ABSTRACT
Of all the stories told by Dante Alighieri in his Commedia, none has had such a profound impact on the modern performative arts as has the story of Francesca da Rimini. The Francesca story has been a staple of the film industry from its inception down to the present time. Of all of Dante's stories, it has been accorded pre-eminent cinematic treatment, both direct and indirect. In the silent period the direct treatment predominates. The film's storyline essentially follows the early tradition as established by Dante and Giovanni Boccaccio, a fact underscored by having the film end with three lines from Dante's text. The film recounts the marital ups and downs of an imperious British, middle-aged symphony orchestra conductor, Sir Alfred de Carter, and his lovely wife Daphne. Dante's Francesca has served as a point of reference for modern cinema. The earliest commentators turned to the story in order to flesh out the bare details of Dante's terse account.
