Unfortunately, I saw the English version and I'm sure that the original Italian version is superior to the English one. Writer/Director Bertolucci would have better served his audience if he had established the story more. The major theme of the film, duality, was too implied. Half the time I didn't know what was going on. And why should we care about Clerici's need to be "normal?" There was never a moment for us to become emotionally attached to him. And what was the deal with Clerici having sex with the man at age 13 and then shooting him? What about the last scene with Clerici in the alley with his blind friend? What was that about? Bertolucci did an excellent job giving us a feel for 1930's Paris and Rome but his story DEFINITELY could have been more established.
Review of The Conformist
The Conformist
(1970)
Beautifully filmed, too bad the story wasn't as well taken care of.
11 December 1998