Sergio Donati

Sergio Donati
Born(1933-04-13)13 April 1933
Died13 August 2024(2024-08-13) (aged 91)
Mentana, Italy
OccupationScreenwriter
Years active1952–2008

Sergio Donati (13 April 1933 – 13 August 2024) was an Italian screenwriter. He wrote for more than 70 films beginning in 1952. He was born in Rome, Italy. He started as a writer and had some of his books optioned for film. He is well known for his collaboration with Italian director Sergio Leone, who encouraged him to take up screenwriting as a full-time career, and with Italian producer Dino de Laurentis.[1]

What is film? In the first act, you hang a man up in a tree. In the second act, you throw stones at him. In the third act, he falls down. If he is alive, it is a comedy. If he is dead, it is a drama.

— Sergio Donati, from an interview[1]

Donati died in Mentana on 13 August 2024, at the age of 91.[2]

Selected filmography

  • The Enemy (1952)
  • For a Few Dollars More (1965) (uncredited)
  • The Big Gundown (1966)
  • Dollars for a Fast Gun (1966)
  • Requiem for a Secret Agent (1966)
  • Col cuore in gola (1967)
  • Mission Stardust (1967)
  • A Handful of Heroes (1967)
  • Face to Face (1967)
  • Seven Times Seven (1968)
  • Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
  • Rebus (1969)
  • The Weekend Murders (1970)
  • Duck, You Sucker! (1971)
  • Stanza 17-17 palazzo delle tasse, ufficio imposte (1971)
  • Ben and Charlie (1972)
  • Slap the Monster on Page One (1972)
  • They Believed He Was No Saint (1972)
  • The Heroes (1973)
  • Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973)
  • Mr. Hercules Against Karate (1973)
  • The Beast (1974)
  • Policewoman (1974)
  • Shoot First, Die Later (1974)
  • The Boss and the Worker (1975)
  • Cry, Onion! (1975)
  • L'Italia s'è rotta (1976)
  • Il mostro (1977)
  • Orca (1977)
  • Holocaust 2000 (1977)
  • Tough to Kill (1978)
  • A Dangerous Toy (1979)
  • Island of the Fishmen (1979)
  • Buddy Goes West (1981)
  • Count Tacchia (1982)
  • Bonnie and Clyde Italian Style (1983)
  • A tu per tu (1984)
  • Casablanca, Casablanca (1985)
  • Raw Deal (1986)
  • Man on Fire (1987)
  • They Call Me Renegade (1987)
  • Rimini Rimini - Un anno dopo (1988)
  • Blowing Hot and Cold (1989)
  • Voyage of Terror: The Achille Lauro Affair (1990)
  • Beyond Justice (1992)
  • North Star (1996)
  • Almost Blue (2000)
  • The Sicilian Girl (2008)

References

  1. ^ a b Mikael Colville-Andersen. "The Storytellers - Interview with Sergio Donati". Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Addio allo sceneggiatore Sergio Donati, amato da Leone e Bellocchio. Suoi 'C'era una volta Il west' e 'Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina'". la Repubblica. 13 August 2024.