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Vittorio Cottafavi

Vittorio Cottafavi

Director and writer · Died December 14, 1998, aged 84 · Modena, Italy

Vittorio Cottafavi (30 January 1914 – 14 December 1998) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1943 and 1985. His film Il diavolo sulle colline was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 30, 1914
Died
December 14, 1998 (aged 84)
From
Modena, Italy
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
4 on MovieCove · 76 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 45% in 30 days

What are Vittorio Cottafavi's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Power
30%
Bonds
27%
Morality
26%
Self
8%
Survival
5%
Society
4%
Family bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 1 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
3
Tense
2
Absurd
2
Dread
1
Melancholic
1

How their films linger

Fun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Vittorio Cottafavi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 4 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Vittorio Cottafavi's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

76 credits, 4 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Devil in the Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • Maria Zef (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Con gli occhi dell'occidente (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • The Persians (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • La torta di Riccio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Gente delle Langhe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Sotto il placido Don (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Napoleone a Sant'Elena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Napoleone a Sant'Elena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Screenplay

  • L'allodola (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • La scuola delle mogli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Vestire gli ignudi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Almayer's Folly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • A come Andromeda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Antigone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • I racconti di padre Brown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Lady of the Camelias (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • I lupi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • Una pistola in vendita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • Oliver Cromwell: Ritratto di un dittatore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • Christopher Colombus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Creator

  • L'idolo delle scene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • Delirio a due (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • La paura delle botte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The Trial of Saint Therese of The Child Jesus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The Weisenthal Mission (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • Don Giovanni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The July Plot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The Trojan Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director · Writer

  • Quinta colonna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • La fantarca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • Vita di Dante (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Le piccole volpi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • Antonio e Cleopatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • The Power of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • Ai poeti non si spara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • 100 Horsemen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Il giglio di quell'amore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director

  • Incontro con il padre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director

  • The Felling of the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Director

  • Il mondo è una prigione (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • Colloquio con un uomo disprezzato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • Operazione Vega (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • Le notti bianche (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • La trincea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director · Writer

  • Hercules and the Captive Women(1961)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Amazons of Rome(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Goliath and the Dragon(1960)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Messalina(1960)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Toro bravo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Legions of the Nile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director · Screenplay

  • False Steps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • Antigone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • The Warrior and the Slave Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Umiliati e offesi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Doll house (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Hänsel e Gretel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • L'avaro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • Seven Small Crosses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • A Free Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • In the Eddy of Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Jailbirds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • In amore si pecca in due (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Traviata 53 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • The Glorious Avenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • I Piombi di Venezia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Co-Director

  • Milady and the Musketeers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • A Woman Has Killed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • The Flame that Never Dies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director · Screenplay · as capitano dei carabinieri

  • Fantasmi del mare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Co-Director

  • Fire Over the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director · Writer

  • Unknown Men of San Marino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Screenplay

  • The Gates of Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Actor

  • Our Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Abuna Messias - Vendetta africana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Screenplay

  • Knock, or the Triumph of Medicine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 76 titles, 75 of them dated from 1939 to 1985.

Highest rated

Goliath and the Dragon (1960)

Midcredits 21st

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 76: 1 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting73 of 76: 57 only directing, 16 with another roleWriting17 of 76: 2 only writing, 15 with another roleEditing2 of 76: 0 only editing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 76: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

76 titles, 16 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1930s1 · crew1940s6 · 2 acting · 5 crew1950s18 · crew1960s31 · crew1970s17 · crew1980s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Vittorio Cottafavi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 15th percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 24th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

24thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

11thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 4 titles, by percentile

  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 4 titles are Mixed.

  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · director, writer

Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)

66th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Messalina (1960)

Midcredits 27th · 27% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 61/100 and the pacing 43/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Vittorio Cottafavi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Vittorio Cottafavi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Duccio Tessari shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers