Giuditta e Oloferne (1929)

Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) is an Italian silent historical film starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Jia Ruskaja and Franz Sala. It was the final film of Pagano, who had been famous during the silent era for his portrayals of Maciste. For the Russian dancer Jia Ruskaja, it was her only screen appearance. The film is based on the Biblical story of Judith beheading Holofernes and mixes this with a modern story about an engineer who tries to save a mountain village from the shady affairs of speculating entrepreneurs lead by a beautiful woman. There were several film adaptations of  Judith and Holofernes , including a Louis Feuillade version in 1909 and D.W. Griffith' famous 1914 version Judith of Bethulia.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 1. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 3. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Bartolomeo Pagano .


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 5. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 6. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 7. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with  Bartolomeo Pagano  and Jia Ruskaja.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 10. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 12. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 13. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Jia Ruskaja.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 14. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 17. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Jia Ruskaja.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 19. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Carlo Tedeschi.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 20. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Jia Ruskaja.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 23. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 24. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 25. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with  Bartolomeo Pagano .


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 26. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929) with Jia Ruskaja.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano (Milan), no. 27. Photo: Production Pittaluga Film, Torino (Turin). Publicity still for Giuditta e Oloferne/Judith and Holofernes (Baldassarre Negroni, 1929).

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (Il Cinema Muto Italiano - 1923-1931 - Italian) and Wikipedia.