Cinema Metropolitan
Via del Corso, 7,
Rome
00100
Via del Corso, 7,
Rome
00100
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This recent report says the Metropolitan, closed for 10 years now, may be slated for restructuring for commercial use and perhaps an auditorium for general cultural use. https://www.radiocolonna.it/economia/2019/07/24/cinema-metropolitan-forse-finita-la-sua-lunga-agonia/
As the Cinema Gloria on May 18, 1940, the program had two American films: “Le 3 ragazze in gamba crescono”(Three Smart Girls Grow Up) with Deanna Durbin and “Allora la sposo io” (The Rage of Paris) with Danielle Darrieux.
It should be noted that a previous name for this cinema was the Gloria.
I went to see “Le comiche 2” here on December 29, 1991. Paolo Villaggio and Renato Pozzetto.
The Rome first run engagement of De Sica’s “Ladri di biciclette” (The Bicycle Thief/Bicycle Thieves) started here and at the Barberini on November 24, 1948.
On March 6, 1948 the Metropolitan showed its first film: “Gioventu' perduta” (Lost Youth) by Pietro Germi.
“Il mulino del Po'” (The Mill on the Po) by Lattuada opened here and at the Barberini on October 14, 1949.
When the 1961 Luciano Salce film Il federale (The Fascist) opened at the Metropolitan, the audiences were so large that the normally closed third balcony had to be opened to meet the demand. This information is given on the Italian DVD for the movie. Il federale featured Ugo Tognazzi, Georges Wilson, and Stefania Sandrelli.
Bill-
Yes, a few more as I dig through my photos.
Gerald—
Fotografia favolosa! Ed anche for your photos of Siena’s Cinema Alessandro, Providence’s RKO Albee, and NYC’s Beacon in previous posts. Thanks. Any more?
Many historic Italian films premiered here. For the record, Vittorio De Sica’s landmark “Ladri di biciclette” (“The Bicycle Thief,” “Bicycle Thieves”) opened here and at the Cinema Barberini on November 24, 1948.
Quite stately, with its high-class marble, mirrors, and crystal chandeliers. The lobby has the look of a Rapp and Rapp design. The features at the beginning of October were “The Terminal,†A Song for Bobby Long†(has this opened yet in USA?), “L’Amore ritrovato†(dir. Carlo Mazzacurati), and “Fahrenheit 911†(to judge from the overwhelming anti-Bush sentiment in Italy, it must be a hit; it’s playing on five other screens in Rome; “Bowling for Columbine†meanwhile plays at the marvelous Azzurro Scipione). The admission charge of 7 euros is a bit higher than the 6 euros charged at other theaters in Rome. You pay more for the marble and crystal?
Interesting that the Metropolitan right now is showing Mel Gibson’s LA PASSIONE DI CRISTO on one screen and a revival of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 IL VANGELO SECONDO MATTEO (THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW) on another. So two films about Jesus are playing the same Roman theatre at the same time. Interesting also that both movies were shot in part in the southern Italian village of Matera. My own feeling is that the Pasolini film is infinitely superior both as a movie and as a portrait of Jesus.