Ludwig (1972)

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Luchino Visconti (story) and
Enrico Medioli (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 March 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

Ludwig. He loved women. He loved men. He lived as controversially as he ruled. But he did not care what the world thought. He was the world. From Luchino Visconti, the director of "The Damned" and "Death in Venice". Once again your eyes will be opened.

Plot:

Historical evocation of Ludwig, king of Bavaria, from his crowning in 1864 until his death in 1886, as a romantic hero...

Plot Keywords:

King | Bavaria | Richard Wagner | Madness | Rage

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins

Cast

Helmut Berger	...	King Ludwig II of Bavaria
Trevor Howard	...	Richard Wagner
Silvana Mangano	...	Cosima Von Buelow
Gert Fröbe	...	Father Hoffmann
Helmut Griem	...	Count Duerckheim
Izabella Telezynska	...	Queen Mother
Umberto Orsini	...	Count Von Holstein
John Moulder-Brown	...	Prince Otto (as John Moulder Brown)
Sonia Petrovna	...	Sophie
Folker Bohnet	...	Joseph Kainz
Heinz Moog	...	Professor Gudden
Adriana Asti	...	Lila Von Buliowski
Marc Porel	...	Richard Hornig
Nora Ricci	...	Countess Ida Ferenczy
Mark Burns	...	Hans Von Buelow
Maurizio Bonuglia	...	Mayr
Romy Schneider	...	Empress Elisabeth of Austria
Alexander Allerson	...	Secretary of State
Bert Bloch
Manfred Fürst
Kurt Großkurth	...	Minister of Finance (as Kurt Großkurt)
Anne-Marie Hanschke	...	Princess Ludovika, Elisabeth's Mother
Gérard Herter	...	Prince Luitpold
Ian Linhart	...	Maximilian (as Jan Linhart)
Carla Mancini
Gernot Möhner	...	Hesselschwerd
Clara Moustawcesky
Alain Naya
Alessandro Perrella
Karl-Heinz Peters
Wolfram Schaerf	...	Crailsheim
Henning Schlüter	...	Minister Fistermeister (as Henning Schluter)
Helmut Stern
Eva Axén	...	Maria (as Eva Tavazzi)
Louise Vincent
Gunnar Warner
Karl-Heinz Windhorst
Raika Juri		(as Rayka Yurit)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Domenico Ravenna	...	Ambassador (uncredited)
Berno von Cramm	...	Torring (uncredited)
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Hofmarschall (uncredited)

Directed by
Luchino Visconti

Writing credits
Luchino Visconti		(story and screenplay) and
Enrico Medioli		(story and screenplay)
Suso Cecchi D'Amico		(collaboration)

Produced by
Robert Gordon Edwards	....	executive producer
Dieter Geissler	....	producer
Ugo Santalucia	....	producer

Cinematography by
Armando Nannuzzi		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ruggero Mastroianni

Production Design by
Mario Chiari
Mario Scisci

Art Direction by
Mario Chiari
Mario Scisci

Set Decoration by
Gianfranco De Dominicis
Enzo Eusepi
Corrado Ricercato
Oltrona Kuchino Visconti

Costume Design by
Piero Tosi

Makeup Department
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	key hair stylist
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Grazia De Rossi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Albino Morandini	....	assistant production manager
Giorgio Russo	....	assistant production manager
Federico Starace	....	assistant production manager
Federico Tocci	....	assistant production manager
Lucio Trentini	....	production manager
Klaus Zeissler	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albino Cocco	....	assistant director
Giorgio Ferrara	....	second assistant director
Luchino Gastel	....	second assistant director
Louise Vincent	....	second assistant director
Fanny Wessling	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Italo Tomassi	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Giuseppe Muratori	....	sound
Vittorio Trentino	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Bernardini	....	camera operator
Nino Cristiani	....	camera operator
Federico Del Zoppo	....	camera operator
Marcello Gabriele	....	chief electrician
Gianni Maddaleni	....	assistant camera
Sergio Melaranci	....	assistant camera
Daniele Nannuzzi	....	assistant camera
Umberto Torriero	....	key grip
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer
Mauro Pezzotti	....	additional grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Raffaella De Laurentiis	....	assistant costume designer
Maria Fanetti	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Lea Mazzocchi	....	assistant editor
Stefano Patrizi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Franco Mannino	....	conductor
Franco Mannino	....	musician: piano
Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia	....	orchestra (as Orchestra Stabile dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia)

