L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 6 I t seems like fate has bestowed more than just the first name to Donati (13 April 1933) and Leone (3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989), both named Sergio and born in Rome, four years apart from one another. Together they created a genre, called "Spaghetti Western", which enchanted and still capti- vates generations of aficionados, including modern day filmmak- ers, the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. On December 17, Sergio Donati was awarded with the "Tondo", a prize for Italian excellence granted by the Italian Cultural Institute of L.A. After the screening of Once Upon A Time in the West, Donati - interviewed on stage by Alessandro Ago Director of Programming and Special Projects, USC School of Cinematic Arts - recalled anec- dotes from that golden age in Italian cinema, along with answering some questions from the audience. I've had the privilege of per- sonally interviewing Sergio and have a taste of his straightfor- ward, ironic vision of cinema and life. In the mid Fifties, you grad- uated from the Faculty of Law, in Rome, before turning your career's path into professional writing. Was there any specific episode, which prompted your life's choice? I took the degree in Law, without a serious intention to ever become a lawyer or any- thing alike. While I was still completing my university stud- ies, I submitted my first manu- script to the publisher, Garzanti. However, it turned that down. In 1955, instead, the Italian publishing series, I gialli Mondadori - directed by the journalist/translator Alberto Tedeschi – accepted my works, releasing my first two crime novels: "L'altra faccia della Luna" and "Il sepolcro di carta." In 1956, my third and last thriller, "Mr. Sharkey torna a casa", got published. These books drew attention from the movie industry (and later on, two of them would even have been adapted for the screen). Among the filmmakers who reached out to me, there was also Sergio Leone, who back then was still an Assistant Director, eager to direct his first feature. Writing fiction is highly dif- ferent from screenwriting. However, this is particularly true in the "American school" and less in the Italian one, in which, particularly in the past, screenplays hold more literary features and qualities. Do you agree? I don't totally agree, in the sense that Leone himself asked me to write the screenplay for "C'era una volta il West" (Once Upon A Time in the West), as if it was a novel. The final product was a 420-pages script, filled with extensive scene descrip- tions, including each character's feelings. However, I do share the opin- ion that the traditional Italian school used to assign an higher literary value to the screenplays, in contrast with the American school. Leone explicitly asked me to spell out every character's emo- tional state, to facilitate the actors' task of penetrating their minds. My scene descriptions were so accurate that Ennio Morricone was able to compose the score, just by reading the screenplay. During the actual shooting, his music was played on set, underscoring some of the most moving sequences. You collaborated on four of Sergio Leone's major movies. Could you share more with us about your artistic and human relation with this iconic film- maker? My whole professional and human experience with Leone is summed up in my book: C'era una volta il West (ma c'ero anch'io) (2007). Several years ago, a restored version of "Once Upon A Time in the West" was screened at the Rome Film Fest. In that occa- sion, Dario Argento introduced himself as co-screenwriter for the movie, rather than simply co-author with Bernardo Bertolucci of the initial story, from whom I and Leone devel- oped the film. My book was intended to make everything clear, once and for all. My collaboration with Leone started in 1956. He was just four years older than me, despite he looked a lot older. When we came to Hollywood, people even mistook me for his son. Back then, Leone, who was simply an AD, asked me to write a crime story, set among the mountains. I did as told and wrote a 30-page treatment, fea- turing a remote mountain lodge. He liked the story, but pointed out: "We need to change the set- ting with this specific hotel in the Alpine village of Sestriere!" I asked: "Why?" Leone's reply was an eye- opener to me: "Because the hotel's owner is going to finance the film, as well as try to have sex with some of the actresses!" After this episode, I gave up with the movie industry and moved to Milan. In a few years, I was appointed as creative supervisor, at the second biggest agency, leading advertising cam- paigns for companies, such as Shell and Barilla. One day, Leone called me and asked me: "What are you In conversation with Sergio Donati: Once Upon A Time… Italy made great cinema! From left to right -Sergio Donati, Console Verde, direttrice IIC, ValeriaRumori. Photo courtesy of IIC-LA LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY VALERIO VIALE Continued on page 7

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