ARATA, UBALDO

(1895-1947)

Cinematographer. Arata began his career in films as a cameraman onAugusto Genina'sIlprincipe dell'impossibile(The Prince of the Impossible, 1918) and subsequently struck up a 10-year partnership with Mario Almirante, with whom he collaborated on a dozen films beginning withZingari(Gypsies, 1920) and ending withNapoli che canta(Naples Sings, 1930). At the same time he also worked withBaldassare NegronionGli ultimi zar(The Last Tsars, 1926) andGiuditta e Oleferne(Judith and Holofernes, 1928), and withGuido BrignoneonMaciste all'Inferno(Maciste in Hell, 1926), and he helped to create the strikingly expressionist atmosphere ofMario Camerini'sRotaie(Rails, 1929). After serving as director of photography on what is generally regarded as the first Italian sound film,La canzone dell'amore(The Song of Love, 1930), directed byGennaro Righelli, he collaborated with Max Ophiils onLa signora di tutti(Everybody's Woman, 1936), after which he teamed up with fellow cinematographerAnchise Brizzito photographCarmine Gallone's ill-fated Roman epic,Scipione l'Africano(Scipio the African, 1937).

In the postwar period Arata achieved what was perhaps the highest point in his career, working as the cinematographer ofRoberto Rossellini's legendaryRoma citta aperta(Rome Open City, 1945, also known asOpen City). He subsequently worked on a number of minor films before teaming up again with Anchise Brizzi on what would be his last film, Gregory Ratoff'sBlack Magic(1949).