Cartesius (1974)

This made for television film chronicles the illustrious life of French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650)

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Writers:

Marcella Mariani, Renzo Rossellini

Stars:

Ugo Cardea, Anne Pouchie, Claude Berthy

Cast

Credited cast:
Ugo Cardea	...	René Descartes
Anne Pouchie	...	Elezac
Claude Berthy	...	Guez de Balzac
Gabriele Banchero	...	Servo Bretagne
Charles Borromel	...	Abate Marin Mersenne
Kenneth Belton	...	Isaak Beeckman
Renato Montalbano	...	Constantin Huygens
Bruno Corazzari	...	Ufficiale olandese
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Astronomo Ciprus
John Stacy	...	Levasseur d'Etoiles
Joshua Sinclair	...	Brandaccio
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matilde Antonelli
Penny Ashton
Camillo Autore
Angelo Bassi

Storyline

This made for television film chronicles the illustrious life of French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650)

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Plot Keywords:

philosophy | long take | cult director | 

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Genres:

Biography | History

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Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

20 February 1974 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Descartes

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orizzonte 2000, RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Portions good for classroom use

This film is excellent for intellectual history. I've studied Descartes and the history of his time, and this film is spot on accurate, so it seems to me. For those interested in the history of philosophy and the rise of modern science, it is well worth the two-and-a-half-hour watch. For instructors in the classroom: The acting feels a bit staged, and the film is almost entirely seventeenth-century philosophical and scientific debate. So sleep-deprived students would not be able to sit for long viewings without falling asleep. However, particular scenes, especially of key moments in the development of Descartes's philosophy can be selected out and offer terrific visuals to accompany the teaching of Cartesian philosophy and/or the rise of modern science in the seventeenth century. Certainly the whole film could be shown in segments in a course entirely on Descartes. The film also captures insights into the religious hegemony and theological debates in Europe at the end of the Reformation. Because the film is in Italian, it would also be an excellent exercise for those studying Italian since every scene is a matter of dialogue.