The Enduring Legacy of Clara Calamai: A New Biography Illuminates Italian Cinema’s “Beautiful Goddess”
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A recently released biography is reigniting interest in the life and career of Clara Calamai, the celebrated Italian actress born in Prato in 1909. The book, titled Beautiful Goddess and published by Vallecchi, offers a compelling new look at the star’s tumultuous life, penned by acclaimed director Maurizio Zaccaro, known for films like Where the Night Begins and A Respectable Man.
A Life Lived Like a Novel
The life of Calamai, best known for her role in Luchino Visconti’s Obsession, was marked by dramatic shifts, career interruptions, and passionate relationships. According to the book, her story unfolded “like an exciting novel,” filled with both triumphs and tribulations. A preface by Emanuela Martini further emphasizes the actress’s significant artistic contributions.
Zaccaro’s work delves into Calamai’s formative years in Prato, detailing her upbringing with father Priam, a stationmaster at the Serraglio, mother Giulia Grazzini, and sisters Vittoria and Paola. Her striking beauty, the biography suggests, simultaneously opened doors and created challenges within Prato society.
Early Scandal and a Path to Rome
The biography meticulously recounts a pivotal early scandal involving an “impossible love” with Riccardo Banci Buonamici. Rumors of a pregnancy, a fractured relationship opposed by his family, and a subsequent suicide attempt led Calamai to flee to Rome, where she unexpectedly embarked on her cinematic journey. This transition was aided by Enif Angiolini, a writer and actress from Prato and a prominent figure in the futurist movement. Details of the suicide attempt, including excerpts from a local newspaper article, are included in the volume.
A Controversial Image and Lasting Impact
Calamai’s name remains synonymous with a landmark moment in Italian cinema. For many, she is remembered as the actress featured in what is often cited as the first instance of a bare breast on Italian film – a fleeting two-second scene in Alessandro Blasetti’s The Mockery Dinner, adapted from a play by Sem Benelli from Prato. However, the biography notes that the accuracy of this claim is debated.
Ultimately, Beautiful Goddess portrays Calamai not merely as a cinematic icon, but as a deeply human figure – a “diva” who was also remarkably “fragile and vulnerable.” Her story, the book suggests, will continue to resonate within the history of cinema and in the hearts of those who remember her in Prato.
