Sordi prima di Sordi. Formazione e metamorfosi di una maschera italiana

Abstract

This essay reconstructs the early stages of Alberto Sordi’s career, from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s, tracing the stylistic and thematic roots of the “Sordi character” before his consecration as an icon of Italian cinema. Through an analysis of the actor’s multifaceted training – developed in variety theatre, dubbing, avanspettacolo, and radio – the essay shows that the defining traits of his
comic persona were already emerging in this period: expressionistic physicality, mastery of spoken rhythm, and the construction of morally ambiguous figures.