Other crew
Hans Brockmann	....	herstellungsleitung
Maria Pia Di Meo	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Romy Schneider
Renata Franceschi	....	script supervisor
Corrado Gaipa	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Gert Fröbe
Livia Giampalmo	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Sonia Petrova
Giancarlo Giannini	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Helmut Berger
Mario Maldesi	....	dubbing director
Benita Martini	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Izabella Telezynska
Adalberto Maria Merli	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Helmut Griem
Renzo Montagnani	....	dubbed voice: Italian version for Trevor Howard
Martin Donovan	....	assistant to luchino visconti (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mega Film (co-production: Roma)
• Cinétel (co-production: Paris) (as Cinetel S.A. - Parigi)
• Dieter Geissler Filmproduktion (co-production: München)
• Divina-Film (co-production: München) (as Divina Film - Monaco)

Distributors

• Gloria Filmverleih AG (1972) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (English short version)
• Suomi-Filmi (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Valoria Films (1973) (France) (theatrical)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2013) (Germany) (DVD) (Luchino Visconti Edition)
• F.J. Lucas (Brazil) (VHS)
• Homescreen (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinokuniya (2003) (Japan) (DVD) (box set)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (1995) (Germany) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD) (Italian dubbed and German Dubbed version)
• Koch Lorber Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Medusa Home Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (DVD) (uncut) (Italian Dubbed version)
• StudioCanal (2009) (France) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Philips  soundtrack
• Tirelli Costumi  costumes (as Ditta TIRELLI - Roma)
• S.A.F.A.S.  costumes (as S.A.F.A.S. S.r.l. - Roma)
• Nino Lembo  jewelry (as Nino Lembo - Roma)
• Rocchetti e Carboni  wigs
• Ditta Pompei  shoes (as Pompei)
• C.V.D.  dubbing collaboration
• Cinecittà  studio
• International Recordings  dialogue dubbing (as International Recording S.p.A.)
• Labonia  plants and flowers
• Lucherini/Rossetti/Spinola/Scalera  production office (as Lucherini - Rossetti - Spinola)
• Sanchini  tapestry (as ENRICO SANCHINI Roma)

Also Known As:

"Ludwig: The Mad King of Bavaria" - USA (long title)

Runtime:

235 min | USA:186 min (original release) | West Germany:144 min (original release) | Italy:185 min (original release) | Australia:133 min (Press Sheet)

Country:

Italy | France | West Germany

Language:

Italian | German | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Italy:T (re-rated) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:12 | Spain:13 | Netherlands:6 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Mega Film

Trivia:

After playing Elisabeth of Austria in the Sissi trilogy in the fifties, Romy Schneider made clear she didn't want to have anything to do with the Austrian empress anymore, claiming the character ruined her career as an actress because everyone subsequently wanted to see her in romantic roles. She only agreed to appear in Ludwig (1972) as a favor to Luchino Visconti who was a very good friend of hers.

Movie Connections:

References Sissi (1955)

Soundtrack:

La Périchole

twilight of the Gods

First released in 1972,with a running time of three hours,the movie was a colossal flop and it was sold by auction.It was the eighties before it was re-released as TV series,with a lot of added scenes :the running time was nearing four hours and the restored scenes gave the movie more substance.Now the film is often broadcast as a whole but its length and its very slow pace might repel some people.

It should not be missed though;it is one of Visconti's peaks,and probably the most underrated .In "la caduta dei degli"(1969),history was on the stage ,with the rise of the Nazis:the hero,Martin,(also played by Helmut Berger),was some kind of puppet in the hands of his mother and the Hitlerians.In "Ludwig",he stands alone,it's really the story of a solitary man,trying to establish a lasting relationship with one human being:first, Sophie,Sissy's sister :but it was not to succeed because he treated her like a Wagnerian heroin,or a Sissy ersatz .Sissy (Elisabeth,Empress of Austria)was not fooled:"do you want me to be your impossible love? " she says;of course she knew Ludwig was an invert.Wagner made use of Ludwig because he helped his career,but there was no friendship from him.Ludwig had to content himself with his (male) lovers he used to pick up everywhere around.

As the movie progresses,Ludwig is more and more alone,and his megalomania knows no bound.He makes up for his sad destiny with his extravagant castles,but politically he was still aware.He first refused to raise troops during the 1870 war and reluctantly did because of the Prussian' s pression;that might be the reason why,when you come to Bavaria today,the people there do not accept the fact Ludwig ended his life as an insane.

Helmut Berger was to make another movie with Visconti(gruppo di famiglia in un interno,1975),then his career quickly waned after Visconti's death;it was really too bad,because he had shown he could be an impressive actor.Romy Schneider portrayed Sissy for the fourth time(after the famous mushy trilogy "Sissi" "Sissi die junge Kaiserin" "Sissi ,Schicksal einer Kaiserin",which Schneider hated,),but this time in an historically accurate way.She acted as though she had got a score to settle with this character.(hear her lines about her husband and her family:it's a far cry from the Ernst Marischka's trilogy)