Il Capriccio del Miliardario

Film, print, restoration

«Il Capriccio del Miliardario» («A Billionaire’s whim») is an Italian silent adventure film produced by the Società Italiana Cines in 1914 and shot in Rome. Gosfil’mofond Rossii holds a print of it under the title «Der Millionenläufer» («The Runner for the Million»), featuring German intertitles.
The source for the 4K digital copy was the best available element, a 35mm black and white triacetate dupe negative print. The film has been digitally restored in 2024.

Synopsis

The Billionaire’s Whim. An American billionaire, Rugzund, decides to organize an original competition during his stay in Rome. He deposits a sum of one hundred thousand dollars in the bank, which will be awarded to the winner of the following contest. Within one month, participants must cross Rome in its entirety, following the shortest straight line no wider than ten meters; methods of transportation such as boat crossings, air travel, horseback riding, automobiles, bicycles, etc., are not permitted. The announcement of this competition causes a sensation: in the streets, cafés, restaurants, and private homes, people talk about nothing but Rugzund and his whims. On the day the competition begins, there are quite a few participants, but it quickly becomes clear that the winner will be the renowned athlete Paolo Sbrigga… Indeed, within eighteen days, he is the first to reach the goal… With twelve days remaining until the end of the month, no one manages to complete the entire crossing… and Paolo already sees himself as the owner of the one hundred thousand dollars, which he desperately needs to resolve his complicated affairs… But the next day, a competitor—Danni—emerges. He has only ten days at his disposal… but he must win the prize at all costs… His destiny depends on it… his happiness… he wants to win this money to pay off the debts of his fiancée’s father… And love works miracles… Danni faces numerous dangers, overcomes the traps set by his competitors, and at midnight, after ten days, finishes the competition… The prize is his…
Описаніе новыхъ картинъ. Акціонерное О-во А. Ханжонковъ и К°, Москва — Капризъ милліардера, “Вѣстникъ кинематографіи”, vol. 4, no. 2/82, 15 January 1914, p. 60

Contemporary reviews

It is a somewhat costly and quite fantastic whim, but, since we are dealing with a billionaire, we can also allow him this. This billionaire therefore establishes a prize of one million for whoever is capable of traversing Rome in its greatest length, in a straight line, within a space no wider than ten meters. Many attempt it, and after numerous adventures, the winner turns out to be Publio Danna, who, upon pocketing the million, manages to save a banker who was about to go bankrupt, by marrying his daughter, to whom he was engaged. Here is the daring premise of the no less courageous subject, which, however, gave “Cines” the opportunity to let us admire the excellent artistic and acrobatic qualities of the actors in this film, which, thanks to the execution and the good photography, pleases, intrigues, and entertains.
Eliseo Demitry, La parola del critico – Capriccio di miliardario (Cines), “La Vita Cinematografica”, a. 5, no. 7, 22 febbraio 1914, p. 72

Notes

The names of the characters vary from one version to another in the Italian, German, and Russian editions.

The film showcases glimpses of Rome from that era, featuring locations that are still present and recognizable – primarily the Trevi Fountain – and others that have disappeared, such as the Cines studios on Via Appia Nuova, later Via Veio, outside Porta San Giovanni. Notably, in the footage shot at the aforementioned studios, in addition to behind-the-scenes sequences related to the production of a historical film, comedians Giuseppe Gambardella and Raymond Frau briefly appear (the latter, at the time, was working with the same film company as the character Kri Kri, with Gambardella often in a supporting role).