Tra Pinocchio e Lucignolo: Gian Carlo Fusco e il cinema

From the 50s to the 70s Gian Carlo Fusco was one of the most significant Italian journalists. In recent years, his writings are the subject of a rediscovery, even if the critical examination often does not go beyond the superficiality of his public figure. His cinematographic collaborations, in particular, are almost unknown. They are only considered from an anecdotal point of view. This article examines a part of Fusco’s screenplays. It starts with Le avventure di Pinocchio; it examines the collaboration with Tinto Brass (considering also some unrealized projects); and finally the films concerning fascism and the Second World War, one of the most recurring topics of interest for Fusco. Although the film commitments have been very often dictated by random and contingent circumstances, they reveal a tension that is fundamental in the life and work of Fusco. On the one hand, the attraction for “dissipation” (dépense). On the other hand, the feeling of sympathy for the “dark men” (uomini oscuri) and their daily toil.