In hoc signo vinces (1913)
Vintage Italian publicity still (print) for the Roman Antiquity film In hoc signo vinces/ The Triumph of an Emperor/ Par ce signe tu vaincras (Nino Oxilia, Savoia Film 1913), distributed in the Netherlands by Jean Desmet and internationally distributed by the French company Eclair. The film was scripted by Giovanni Alessio based on a text by E.S.F. Darga (although the Early German Database writes Alessio was the scenographer and Darga the scriptwriter, who based himself on a text by C. Darlington). Cinematographer was Augusto Navone. The film culminates in the famous Battle at the Milvio Bridge (312 a.D.). On this card: Charity at the court of Constantine (Arturo Garzes). He is flanked by his sister Constance/ Costanza (Mario Jacobini) and his mother Helena (Jeanne Bay).
Plot: In Milan during the early IVth century., when the Roman Empire was ruled by four tetrarchs, the local governor Licinius (Annibale Durelli) rejects the avances of Fausta (Adriana Costamagna), wife of Emperor Constantine (Arturo Garzes), as he is a faithful follower of Constantine, and moreover, in love with Constance, half-sister of Constantine (Maria Jacobini). Both become Christians. Fausta's father Maximian (DIllo Lombardi) enters Milan and desires to possess Constance. Fausta helps hem by attracting Constance to a wild party at Maximian's palace, but the young woman abhors of this, retires in pray and finally has herself baptised. Maximian explodes, tears the edict permitting the Christians religious freedom, and has three of his soldiers killed when they prove to be Christians. Their bodies are drawn through the streets, which Constance, shocked, witnesses from her balcony. Constance is also forced to witness terrible killings of Christian martyrs in the arena, after a spectacle of gladiators and chariot races. When a soldier openly tells he is a Christian he is killed on the spot. At night, bishop Maternus (Mario Marani) and other Christians bury the bodies, Meanwhile Constance flees to her brother Constantine, pursued by Maximian and Fausta.
Constantine explodes when he hears about Maximian's beastly behaviour. Fausta manages to seduce a centurion, Helvus Brutus (Indo Garrone), to assassinate Constantine, but Constance has overheard the plot and the emperor is substituted by a dummy. When, before the whole army, Maximian cries that Constantine is dead, Constantine himself makes clear he is alive and the culprit is killed. Fausta hasn't given up and goes to her brother Maxentius (Francesco Bonino) to set him up against Constantine. Constantine's army crosses the Alps and he gets a vision of a Cross, symbol of Christianity. Jesus appears to him and gives him a new standard, with a cross instead of an eagle, telling him: In This Sign You will Conquer (In hoc signo vinces). Helvus Brutus tries a second attack on Constantine but is caught and decapitated. His head is sent to Fausta, who realizes her machinations are over.
Maxentius leads his army to that of Constantine. For a while the war is undecided. Yet, when a fire breaks out in Maxentius camp, his army retreats on an improvised bridge, which collapses under the weight of the soldiers, and Maxentius and many others drown. The rest of his troops retreat to the Ponte Milvio but this is already occupied by Constantine's troops, who 'finish the job'. Constantine's victory makes an end to the persecutions of the Christians. In 313 a.D. (which was extensively commemorated in 1913, the year the film came out), the Edict of Milan was signed by Constantine and Licinius granting complete freedom to Christianity. The era of catacombs and secrecy is over.
The last card/ still of this series here may represent a moment earlier in the film, when Constance arrives at her brother's court begging him to help her and Constantine and his mother show charity to the poor, but as there is no real card symbolizing the epilogue of the plot, we use it here. Needless to say Constance and Licinius live happily ever after. Yet, the historical Constantine would get into a big conflict with the real Licinius afterward.
Sources: Aldo Bernardini/ Vittorio Martinelli, Il cinema muto italiano, 1913, Vol. 1; Dutch-written programme booklet, made for the Dutch release of the film. Eye Filmmuseum (Amsterdam) possesses the first three - beautifully tinted - reels of this film, the second half being lost alas. Following the content description of the programme, and the photos published there and here on Flickr, the first part lacks several scenes such as those on the arena and on on the orgy & Constance's prayer. See commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:In_hoc_signo_vinces_(1913).webm.
