Harlem 81 years old

This propaganda film was partly inspired by the story of the first Italian heavyweight champion Primo Carnera who, after winning the title with Al Capone’s help in 1933, was beaten the following year by the Jewish Max Bear and then again by the ‘Brown Bomber’ Detroit Joe Lewis in June 1935, on the eve of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. This match provoked numerous racial skirmishes on the streets of Harlem between the Black community and pro-Fascist Italian-Americans. The film overturns historical facts and here, obviously, it is the white boxer who wins in order to demonstrate the superiority of the “Aryan Italians” over the “sinister Jewish entrepreneurs” and the “savage Afro-American fans in Yankee Stadium”. In the film, these were played by South African prisoners-of-war interred in a work camp, which the German and Italian propaganda ministries had set up near Cinecittà “for cinematic purposes”.

Credits

Harlem Cast

Name Character
Amedeo Nazzari He was 35, 71 years old when he died
Vivi Gioi She was 29, 61 years old when she died
Massimo Girotti He was 24, 84 years old when he died
Elisa Cegani She was 31, 84 years old when she died

Harlem Crew

Name Department
Carmine Gallone as Director. He was 57 (87) years old when He died Directing
Harlem poster
Harlem (81 years)

  • Release day: Wednesday, April 21, 1943
  • Runtime: 113 minutes