More Than a Miracle (1967), a gorgeously filmed fantasy-romance that was more appropriately titled Cinderella, Italian Style in England. Sophia Loren, who has rarely looked more beautiful, plays Isabella, a poor peasant girl who falls in love with the handsome but arrogant Prince Rodrigo in Campania,Italy, around 1600, under Spanish rule. Prince Rodrigo Ferrante d'Avalos, reluctant to marry receives advice from friar, Giuseppe da Copertino to marry only the girl who will prepare and give him to eat seven dumplings. He meets a proud, very beautiful farm girl, Isabella Candeloro, and struck by her beauty, has her make him the dumplings. But Isabella eats one of them and the prediction does not come true for the moment. Isabella herself is not insensitive to the prince's charm, and to get close to him she manages to get into the royal palace by getting hired as a scullery maid. Rodrigo meanwhile, is forced for reasons of State, to choose a bride from among the seven princesses of the seven provinces of the realm; he therefore orders the would-be brides to wash stacks of dishes and he will choose the princess who breaks the fewest. Isabella is introduced as the eighth pretender, an imaginary princess from Caccamone, the love-smitten Rodrigo being certain that she will beat the inexperienced damsels. But trickery makes Rodrigo's plan go amiss and in the final round it is Isabella herself who breaks more dishes than the last competitor, the princess of Altamura. But in the end Isabella succeeds in unmasking the ruse and marrying her beloved prince.
When More Than a Miracle opened theatrically, it was well received by most film critics. The Time magazine reviewer probably said it best: "That anybody would bother these days to make so slender and fanciful a film is a miracle in itself; to do it with such a profusion of visual beauty is More Than a Miracle."
"In addition to being a beautiful movie star and an actress of real talent, Sophia Loren a one-woman anti-poverty program."
Vincent Canby, New York Times, 2 nov 1967
Whether on-screen, stunningly shot by Giuseppe De Santis, or in the Tazio Secciaroli stills, the impeccably buoyant Loren features had, indeed, never been more radiant."
Tony Crawley, The Films of Sophia Loren.
More Than A Miracle had its world premiere on October 19, 1967 in Naples Italy. It premiered in New York at Radio City Music Hall on November 1st, 1967. One of my favorite Sophia films, it combines beautiful cinematography, a moving romantic score by Piero Piccioni and wonderful performances by its cast...and as you can see from the images, Sophia has never looked more beautiful, the only actress in the world that can sparkle and look regal in rags. One last note, the main theme sung in chorus is extremely rare to find these days, it is not available on CD. I was able to transfer it from the original soundtrack vinyl album, I have also added the original movie trailer to round out the film experience...So please enjoy!
