Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man (1981) La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo (original title)

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writer:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Release Date:

1 October 1981 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The son of the owner of a large Italian cheese factory is kidnapped, but as the factory is on the verge...

Plot Keywords:

Ransom | Cheese | Communism | Wheat | Actual Animal Killed

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ugo Tognazzi	...	Primo Spaggiari
Anouk Aimée	...	Barbara Spaggiari (as Anouk Aimee)
Laura Morante	...	Laura
Victor Cavallo	...	Adelfo
Olimpia Carlisi	...	Chiromant
Ricky Tognazzi	...	Giovanni Spaggiari (as Riccardo Tognazzi)
Gianni Migliavacca
Margherita Chiari	...	Maid
Ennio Ferrari
Gaetano Ferrari	...	Guard
Franco Trevisi
Pietro Longari Ponzoni
Vittorio Caprioli	...	Marshal
Renato Salvatori	...	Colonel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Backy	...	Crossing Keeper (uncredited)
Giuseppe Calzolari	...	(uncredited)
Cosimo Cinieri	...	Magistrate (uncredited)
Antonio Trevisi	...	Bank manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernardo Bertolucci

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bernardo Bertolucci

Produced by
Giovanni Bertolucci	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Carlo Di Palma

Film Editing by
Gabriella Cristiani

Costume Design by
Lina Nerli Taviani

Makeup Department
Giuseppe Banchelli	....	makeup artist
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist
Ludovico Greco	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Mario Di Biase	....	general organizator
Augusto Marabelli	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antonio Gabrielli	....	assistant director
Fiorella Infascelli	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Amedeo Brogli	....	assistant production designer
Beatrice Caracciolo	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer
Mario Dallimonti	....	sound
Decio Trani	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Umberto Dessena	....	grip
Massimo Di Venanzo	....	camera operator
Angelo Novi	....	still photographer
Michele Picciaredda	....	camera operator
Marco Profeta	....	assistant camera
Sandro Rubbo	....	assistant camera (as Sandro Rubeo)

Editorial Department
Fiorella Giovanelli	....	assistant assistant editor
Ernesto Novelli	....	colorist
Francesco Reitano	....	assistant editor
Ernesto Triunveri	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor

Other crew
Maria Luisa Bavastro	....	consultant
Lilletta Bertolucci	....	press agent
Francesca De Guida Canori	....	press agent: Ugo Tognazzi
Vittorio Fornasiero	....	production secretary
Maurizio Mattei	....	production secretary
Silvana Olasio	....	accountant
Claudio Sabatilli	....	accountant

Production Companies

• Fiction Cinematografica S.p.a.

Distributors

• Ladd Company (1982) (USA) (subtitled)
• SBP (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1982) (USA) (through) (subtitled)

Other Companies

• Bubble Record  soundtrack publisher
• Cinecittà  sound post-production
• Latteria Sociale di Piadena  thanks
• Piattelli  costumes
• Trafalgar Recording Studios, Rome  soundtrack recording

Also Known As:

"La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Cine International, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Fiction Cinematografica S.p.a.

Trivia:

Italian censorship visa # 76653 delivered on 25-5-1981.

Soundtrack:

Horror Movies

Far from Bertolucci's best

I see this film in straight connection with La Strategia del ragno also directed by Bertolucci 11 years before this one. Only with characters inversion, meaning that in this one the father goes along find out things about his son, hidden things, beyond what he looked like. In the 1970 film it is the son who finds out the life of his late father, his hidden secrets. Still I found the older movie much more appealing, in terms of the plot itself but also in terms of the direction also. It is obvious that a good plot estimulates direction but still this one could have been better. It has from times to times the quality seal from Bertolucci, but in general it's not as good as others. The end is very delayed, the film could have less 20 minutes that it would be better to watch. Some beautiful images along the time, as usual in Bertolucci, but than again somewhat meaningless as they are not many times in the context of the story.

Though the film touches some important issues, such as terrorism in Italy's 1980'. Also interesting in exploring how a man can 'use the blood' of his own son just to get himself out of a difficult financial position. Not much more than this. It's worth watching if you like Bertolucci or if you have special interest in italian cinema. But don't judge the director just on this one. It is unfair, specially if we think that his second film after this one was The Last Emperor...