Conversation Piece
(1974)
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Conversation Piece
(1974)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Burt Lancaster | ... |
Il Professore
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| Helmut Berger | ... |
Konrad Huebel
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| Silvana Mangano | ... |
Marchesa Bianca Brumonti
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Claudia Marsani | ... |
Lietta Brumonti
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Stefano Patrizi | ... |
Stefano
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Elvira Cortese | ... |
Erminia
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Philippe Hersent | ... |
Portiere
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Guy Tréjan | ... |
Venditore di quadri
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Jean-Pierre Zola | ... |
Blanchard
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Umberto Raho | ... |
Commissario
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Enzo Fiermonte | ... |
Commissario
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Romolo Valli | ... |
Micheli
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George Clatot |
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Valentino Macchi |
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Vittorio Fanfoni |
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Retired professor of American origin lives solitary life in luxurious palazzo in Rome He is confronted by vulgar Italian marchesa and her companions: her lover, her daughter and daughter's boyfriend and forced to rent to them an apartment on upper floor of his palazzo. From this point his quiet routine is turned into chaos by his tenants' machinations, and everybody's life is taking unexpected but inevitable turn. Written by Alex Asp
Luchino Visconti co-wrote and also directed this from a wheel chair, after his first heart attack. The movie reminds me of playwright Henrik Ibsens style. Indeed this is very much like a play. All the action taking place in a retired Professors (Burt Lancaster) plush house in Rome. When a brash young group of mis-fits rent a room upstairs ..the Professors sedate life changes completely. The subtext is vital here, and more than one viewing is recommended. The professor has long given up on communication between humans, and the clash of the old and the new makes him even more certain. Its a brilliant piece of work--although the sound track which was added later is sometimes annoying. Lancaster is great --indeed all of the main players do a wonderful job. Visconti is credited for ushering in the neo-realist cinema. Later he departed from this style and became more melodramatic--with intense character development. This movie is from his later style.