El Greco (1966)

16th-century Spain, the famed Italian painter El Greco journeys to Toledo to paint an altarpiece. Trouble ensues when he falls in love with a beautiful local girl.

Director:

Luciano Salce

Writers:

Guy Elmes, Massimo Franciosa (dialogue)

Stars:

Mel Ferrer, Rosanna Schiaffino, Adolfo Celi

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Ferrer	...	El Greco (Domenico Teotocopulo)
Rosanna Schiaffino	...	Jeronima de las Cuevas
Adolfo Celi	...	Don Miguel de las Cuevas
Mario Feliciani	...	Nino de Guevara
Franco Giacobini	...	Francisco
Renzo Giovampietro	...	Brother Felix
Ángel Aranda	...	Don Luis
Nino Crisman	...	Diego de Castillo
Gabriella Giorgelli	...	Maria
Giulio Donnini	...	Pignatelli
Fernando Rey	...	Felipe II
Rafael Rivelles	...	Marquis of Villena
John Karlsen	...	Prosecutor
John Francis Lane	...	De Agueda
Rossana Martini	...	Zaida

Storyline

16th-century Spain, the famed Italian painter El Greco journeys to Toledo to paint an altarpiece. Trouble ensues when he falls in love with a beautiful local girl.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | el greco character | nun | monk | priest | 

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Taglines:

The Man...The Age...Both on Fire...Now on Film!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

Italy France Spain

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

15 August 1966 (Italy)

Also Known As:

El Greco

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni Artistiche Internazionali, Arco Film, Les Films du Siècle

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The color schemes in this film were designed to resemble those in El Greco's paintings.

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Crazy Credits

20th Century Fox did not use their logo on this film.

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Alternate Versions

In the US, this film was shown with Mel Ferrer speaking his lines in English, and with several of the Italian actors mouthing their lines in English, but being dubbed by other actors.

User Reviews

Unsuccessful film is well acted by Mel Ferrer in title role...

EL GRECO tackles the life of the famous artist who spent most of his life in Toledo, Spain and whose paintings are marked by his unique style of portraying church figures and the common man. But this film is a weak attempt that lacks substance in telling the painter's story which, for dramatic conflict, involves his brush with the Spanish Inquisition and eventual dismissal of the charges, which changed his life forever.

MEL FERRER is admirable in the title role, the costumes and sets filmed in Madrid are sumptuous and some of the supporting roles are well played, especially RENZO GIOVAMPIETRO as Brother Felix (who sounds an awful lot like Leo Genn in "Quo Vadis"). But the final scenes with Elk Greco immersing himself in the world of the common man and the insane, are a mishmash and end the film on a weak note. The choral work is effective but becomes almost too obtrusive before the film is over.

Hopefully, some day someone will do a film on "El Greco" that is as substantial as the earlier Hollywood film on "Rembrandt" and the Van Gough treatment in "Lust for Life". But EL GRECO is flawed by a weak script and slow pacing under the direction of Luciano Salce.

Not recommended.