In hoc signo vinces (1913)
Vintage Italian publicity still (print) for the Roman Antiquity film In hoc signo vinces/ The Triumph of an Emperor/ Par ce signe tu vaincras (Nino Oxilia, Savoia Film 1913), distributed in the Netherlands by Jean Desmet and internationally distributed by the French company Eclair. The film was scripted by Giovanni Alessio based on a text by E.S.F. Darga (although the Early German Database writes Alessio was the scenographer and Darga the scriptwriter, who based himself on a text by C. Darlington). Cinematographer was Augusto Navone. The film culminates in the famous Battle at the Milvio Bridge (312 a.D.). On this card: Charity at the court of Constantine (Arturo Garzes). He is flanked by his sister Constance/ Costanza (Mario Jacobini) and his mother Helena (Jeanne Bay).
Plot: In Milan during the early IVth century., when the Roman Empire was ruled by four tetrarchs, the local governor Licinius (Annibale Durelli) rejects the avances of Fausta (Adriana Costamagna), wife of Emperor Constantine (Arturo Garzes), as he is a faithful follower of Constantine, and moreover, in love with Constance, half-sister of Constantine (Maria Jacobini). Both become Christians. Fausta's father Maximian (DIllo Lombardi) enters Milan and desires to possess Constance. Fausta helps hem by attracting Constance to a wild party at Maximian's palace, but the young woman abhors of this, retires in pray and finally has herself baptised. Maximian explodes, tears the edict permitting the Christians religious freedom, and has three of his soldiers killed when they prove to be Christians. Their bodies are drawn through the streets, which Constance, shocked, witnesses from her balcony. Constance is also forced to witness terrible killings of Christian martyrs in the arena, after a spectacle of gladiators and chariot races. When a soldier openly tells he is a Christian he is killed on the spot. At night, bishop Maternus (Mario Marani) and other Christians bury the bodies, Meanwhile Constance flees to her brother Constantine, pursued by Maximian and Fausta.
Constantine explodes when he hears about Maximian's beastly behaviour. Fausta manages to seduce a centurion, Helvus Brutus (Indo Garrone), to assassinate Constantine, but Constance has overheard the plot and the emperor is substituted by a dummy. When, before the whole army, Maximian cries that Constantine is dead, Constantine himself makes clear he is alive and the culprit is killed. Fausta hasn't given up and goes to her brother Maxentius (Francesco Bonino) to set him up against Constantine. Constantine's army crosses the Alps and he gets a vision of a Cross, symbol of Christianity. Jesus appears to him and gives him a new standard, with a cross instead of an eagle, telling him: In This Sign You will Conquer (In hoc signo vinces). Helvus Brutus tries a second attack on Constantine but is caught and decapitated. His head is sent to Fausta, who realizes her machinations are over.
Maxentius leads his army to that of Constantine. For a while the war is undecided. Yet, when a fire breaks out in Maxentius camp, his army retreats on an improvised bridge, which collapses under the weight of the soldiers, and Maxentius and many others drown. The rest of his troops retreat to the Ponte Milvio but this is already occupied by Constantine's troops, who 'finish the job'. Constantine's victory makes an end to the persecutions of the Christians. In 313 a.D. (which was extensively commemorated in 1913, the year the film came out), the Edict of Milan was signed by Constantine and Licinius granting complete freedom to Christianity. The era of catacombs and secrecy is over.
The last card/ still of this series here may represent a moment earlier in the film, when Constance arrives at her brother's court begging him to help her and Constantine and his mother show charity to the poor, but as there is no real card symbolizing the epilogue of the plot, we use it here. Needless to say Constance and Licinius live happily ever after. Yet, the historical Constantine would get into a big conflict with the real Licinius afterward.
Sources: Aldo Bernardini/ Vittorio Martinelli, Il cinema muto italiano, 1913, Vol. 1; Dutch-written programme booklet, made for the Dutch release of the film. Eye Filmmuseum (Amsterdam) possesses the first three - beautifully tinted - reels of this film, the second half being lost alas. Following the content description of the programme, and the photos published there and here on Flickr, the first part lacks several scenes such as those on the arena and on on the orgy & Constance's prayer. See commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:In_hoc_signo_vinces_(1913).webm.