The Conformist (1970)

A weak-willed Italian man becomes a fascist flunky who goes abroad to arrange the assassination of his old teacher, now a political dissident.

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writers:

Alberto Moravia (novel), Bernardo Bertolucci (screenplay)

Stars:

Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Gastone Moschin

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Louis Trintignant	...	Marcello Clerici (as Jean Louis Trintignant)
Stefania Sandrelli	...	Giulia
Gastone Moschin	...	Manganiello
Enzo Tarascio	...	Professor Quadri
Fosco Giachetti	...	Il colonnello
José Quaglio	...	Italo
Yvonne Sanson	...	Madre di Giulia
Milly	...	Madre di Marcello
Antonio Maestri	...	Confessore
Alessandro Haber	...	Cieco ubriaco
Luciano Rossi	...	Biondo cieco
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Cieco
Pierangelo Civera	...	Franz
Giuseppe Addobbati	...	Padre di Marcello
Christian Aligny	...	Raoul (as Cristian Alegny)

Storyline

This story opens in 1938 in Rome, where Marcello has just taken a job working for Mussollini and is courting a beautiful young woman who will make him even more of a conformist. Marcello is going to Paris on his honeymoon and his bosses have an assignment for him there. Look up an old professor who fled Italy when the fascists came into power. At the border of Italy and France, where Marcello and his bride have to change trains, his bosses give him a gun with a silencer. In a flashback to 1917, we learn why sex and violence are linked in Marcello's mind.

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Plot Keywords:

fascist | italy | professor | assassination | political assassination | 

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Taglines:

The Picture That Shows The Art Of Political Assassination - and - Other Things

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

Italian French Latin Chinese

Release Date:

22 October 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Conformist

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mars Film, Marianne Productions, Maran Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min 108 min (first release) (international)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bernardo Bertolucci approached Brigitte Bardot for the role of Anna Quadri before casting Dominique Sanda.

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Goofs

When Manganiello and Marcello are talking in the kitchen of the restaurant, the swinging lamp slows, then obviously someone knocks it on two occasions to keep it swinging.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Marcello: [to Manganiello on the phone] It's me, yes. Everything all right?
[pause]
Marcello: What do you mean, they're gone? You mean she's gone, too?
[pause]
Marcello: I'll be waiting in front of the hotel.
[hangs up]

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Alternate Versions

The "Dance of the Blind" sequence was restored for the 1994 re-issue of the film. This had been cut for the American release. Contrary to early reports, the DVD released by Paramount does include this scene.

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Connections

Referenced in Bellissimo: Immagini del cinema italiano (1985)

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Soundtracks

Come l'ombra
(uncredited)
Composed by Bruno Quarantotto and Enrico Frati
Sung by Trio Lescano

User Reviews

Bad News for Those Who Want to See This Movie

Bad News: Spoke to Paramount home entertainment. The Conformist is a film they no longer own the rights to, but they do not believe that the rights have reverted to the producer(s) either. Those awful VHS tapes that exist and those appalling bootleg DVDs - that's as good as its going to get. The only person who would be able to change this is Bertolucci, but, as posted elsewhere, he seems to have no interest in having this film made available. I'd be happy to be proved wrong, but it looks unlikely. I don't understand, the film is widely admired, often imitated and was hugely influential. Is there some reason this isn't out there when Legally Blonde II is? .