The Italian silent melodrama L'Ombra/The Shadow (1923) was one of the final Diva films. The starring diva, Italia Almirante (Manzini) was directed by her husband, Mario Almirante. The film, based on a story by Dario Niccodemi, co-starred Alberto Collo, Liliana Ardea and Vittorio Pieri. Pieri had also appeared in the first film adaptation, L'Ombra (Mario Caserini, 1917) starring Vittoria Lepanto.
![L'Ombra 3]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 231. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "In the garden of the villa of Gerardo and Berta".
![L'ombra 1]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 232. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante Manzini as Berta, Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Vittorio Pieri as Berta's godfather Michele. Caption: "Berta: Don't look, you godfather! These are matters which don't concern you."
![L'Ombra 5]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 233. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante). Caption: Morning strolls.
![L'Ombra 4]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 23?. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923) with Liliana Ardea as Elena and Alberto Collo as Gerardo. Caption: "Berta's little friend and the daily painting lesson".
![L'Ombra 2]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 235. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante Manzini as Berta and Vittorio Pieri as Berta's godfather Michele. Caption: "Berta: Beware of the thorns, but don't ruin my roses".
![L'Ombra 6]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 236. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923) with Italia Almirante as Berta and Liliana Ardea as Elena. Caption: "Confidential matters".
![L'Ombra 7]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 238. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Struck by paralysis, Berta (Italia Almirante) passed her days in tranquillity and suffering." The nurse was played by Rita D'Harcourt.
![L'Ombra 9]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 239. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Why, Gerardo, don't you recognize Elena? My little Elena?"Italia Almirante as Berta, Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Liliana Ardea as Elena.
![L'Ombra 8]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 240. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Gerardo, I am no more than a shadow in your life...."
![L'ombra 11]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 241. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "The sudden healing. Berta: Doctor! It seems as if I am tall... tall. My head spins! I am afraid!" The doctor was played by Domenico Marverti.
![L'ombra 10]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 242. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "In the new house of Gerardo. Elena: He is your real masterpiece! "Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Liliana Ardea as Elena.
![L'ombra 12]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 243. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: I am a friend, a relative of his Lordship. I want to make him a surprise."
![L'Ombra 13]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 244. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta [to Gerardo]: You shouldn't have done this! Raise another family... another home!"Italia Almirante as Berta, Liliana Ardea as Elena and Alberto Collo as Gerardo.
![L'ombra 14]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 245. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Lord... return me my illness! Return me my cross, it felt so good, so good!"
![L'Ombra 15]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 246. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Doctor, this is a new case, very strange! A sick person who dies of her own healing."Italia Almirante as Berta, in the back Alberto Collo as Gerardo, who repents his bigamy. Extreme left godfather Michele (Vittorio Pieri), next to him the doctor (Domenico Marverti).
![L'ombra 16]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 247. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: Berta: "The shadow is receding... disappearing from your life."Italia Almirante as Berta and Alberto Collo as Gerardo.
![L'Ombra]()
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 248. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante as Berta and Alberto Collo as Gerardo. Caption: "Berta: Poor little one! He won't realize to have changed mother." This image represents the final scene of the film.
Source: IMDb.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 231. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "In the garden of the villa of Gerardo and Berta".
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 232. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante Manzini as Berta, Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Vittorio Pieri as Berta's godfather Michele. Caption: "Berta: Don't look, you godfather! These are matters which don't concern you."
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 233. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante). Caption: Morning strolls.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 23?. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923) with Liliana Ardea as Elena and Alberto Collo as Gerardo. Caption: "Berta's little friend and the daily painting lesson".
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 235. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante Manzini as Berta and Vittorio Pieri as Berta's godfather Michele. Caption: "Berta: Beware of the thorns, but don't ruin my roses".
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 236. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923) with Italia Almirante as Berta and Liliana Ardea as Elena. Caption: "Confidential matters".
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 238. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Struck by paralysis, Berta (Italia Almirante) passed her days in tranquillity and suffering." The nurse was played by Rita D'Harcourt.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 239. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Why, Gerardo, don't you recognize Elena? My little Elena?"Italia Almirante as Berta, Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Liliana Ardea as Elena.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 240. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Gerardo, I am no more than a shadow in your life...."
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 241. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "The sudden healing. Berta: Doctor! It seems as if I am tall... tall. My head spins! I am afraid!" The doctor was played by Domenico Marverti.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 242. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "In the new house of Gerardo. Elena: He is your real masterpiece! "Alberto Collo as Gerardo and Liliana Ardea as Elena.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 243. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: I am a friend, a relative of his Lordship. I want to make him a surprise."
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 244. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta [to Gerardo]: You shouldn't have done this! Raise another family... another home!"Italia Almirante as Berta, Liliana Ardea as Elena and Alberto Collo as Gerardo.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 245. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Lord... return me my illness! Return me my cross, it felt so good, so good!"
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 246. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: "Berta: Doctor, this is a new case, very strange! A sick person who dies of her own healing."Italia Almirante as Berta, in the back Alberto Collo as Gerardo, who repents his bigamy. Extreme left godfather Michele (Vittorio Pieri), next to him the doctor (Domenico Marverti).
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 247. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923). Caption: Berta: "The shadow is receding... disappearing from your life."Italia Almirante as Berta and Alberto Collo as Gerardo.
Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 248. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'ombra (Mario Almirante, 1923), with Italia Almirante as Berta and Alberto Collo as Gerardo. Caption: "Berta: Poor little one! He won't realize to have changed mother." This image represents the final scene of the film.
Source: IMDb.