Popular culture, performance, persona: Anna Magnani between Rome, Open City and The Rose Tattoo

Abstract

The article explores the work of Anna Magnani in her most productive period, between Roma città aperta (Rome, Open City) (Rossellini, 1945) and The Rose Tattoo (Mann, 1955). The article tackles Magnani’s work from three perspectives: in terms of performance, that is, her acting style; in terms of representation, that is, the relationship between a spatial setting and a pattern organizing both narrative and performative components; and in terms of star persona, the way in which media discourse conveyed and construed her personality as both an authentic artist and as an individual. The article posits that Rome, Open City was a turning point in Magnani’s career, and encompassed all the features that marked her following work. By closely reading her films and scrutinizing the media discourse about the actress, as expressed in neglected sources such as newsreels and popular press, the article attempts to shed light on the way in which Magnani’s alleged authenticity was designed.