1900 (1976)

The epic tale of a class struggle in twentieth century Italy, as seen through the eyes of two childhood friends on opposing sides.

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writers:

Franco Arcalli (screenplay by), Giuseppe Bertolucci (screenplay by)

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu, Dominique Sanda

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Alfredo Berlinghieri
Gérard Depardieu	...	Olmo Dalcò (as Gerard Depardieu)
Dominique Sanda	...	Ada Fiastri Paulhan
Francesca Bertini	...	Sister Desolata
Laura Betti	...	Regina
Werner Bruhns	...	Ottavio Berlinghieri
Stefania Casini	...	Neve - Epileptic Woman
Sterling Hayden	...	Leo Dalcò
Anna Henkel-Grönemeyer	...	Anita the Younger (as Anna Henkel)
Ellen Schwiers	...	Amelia
Alida Valli	...	Signora Pioppi
Romolo Valli	...	Giovanni Berlinghieri
Bianca Magliacca	...	Peasant Woman
Giacomo Rizzo	...	Rigoletto
Pippo Campanini	...	Don Tarcisio

Storyline

Set in Italy, the film follows the lives and interactions of two boys/men, one born a bastard of peasant stock (Depardieu), the other born to a land owner (de Niro). The drama spans from 1900 to about 1945, and focuses mainly on the rise of Fascism and the peasants' eventual reaction by supporting Communism, and how these events shape the destinies of the two main characters.

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Plot Keywords:

class struggle | socialist | land owner | child murder | peasant | 

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Taglines:

From the cradle to the grave - victims of history and change!

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

4 November 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

1900

Filming Locations:

Busseto, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA), Les Productions Artistes Associés, Artemis Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

245 min (heavily cut) (R-rated) 317 min (2 parts) 250 min (heavily cut) 248 min (heavily cut) 162 min (Part I) 154 min (Part II)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Extra scenes after principal photography had been completed were filmed in September 1975 after production had finished in May of that year.

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Goofs

In the movie, Olmo is depicted as coming back from World War One, while Alfredo, even though conscripted, manages to stay at home thanks to his father's connections. In reality, people born in 1901 (like Olmo and Alfredo) were never conscripted to fight in the war, as they were only 17 when it ended in November 1918. The last ones to be conscripted in Italy where those born in 1899.

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Quotes

Alfredo Berlinghieri: [all three are lying naked in bed: Alfredo takes a glass of wine] Drink some wine, eh?
Neve: [pushes the glass away] No, please, no.
Olmo Dalco: [looks annoyed at Alfredo's persistence] She doesn't want it.
Alfredo Berlinghieri: [forces the wine into her mouth] Drink, you little whore.
[Neve swallows, but soon goes into a seizure]
Alfredo Berlinghieri: What the-?
Olmo Dalco: [realization appears on his face] Oh no, she's an epileptic!

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Alternate Versions

Among a dozen or so scenes that were extended in "versione integrale", there are a number of new scenes featuring:

• Longer shot of the boy dying in the very beginning
• Berlinghieri digging the wine out of the cellar before serving it to the peasants
• After Elma tells everyone of Berlinghieri's suicide, the crowd rejoices and dances
• The first scene with Attila is extended into a speech
• Graphic scenes of the mutilation of pigs is extended
• After Regina taunts Ada with keys to the wine, Ada pours wine over Regina's head
• Olmo's closing speech is longer

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Connections

Referenced in El diputado (1978)

User Reviews

Over-reaching epic with memorable vignettes.

Gifted filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, along with his collaborators, probably bit off more than they could chew with this massive epic of politics, revolution, love and war, but it's nevertheless a fascinating entertainment for those with the constitution to sit through at least 4 hours (the original long version is 5 hours +!) of imperfect dubbing.

Robert DeNiro and Gerard Depardieu play, respectively, a rich landowner and a peasant, born on the same day of the new century. The story of their friendship takes them from bucolic idyll to the rise of Fascism, bloody war and its aftermath, and back again. Veterans Burt Lancaster and Sterling Hayden play their grandfathers, Dominique Sanda is the woman they both love, and Donald Sutherland inhabits the cartoonish character of Attila, their Fascist nemesis, with trademark fish-eyed malice and depravity.

Gorgeous cinematography by Vittorio Storaro and a gentle, evocative score by Ennio Morricone lend this disjointed story more appeal and dramatic clarity than it might otherwise merit. If the simplistic politics at the end leaves you cold, there will have hopefully been enough vivid and touching scenes along the way to make it worthwhile.