Fitzcarraldo (1982)

The story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man who intends to build an opera house in the middle of a jungle.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, José Lewgoy

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Klaus Kinski	...	Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo'
Claudia Cardinale	...	Molly
José Lewgoy	...	Don Aquilino
Miguel Ángel Fuentes	...	Cholo
Paul Hittscher	...	Captain (Orinoco Paul)
Huerequeque Enrique Bohorquez	...	Huerequeque (The Cook) (as Huerequeque Enrique Bohórquez)
Grande Otelo	...	Station master (as Grande Othelo)
Peter Berling	...	Opera Manager
David Pérez Espinosa	...	Chief of Campa Indians
Milton Nascimento	...	Black Man At Opera House
Ruy Polanah	...	Rubber Baron
Salvador Godínez	...	Old Missionary
Dieter Milz	...	Young Missionary
William Rose	...	Notary (as Bill Rose)
Leoncio Bueno

Storyline

Fitzcarraldo is an obsessed opera lover who wants to build an opera in the jungle. To accomplish this he first has to make a fortune in the rubber business, and his cunning plan involves hauling an enormous river boat across a small mountain with aid from the local Indians.

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Plot Keywords:

based on true story | opera | jungle | river boat | new german cinema | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

West Germany Peru

Language:

German Spanish Italian

Release Date:

10 October 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fickaraldo

Filming Locations:

Brazil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion,Pro-ject Filmproduktion,Filmverlag der Autoren

Technical Specs

Runtime:

158 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

River levels plunged to depths of two feet or less. As a result, the movie's steamship became stranded for months on a sand bar while waiting for rains to return. However, when rains came, Werner Herzog found himself working during the wildest rainy season in history.

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Goofs

When the Molly Aida is to be re-floated on the Uyacali river, coming from the west, the Ucayali should be seen flowing to the north, which would be from right to left, but in that short scene the current is visibly flowing from left to right.

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Quotes

Don Aquilino: Ladies and gentlemen, don't worry. This gentleman is harmless. He's just had a, a soul-stirring experience.
Rubber Baron: Sir. My servants will conduct you to the kitchen. My dogs' cook will prepare you a meal. Thank you very much, sir. You were superb.
Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo': To your dogs' cook.
[downs champagne glass]
Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo': To Verdi.
[downs champagne glass]
Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo': To Rossini.
[downs champagne glass]
Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo': To Caruso.
[downs champagne glass]
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Die schlechtesten Filme aller Zeiten: Sunshine Reggae auf Ibiza (2017)

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Soundtracks

Opera in Manaos
from "Ernani" by Giuseppe Verdi
Production: Werner Schroeter
Ernani: Veriano Luchetti (voice)
Costante Moret (actor)
Silva: Dimiter Petkov (voice and actor)
Elvira: Mietta Sighele (voice)
Singer at orchestra: Lourdes Magalhaes
Sarah Bernhardt: Jean-Claude Dreyfus (as Jean-Claude Dreyfuss)
Stage design: Gianni Ratto
Orchestra of the Filarmonica Veneta
Conducted by Giorgio Croci

User Reviews

Great Great Film

This is a quest plot line; the golden chalice is to be found in the interior of the Amazon, a performance by Caruso and his opera company in the early 1900's. Klaus Kinski, of the disheveled blond hair, plays the obsessive opera lover. The town's folks believe him to me loco and well they should since his Trans-Andes railroad bankrupted the dreamer. His ice making operation makes no sense. His dream of Peruvian opera is a laughingstock, but he has an ace up his sleeve, his devoted lover, Claudia Cardinale, the local madam of distinction forks over the front money so Klaus can buy a boat to get to the rubber trees in a remote steamy jungle inhabited by headhunters. Oh, there's another problem. Rapids block access to the rubber trees, so Klaus must take another river parallel to the rapids, and then at a narrow point of land, must drag a steamship over a mountain. Unbelievable, the film crew took three years in the jungle to duplicate the feat, a engineering marvel, or a stunning duplication. My hat is off to Werner Herzog. This is what great adventure and acting is all about.