Saetta was abandoned by his parents while still a baby, but a troupe of circus artists provided him with an affectionate adoptive family, and he went on to become an acrobat. Having joined the army, he is sent to the mountains where he saves the life of a fellow soldier, Count Ariberto, who promises eternal gratitude and friendship in return. Born in Turin on 17 May 1890, Domenico Maria Gambino was a versatile figure, who made his mark as an actor, director, scriptwriter, and producer. He entered the cinema in 1910, working for Itala Film and participating as an extra in the comedies of Cretinetti (Andre Deed) before becoming the protagonist of his own comic series, Saltarelli. After a brief theatrical interlude with Carlo Nunziata’s company, in 1913 he went back to Itala and worked as an actor, stuntman, and director of special effects. After moving to Ambrosio and then Pasquali, in 1918 Gambino founded his own production company, Delta Film, rebranded as Saetta Film in 1920 in honour of the character of the same name, an athletic vagabond and righter of wrongs, whom he created and played in a series of successful films produced until 1925. The majority of these films are now conserved in unique copies at the Cineteca Milano and are currently being digitised and restored. Il caporal Saetta, made in 1924 for Pittaluga-Fert, is one of the most mature films of the cycle. As a review at the time said: “It contains hilarious comic scenes and sentimental and adventurous scenes which are undoubtedly dramatic. The film speaks to everyone: young and old alike will surely be satisfied (“La Rivista Cinematografica”, 25 December 1925).

Matteo Pavesi