Both the scenario and the script for this film were written by two pairs of hands, those of the two main protagonists at FAI: Gerolamo Lo Savio and Ugo Falena. In regard to the writing of the texts, the two men, who already alternated in directing, divided the work between them. During his career, Lo Savio only wrote three screenplays, two of which were co-written in 1913, with Falena (Armi e amori and L’assalto fatale). Falena instead produced almost 18, counting adaptations, scenarios, and scripts, making him the most prolific writer in the history of FAI. It should be said, though, that prior to working in the cinema, Falena was already a respected director and writer of stage plays, while Lo Savio worked primarily as an attorney. The film was remarkably successful, defined by critics as a masterpiece. «I remember the great art film L’assalto fatale, which is truly a masterpiece, impeccably made down to its most minute details, and impeccably played by all the artists.» (Di Fazio, «L’illustrazione Cinematografica», 2-25/8/1913)

Also appearing in the film, in his sole onscreen appearance, was the great Italian fencing champion Agesilao Greco (1867-1963), who gave audiences a chance to admire his bravado in the final assault. The print was restored from an original nitrate negative found at the Cinémathèque Française. Partially incomplete –lacking scene n. 22 – it was also lacking intertitles, reconstructed thanks to an original script of the film held at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Arts du Spectacle, and then translated into Italian.

Alessia Navantieri, Michele Canosa