Introduction

One fine day Zavattini came to me with Vittorio De Sica and said, “Dino, we have a project here that is a work of art”. “What is it?” “Il giudizio universale/The Last Judgement”. I was doubtful about the project, but there was Zavattini, De Sica as the director, and an outstanding cast, so we made this picture, intending to make a work of art. It was a flop at Venice and it was a flop with the public. You can’t define a work of art from the outset. When I made films with Fellini, I said to him, “What does this film mean?” “I don’t know, Dino, I’m waiting for its release and then the critics will tell me what this film means”. A work of art is something that in a certain sense we can’t decipher. We can’t start off saying, “I’m going to create a work of art”. We, American producers, think of ourselves as showmen, and we try to make a good quality product for audiences all over the world, not just in America.3