Claudia Cardinale

Happy Birthday for Wednesday CC!! If there is one actress who deserves to be described as a 'great', then that actress is Claudia Cardinale. Who knew that the Beauty Pageant winner would possess an acting talent and presence so rare, that she would star alongside fellow greats like John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Rita Hayworth, Marcello Mastroanni, Peter Sellers, David Niven, Henry Fonda, to name a few, and be directed by the genius' of cinema that are Visconti, Fellini and Leone. Europe was mesmerised by the beautiful Italian girl who triumphed in memorable films such as Girl With A Suitcase, and Cartouche. Those dark flashing eyes soon caught the attention of Italy's finest, Fellini and Visconti. For 8 & A Half, Fellini cast her as Claudia, every man's dream. For The Leopard, Visconti cast her as Angelica, the most beautiful girl in Sicily. She then went on to star in the comedy classic, The Pink Panther. Her fiery side was shown in the classic western, The Professionals. However, it was her performance in Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West that immortalised the already highly regarded actress. We will never forget the moment her character Jill McBain first appears in the film, which today is regarded as one of the greatest.The fact that she never signed a contract with the big studios meant CC never gained the celebrity status or phenomenal fame that fellow Italian Sophia Loren experienced. However, it guaranteed an extraordinary quality of work. Even today, there are few who can boast CC's filmography. Claudia Cardinale is one of THE great actresses in the history of film. The richness, realism and strength that came across in her performances stand high above many. Her beauty is beyond compare, totally natural and alluring. She is still working in the industry to this day. She is an incredible woman, whom I admire greatly and am extremely proud to be named after. The music is "Gabriel's Oboe" and " Once Upon A Time In The West". Both are composed by Ennio Morricone. I OWN NONE OF THE MATERIAL IN THIS VIDEO. EACH BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. THIS IS SIMPLY A TRIBUTE TO CLAUDIA CARDINALE, NOTHING MORE.