Mario Soldati studied by the Jesuits and in the 1920s was acquainted with liberal intellectuals who gathered around Piero Gobetti. He wrote his first play , a novel in which he transposed his diary of his stay in the U.S. between 1929 and 1931 as guest professor at the Columbia University. His life was divided between literature and movie-making. He was also a well-known scholar of English and American Literature, and authored several documentary programs for Italian State broadcaster RAI-TV.
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 1030-1032. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1962
