Luna (1979)

While touring in Italy, a recently-widowed American opera singer has an incestuous relationship with her 15-year-old son to help him overcome his heroin addiction.

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writers:

Franco Arcalli (story), Bernardo Bertolucci (story)

Stars:

Jill Clayburgh, Matthew Barry, Veronica Lazar

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jill Clayburgh	...	Caterina Silveri
Matthew Barry	...	Joe Silveri
Veronica Lazar	...	Marina
Renato Salvatori	...	Communist
Fred Gwynne	...	Douglas Winter
Alida Valli	...	Giuseppe's Mother
Elisabetta Campeti	...	Arianna
Franco Citti	...	Man in Bar
Roberto Benigni	...	Upholsterer
Carlo Verdone	...	Director of Caracalla
Peter Eyre	...	Edward
Mustapha Barat	...	Mustafa (as Stéphane Barat)
Pippo Campanini	...	Innkeeper
Rodolfo Lodi	...	Maestro Giancarlo Calo
Sara Di Nepi	...	Concetta (as Shara Di Nepi)

Storyline

Recently widowed American opera diva Caterina takes her teenaged son Joe with her on a long singing tour to Italy. Absorbed in her hectic work in various Verdi operas around Rome, Caterina is soon shocked to discover that her troubled and lonely son has become a heroin addict. Her desperate attempts to wean the youth off the drug result in an incestuous relationship, but also in a possibility to reunite Joe--maybe even herself--with his real father, whose existence she has kept a secret from him.

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Plot Keywords:

mother son incest | drug addict | incestuous desire | desperate mother | drug addiction | 

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Taglines:

Catherine & her son share a desire that will shock you.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

30 September 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Luna

Filming Locations:

Del Vascello cinema, Montverde Vecchio, Rome

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fiction Cinematografica S.p.a.,Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bernardo Bertolucci used many locations around his birth town Parma as links to his other movies and to his childhood.

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Quotes

Joe Silveri: Your face is a mess. I'll clean it up.
[starts licking her face]
Caterina Silveri: It's good.
Joe Silveri: Hold still.

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Connections

Referenced in Good Morning, Night (2003)

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Soundtracks

'La Traviata' Act III, 'Preludio'
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala (as Orchestra and Chorus of "Teatro alla Scala")
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

User Reviews

Mother

A childhood memory, looking into his mother's face with a full moon creating a halo around her. Beautiful and so Italian. The mother in this case is Jill Claybourgh, she was raiding the crest of the wave then and it's very telling that she would choose to play a part that required, not just appearing completely nude but making love to her teen age junkie of a son. She is awkwardly terrific. Her face is a voyage in itself. I would have use quite a different wardrobe for her character as well as make up and hair style but maybe that was just a sign of its day. Jill laughs saying "I am crazy" and that would explain some of the dangerous nuttiness she indulges in here. Her son, played beautifully, by unknown - before and since - Matthew Barry. A Bertoluccian teen sex object if I ever so one. The film has oodles of moments to cherish. Tomas Milian plays the boy's real father. They've never met, His father still lives in a rather intense relationship with his mother, the stunning Alida Valli. In small, very small parts, Carlo Verdone, Roberto Benigni and Renato Salvatori. A film to enjoy with your heart, your gut and your libido but not your brain. Just live your brain for other Bertolucci jewels.