Mario Martone's 'Qui rido io' explores Eduardo Scarpetta's rise and fall at Venice Film Festival

At the 78th Venice International Film Festival, Mario Martone presented 'Qui rido io' (The King of Laughter), a biopic about Eduardo Scarpetta, the legendary Neapolitan comic actor and playwright. The film stars Toni Servillo as Scarpetta and delves into his life at the turn of the 20th century, when he dominated Italian theater with works like 'Miseria e nobiltà' and his iconic character Felice Sciosciammocca. The narrative centers on Scarpetta's 1904 parody of Gabriele D'Annunzio's tragedy 'La figlia di Iorio,' which led to Italy's first copyright lawsuit after D'Annunzio initially granted permission but later sued for plagiarism. The trial and its aftermath cast a shadow over Scarpetta's career and family, including his illegitimate children Titina, Eduardo, and Peppino De Filippo, who were forced into theater. Martone's film examines themes of artistic freedom, the tension between high art and popular entertainment, and the nature of comedy as art. It also portrays Scarpetta's domineering personality, his obsession with theater, and his willingness to sacrifice family for his craft. The film was released in Italian cinemas on September 9, 2021, by 01Distribution. Martone, in an interview with Artribune, reflected on the contemporary relevance of Scarpetta's amorality and the question of what constitutes true art—whether auteur cinema or mainstream comedy. The film received lengthy applause at its Venice screening.