production. The music is by Pietro Mascagni. It has been restored as one of the best preserved works of Italian silent film. Who it's for: viewers curious about silent film and early Italian cinema. Who it's not for: anyone wanting naturalistic acting and a fast narrative; the film speaks entirely in the language of its own time.