The Lion of Damascus

The Lion of Damascus
Directed by	Corrado D'Errico Enrico Guazzoni
Written by	Alessandro De Stefani Omar Salgari
Based on	The Lion of Damascus by Emilio Salgari
Produced by	Franco Magli
Starring	Carla Candiani Doris Duranti Carlo Ninchi
Cinematography	Massimo Terzano Sergio Pesce
Edited by	Eraldo Da Roma
Music by	Amedeo Escobar
Production company	Scalera Film
Distributed by	Scalera Film CIFESA
Release date	31 March 1942
Running time	85 minutes
Countries	Italy Spain
Language	Italian

The Lion of Damascus (Italian: Il leone di Damasco) is a 1942 Italian-Spanish historical adventure film directed by Corrado D'Errico and Enrico Guazzoni and starring Carla Candiani, Doris Duranti and Carlo Ninchi. It is based on the 1910 novel of the same title by Emilio Salgari and is a sequel to the film Captain Tempest released earlier the same year. It was shot at the Scalera Studios in Rome. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Gustav Abel and Amleto Bonetti. The film was begun under the direction of D'Errico but completed by Guazzoni following his death. A separate Spanish-language version El león de Damasco was also produced.

Synopsis

In 1571 during the Ottoman–Venetian War, an Allied fleet is sailing to relieve besieged city of Famagusta. Its commander's young son is kidnapped and will only be freed if the city surrenders. A Turkish captain, known as the Lion of Damascus - is disgusted by this and changes sides and assists the rescue of the child. The allies win a major victory at the Battle of Lepanto.

Cast

• Carla Candiani as Leonora Bragadin - Capitan Tempesta
• Doris Duranti as Haradia
• Carlo Ninchi as Moulia El Kader - Il 'leone di Damasco'
• Dina Sassoli as Suleika
• Adriano Rimoldi as Marcello Corner
• Erminio Spalla as El Kadur
• Nicolás D. Perchicot as Alì Pascià
• Annibale Betrone as Marcantonio Bragadin
• Carlo Duse as Methioub
• Giulio Battiferri as Mustafà
• Rafael Rivelles as Lachinsky
• Pina Piovani as Una schiava di Haradia

Bibliography

• Curti, Roberto. Riccardo Freda: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker. McFarland, 2017.
• De Pau, Daniela & Torello, Georgina (ed.) Watching Pages, Reading Pictures: Cinema and Modern Literature in Italy. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008.

External links

• The Lion of Damascus at IMDb