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
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, Olmo, the other born to a land owner, Alfredo. 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:

An Epic Masterpiece of Friendship and Betrayal

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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:

Terme Berzieri, Salsomaggiore Terme, 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

Contrary to popular belief that he was cast due to his Oscar-winning performance in The Godfather: Part II (1974), Bernardo Bertolucci cast Robert De Niro after seeing him in Mean Streets (1973). Harvey Keitel, who was his co-star in that film, was also considered, but Bertolucci chose De Niro because he felt the actor's more "delicate features" were better suited to Alfredo.

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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

Regina: [Captured by the peasants who she had previously helped oppress] Can you show no pity?

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Alternate Versions

When the film was released in the US it was cut so it would be only 4 hours (a more reasonable running time) and to not get an X rating. Over an hour of the movie was cut in order to get an R-Rating and for people to be able to watch it. Then in the year 1993 the uncut version of 1900 was released on video in the US and had an NC-17 rating with it. This version is over 5 hours long. There is also a rumored 6 hour long version

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Connections

Referenced in Abicinema (1975)

User Reviews

Flawed, yet great

An epic about Italian political history of the first half of the 20th Century, detailing the lives of two men born on the same day. Olmo (played by Gerard Depardieu as an adult) is the bastard child of peasants and is raised to be a socialist. Alfredo (Robert De Niro) is the son of a wealthy family and will someday become lord and master of all the peasants on his land. He's a pleasant man, not cruel like his father, but he won't go out of his way to help those below him in status (including Olmo, who is his closest friend and companion). It's a huge film, and very sloppy. I would guess it would be very sloppy even in its original version (the English language version is an hour shorter at least). My biggest problem with the film is the character of Olmo. As a child (played by Roberto Maccanti), he exhibits daring and independence. As an adult, he seems like a sponge and he kind of drops out of the last third of the picture, it seemed to me. My interest dropped in the character because, first, the character does not seem to follow from childhood to adulthood, and, second, Depardieu gives a dull performance. He's handsome, but in the kind of way that makes you forget that he even exists. Maccanti, as young Olmo, leaves a much bigger impression. My second biggest problem with the film is the treatment of politics. It's no secret where Bertolucci's sympathy lies, with the communists. That's fine by me, and it's good that he has Alfredo not as the villain but as a man who turns his back and continues to live his life as a wealthy man. But there are Fascists in the film, and they are lead by Donald Sutherland. Sutherland is so evil in this film it becomes amusing. He'll do anything to get what he wants, including killing old women, children, and he even headbutts a cat! I have no real problem with showing the Italian Fascists as evil, but this is cartoonishly evil. Sutherland's character's name: Attila. No sh*t! On the other hand, I cannot help but admit that Donald Sutherland has all the most memorable scenes in the film. He may be more or less one dimensional, but I'll never forget his wicked grin, and I'll never forget the splattered blood on his forehead from that cat! Robert De Niro does a lot with his role, which is the most complex in the film, probably. His performance here matches his best work. Alfredo's wife is played by Dominique Sanda. She also gives an exceptional performance, although her character could have been (and might have been, in the full version) better developed. While I have some major problems with the overall substance of the film, there's no doubt there's a genius at work here. Several, actually. Bertolucci's direction is as good as it ever was, and his ambition seems, at least for a while, peerless. He may have had several better films, but this is as much a peak in his direction as Last Tango in Paris or The Conformist. Helping him achieve greatness far beyond what should have resulted are Vittorio Storaro, providing gorgeous, sweeping photography, and Ennio Moricone, ever the trooper with another exceptional musical score. 1900, despite heavy flaws, is indeed a great film.