Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

François Truffaut (screenplay) and
Jean-Louis Richard (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Aflame with the excitement and emotions of tomorrow!

Plot:

In an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Fireman | Future | Television | Fire Department

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Oskar Werner	...	Guy Montag
Julie Christie	...	Clarisse / Linda Montag
Cyril Cusack	...	The Captain
Anton Diffring	...	Fabian / Headmistress
Jeremy Spenser	...	Man with the Apple
Bee Duffell	...	Book Woman
Alex Scott	...	Book Person: 'The Life of Henry Brulard'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gillian Aldam	...	Judoka Woman (uncredited)
Michael Balfour	...	Book Person: Machiavelli's 'The Prince' (uncredited)
Ann Bell	...	Doris (uncredited)
Yvonne Blake	...	Book Person: 'The Jewish Question' (uncredited)
Arthur Cox	...	Male Nurse (uncredited)
Frank Cox	...	Book Person: 'Prejudice' (uncredited)
Fred Cox	...	Book Person: 'Pride' (uncredited)
Noel Davis	...	Cousin Midge - TV Personality (uncredited)
Judith Drinan	...	Book Person - Plato's 'Republic' (uncredited)
Kevin Elder	...	Robert - First Schoolboy (uncredited)
Joan Francis	...	Telephonist (uncredited)
Denis Gilmore	...	Book Person: 'The Martian Chronicles' (uncredited)
David Glover	...	Book Person: 'The Pickwick Papers' (uncredited)
Arthur Haynes	...	Man on Commuter Train (uncredited)
Caroline Hunt	...	Helen (uncredited)
Edward Kaye	...	Judoka Man (uncredited)
Mark Lester	...	Second Schoolboy (uncredited)
Gillian Lewis	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)
Eric Mason	...	Male Nurse (uncredited)
Charlie McFadden	...	Nervous Man at Post Box (uncredited)
Roma Milne	...	Clarisse's Neighbor (uncredited)
Michael Mundell	...	Trainee Stoneman (uncredited)
Anna Palk	...	Jackie (uncredited)
Donald Pickering	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)
John Rae	...	Book Person: 'Weir of Hermiston' (uncredited)
Tom Watson	...	Instructor Sergeant (uncredited)
Chris William	...	Trainee Black (uncredited)
Earl Younger	...	Book Person's Nephew: 'Weir of Hermiston' (uncredited)

Directed by
François Truffaut

Writing credits
François Truffaut		(screenplay) and
Jean-Louis Richard		(screenplay)
Ray Bradbury		(novel)
David Rudkin		(additional dialogue) uncredited &
Helen Scott		(additional dialogue) uncredited

Produced by
Lewis M. Allen	....	producer
Miriam Brickman	....	executive producer
Michael Dalamar	....	associate producer
Jane C. Nusbaum	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Nicolas Roeg		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Miriam Brickman		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Syd Cain
Tony Walton		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Syd Cain

Costume Design by
Tony Walton		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Joyce James	....	hair stylist
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ian Lewis	....	production manager
Tony Walton	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bryan Coates	....	assistant director

Art Department
Yvonne Blake	....	assistant art director
Tony Walton	....	production design consultant

Sound Department
Robert T. MacPhee	....	sound (as Bob McPhee)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer
Norman Wanstall	....	sound
Barry Gray	....	electronic sound effects (uncredited)
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
Charlie McFadden	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	special effects
Les Bowie	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Thomson	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tony Walton	....	costume design consultant
Yvonne Blake	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Other crew
Kay Mander	....	continuity
Suzanne Schiffman	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Anglo Enterprises (as An Enterprise Vineyard Production)
• Vineyard Film Ltd. (as An Enterprise Vineyard Production)

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1966) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Universal Release)
• Universal Film (1966) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Seven Films (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures France (UPF) (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Väinän Filmi (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Epoca (Argentina) (video)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1982) (1997) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1969) (USA) (TV)
• Rainbow Products Limited (1995) (Australia) (video)
• Universal Home Video (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Home Video (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2010) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Bowie Films
• Rank Films Processing Division

Other Companies

• Synchro-Mondiale  post-synchronisation

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:A (original rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (video rating) (2000) (2004) | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

14 Linkway, Edgcumbe Park, Crowthorne, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Anglo Enterprises

Trivia:

According to producer Lewis M. Allen, François Truffaut and Oskar Werner hated each other by the end of filming. For the last two weeks, they didn't speak to one another.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Montag's hair in the final scene is different than it is in the rest of the film. This is because Oskar Werner, to show his dislike of director François Truffaut, purposely did this to create a continuity error.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Announcer:An Enterprise Vineyard Production. Oskar Werner, Julie Christie... in Fahrenheit four-five-one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sindrome de Pinocchio (2008)

The Books Are Alive

In a future totalitarian and oppressive society, where books are forbidden, Guy Montag (Oskar Werner) is a fireman. The mission of firemen in this society with fireproof houses is to burn books at 451o F, the temperature of combustion of paper. Montag is married with Linda (Julie Christie), a futile woman that joins "The Family" through the interactive television. When Montag meets Clarisse (Julie Christie, in a double role), she questions him if he has never read a book, and Montag become curious. He decides to steal and read a book, twisting his view of life.

François Truffault is one of my favorite directors, and his unique English-spoken film "Fahrenheit 451" is a masterpiece and one of my favorite movies ever. The first time I saw this movie, I was a teenager and I was very impressed with such clever story about this fascinating oppressive society. The visionary Ray Bradbury frightens the viewers with this dramatic sci-fi, not far from the reality in many parts of the world almost forty years later. The awesome Julie Christie, as usual, and Oskar Werner from "Jules et Jim", have magnificent performances. The optimistic conclusion closes this adaptation with golden-key. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): It is a shame, but this movie has not been released on video or DVD in Brazil. Many years ago, a cable and a broadcast television presented "Fahrenheit 451", but this masterpiece was forgotten by the Brazilian distributors. The unique alternative for Brazilian movie lovers that speak English is to buy the American DVD.