From The Count of Montecristo to The Bethroted (to say nothing of Melissa): Italy and television serials during the Sixties

Abstract

Italy between the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967: three TV serials, Il Conte di Montecristo by Edmo Fenoglio, Melissa by Daniele D’Anza and I promessi sposi by Sandro Bolchi, are broadcasted one after the other, all extremely successful even if totally different, actually based on novels belonging to very dissimilar cultures, and, speaking in the abstract, suitable for very dissimilar tastes. Sometimes ironically, sometimes seriously, the press of the day reflects upon the reasons of their charm: we republish four among the most interesting and also the most enjoyable articles, one by the great humorous writer Achille Campanile, the others by the editorial staff of an avant-garde newspaper of the time, “Paese Sera”.