Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979)
"Cristo si è fermato a Eboli" (original title)

In the fascist Italy of 1935, a painter trained as a doctor is exiled to a remote region near Eboli. Over time, he learns to appreciate the beauty and wisdom of the peasants, and to ... See full summary »

Director:

Francesco Rosi

Writers:

Carlo Levi (novel), Francesco Rosi (screenplay),

Stars:

Gian Maria Volonté, Paolo Bonacelli, Alain Cuny

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gian Maria Volonté	...	Carlo Levi
Paolo Bonacelli	...	Don Luigi Magalone
Alain Cuny	...	Barone Nicola Rotunno
Lea Massari	...	Luisa Levi
Irene Papas	...	Giulia Venere
François Simon	...	Don Traiella
Luigi Infantino
Francesco Callari
Antonio Allocca	...	Don Cosimino
Enzo Vitale	...	Dottore Milillo (as Vincenzo Vitale)
Maria Antonia Capotorto
Pietro Peragine
Vito Caraccia
Antonio Di Leva
Accursio Di Leo	...	Joiner

Storyline

In the fascist Italy of 1935, a painter trained as a doctor is exiled to a remote region near Eboli. Over time, he learns to appreciate the beauty and wisdom of the peasants, and to overcome his isolation.

---

Plot Keywords:

italy | village | intellectual | doctor | peasant | 

---

Genres:

Drama | History | War

---

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

23 February 1979 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Christ Stopped at Eboli

Filming Locations:

Aliano, Matera, Basilicata, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rai Due, Vides Cinematografica, Action Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 224 min (TV) 213 min (video) 120 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technospes)

Did You Know?

Goofs

On the bus, the way Carlo holds the dog changes.

---

Quotes

Luisa Levi: You'd need a woman here.
Carlo Levi: Yes, I would. But it's not easy.
Luisa Levi: Come on, don't exaggerate. Don't tell me that here even finding a cleaning lady is impossible.
Carlo Levi: Here a woman wouldn't go in the house of a single man. Just spending time together implies sleeping together.
Luisa Levi: You can't be serious.
Carlo Levi: Oh, yes I am.

---

Connections

Featured in The Filmmaker and the Labyrinth (2004)

User Reviews

Reasonably faithful to the book

I have seen this TV film several times after reading Carlo Levi's book and having been to the Basilicata area in which Levi was exiled.

I consider the film to represent the book's aims which is to show the oppressed state of the peasants in Basilicata, the remoteness and lack of care of central government in Rome and the way in which the fascists could control the local area with very limited support - but of the people who mattered, the mayor, doctor, police. The rest of the populace could be, and were ignored.

A brief nitpicking comment on the title. It comes from something the priest said - on the lines that Christ never reached Aliano but stopped at Eboli some 150 miles distant. Eboli plays no part in Levi's book and the start of the film is wrong in showing him changing trains there, and picking up the stray dog. To get to Matera, where he started his exile he changed in Bari and would not have gone anywhere near Eboli.