Il deserto dei tartari (1976)

Director:

Valerio Zurlini

Writers:

Dino Buzzati (novel) and
André G. Brunelin (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 October 1976 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | War

Plot:

As his first assignment, lieutenant Drogo is sent to an isolated fortress on the borders of a desert and of a range of high mountains...

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Fortress | Tartar | Border | Military

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Vittorio Gassman	...	Filimore
Giuliano Gemma	...	Mattis
Helmut Griem	...	Lieutenant Simeon
Philippe Noiret	...	General
Jacques Perrin	...	Drogo
Francisco Rabal	...	Tronk
Fernando Rey	...	Nathanson
Laurent Terzieff	...	Amerling
Jean-Louis Trintignant	...	Le médecin-major Rovin
Max von Sydow	...	Hortiz
Shaban Golchin Honaz	...	Soldat Lazare
Giuseppe Pambieri	...	Lieutenant Rathenau
Bryan Rostron
Kamran Nozad	...	Capitaine Sern
Manfred Freyberger	...	Caporal Montagne
Chantal Perrin	...	Maria
Yves Morgan-Jones		(as Yves Morgan)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giovanni Attanasio
Loris Bazzocchi
Enzo Bottesini
Lilla Brignone
Giorgio Cerioni	...	Gothard
Jean-Pierre Clarain
Sandro Dori
Maurizio Marzan
Dino Mele
Piero Morgia
Alain Naya		(as Alain Corot)
Mario Novelli
Rolf Wanka	...	Prosdocimo
Angelo Boscariol	...	Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Valerio Zurlini

Writing credits
Dino Buzzati		novel and
André G. Brunelin		story (as Andre G. Brunelin) &
Jean-Louis Bertuccelli		story
Valerio Zurlini		(dialogue)
André G. Brunelin		(screenplay) (as Andre G. Brunelin)

Produced by
Michelle de Broca	....	producer
Bahman Farmanara	....	producer
Mario Gallo	....	producer
Enzo Giulioli	....	producer
Jacques Perrin	....	producer
Giorgio Silvagni	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Luciano Tovoli

Film Editing by
Franco Arcalli		(as Kim Arcalli)
Raimondo Crociani

Production Design by
Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni		(as Giancarlo Salimbeni)

Set Decoration by
Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni

Costume Design by
Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni		(as Giancarlo Salimbeni)
Sissi Parravicini

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christian de Chalonge	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Luciano Anzellotti	....	foley artist
Bernard Bats	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Georges Pierre	....	still photographer

Other crew
Peter Fernandez	....	voice director: English version
Massimo Foschi	....	voice dubbing: Max von Sydow (uncredited)
Giancarlo Giannini	....	voice dubbing: Jacques Perrin (uncredited)
Enzo Musumeci Greco	....	master of arms (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cinema Due
• Fildebroc (co-production)
• Les Films de l'Astrophore (co-production)
• France 3 Cinéma (co-production)
• Reggane Films (co-production)
• FIDCI (co-production)
• Corona Filmproduktion (co-production)

Distributors

• Filmverlag der Autoren (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Ital-Noleggio Cinematografico (1976) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Quartet Films (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Residenz Film (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• DPI (1985) (Spain) (all media)
• Homescreen (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• NoShame Films (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Surf Film (2009) (Italy) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

140 min | France:138 min

Country:

Italy | France | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Italy:T | Netherlands:9 (2009) (DVD) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Arg-e Bam, Iran

Company:

Cinema Due

Quotes:

Drogo:I was sent here by mistake.
Le médecin-major Rovin:Here or elsewhere, we're all somewhere by mistake.

Great movie, falls short of the book.

Excellent, haunting movie, with great actors, but it falls short of the book. This I suspect often happens when reading a book before seeing the film. The book, the Desert of the Tartars by Dino Buzzati is an allegory for a man life and destiny. A man's hope to greatness, to glory, to accomplish great deeds. But as time passes, greatness is never attained, glory never achieved. Most of us us settle down in our routine. Drogo full of youth and enthusiasm set up for Fort Bastiano, the fortress protecting the border of his country. With the passing of time the precise, monotonous routine in the fortress becomes his life. He returns to the city and to his fiancé, but the city life does not please him. This part of the book is never shown in the movie. He returns to the fortress with hope of greatness if the Tartars ever attack and the star of glory to defend his country will shine upon him. Time inexorably goes by. Rumors of sights of Tartars prowling in the desert below are just rumors. Drogo is, we are getting older. His health starts to fail. But there is still hope in his hearth that the enemy may come. Then suddenly the enemy comes. The Tartars are invading, the desert under Fort Bastiano is full of them, the war has started, and while Drogo is carried away a young inexperienced officer coming from the city will have the honor and the glory of defending his country. Drogo's carriage is taking him to the city below where the greatest of all Enemies is awaiting for him.