Teorema (1968)

A mysterious young man seduces each member of a bourgeois family. When he suddenly leaves, how will their lives change?

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writer:

Pier Paolo Pasolini (screenplay)

Stars:

Silvana Mangano, Terence Stamp, Massimo Girotti

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Silvana Mangano	...	Lucia, the mother
Terence Stamp	...	The Visitor
Massimo Girotti	...	Paolo, the father
Anne Wiazemsky	...	Odetta, the daughter
Laura Betti	...	Emilia, the servant
Andrés José Cruz Soublette	...	Pietro, the son
Ninetto Davoli	...	Angelino - the Messenger
Carlo De Mejo	...	Boy
Adele Cambria	...	Emilia - the second servant
Luigi Barbini	...	Il ragazzo alla stazione
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia	...	Second boy (as Ivan Scratuglia)
Alfonso Gatto	...	Doctor

Storyline

A strange visitor in a wealthy family. He seduces the maid, the son, the mother, the daughter and finally the father before leaving a few days after. After he's gone, none of them can continue living as they did. Who was that visitor ? Could he be God ?

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Plot Keywords:

sexuality | visitor | homosexual | homosexuality | bourgeoisie | 

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Taglines:

There are only 923 words spoken in "Teorema" - but it says everything!

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

27 November 1968 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Teorema

Filming Locations:

16 Via Palatino, Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aetos Produzioni Cinematografiche

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 99 min (cinema release) (1971)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the 1968 Venice Film Festival, the film was given an award by the International Catholic Film Office. The award was withdrawn after critical remarks by Pope Paul VI. After the festival the film was confiscated by Italian police and Pasolini charged with obscenity, but acquitted.

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Quotes

Lucia, the mother: Who is that boy?

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Connections

Referenced in Multiple Maniacs (1970)

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Soundtracks

Tears for Dolphy
(uncredited)
by Ted Curson

User Reviews

One of the best Italian films of the decade

At the beginning of "Teorema", in a wordless, sepia-tinged montage, we are introduced to almost all the main characters in Pasolini's film. It's a clever device, almost Hitchcockian, and it could be the beginning of a thriller, though being a Pasolini film we know this won't be a thriller. The character who doesn't appear in this montage is played by Terence Stamp but suddenly there he is right in the middle of things and his affect on everyone is profound. Who is he and why is he here? It's never made clear, of course. Although a very physical presence his role is allegorical. Is he an angel, (there is a strong religious element in the picture), or a devil or simply a seducer since he does seem to have sex with everyone in the family, male and female, including the maid who ends up levitating and performing miracles. He certainly affords everyone a form of release, turning their lives upside down and with it their bourgeoisie pretensions. If we are going to tear down the bourgeoisie we may as well do it with sex; it's a lot more fun than beating them to death.

Stamp, of course, remains the most beautiful thing on screen though Silvana Mangano as the mother gives him a run for his money. No-one really has to act; all they simply have to do is respond to Pasolini's camera and, with no real narrative structure, that's fairly easy. Sex may be Pasolin's weapon of choice but the film is quite clearly a Marxist 'fantasy' and is also very obviously the work of a gay director. I'm not so sure anymore if it's the masterpiece I thought it was all those years ago bu it stands up remarkably well and remains one of the great Italian films of its decade.