Director: Bernardo Bertolucci Cinematographer: Vittorio Storaro
Adapted from the novel by Alberto Moravia and set initially in 1930s Italy, Bertolucci’s poetic expressionist art film explores the bourgeois roots of fascism by following Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant), who is so eager to fit in and find normality, that he agrees to a traditional marriage (despite having little regard for his fiance) and joins the Fascist secret police, finding himself ordered to assassinate his old friend and teacher, Professor Quadri, an outspoken anti-Fascist intellectual now living in exile in France. Propelled to greatness by Trintignant’s superb and compelling performance, a clever narrative structure (with memorable flashback sequences) and the remarkable use of Fascist era art and decor, The Conformist is a masterpiece of stunning cinematography (featuring the brilliant use of lighting and warm colours from Vittorio Storaro and art director Ferdinando Scarfiotti) and relaxed rhythm interrupted by explosions of violent intensity. The film was also a huge influence on New Hollywood film makers such as Francis Ford Coppola.
DVD
Extended Edition (DVD)
Movie Poster (27 x 40 Inches – 69cm x 102cm) (1970) (Italian Style A)
A Bernardo Bertolucci Double Feature: George DeLerue’s The Conformist, Ennio Morricone’s A Man’s Tragedy (Audio CD)
BFI Film Classics (Paperback)
Photo Print (16 x 20)
Lists:
- No. 12 on The Pendragon Society’s 1000 Greatest Films of All-Time (2019)
CAST
Jean-Louis Trintignant as Marcello Clerici (“The Doctor”)
- Pasquale Fortunato as 13-year-old Marcello
- Stefania Sandrelli as Giulia
- Gastone Moschin as Special Agent Manganiello
- Dominique Sanda as Anna Quadri, the Minister’s Lover, and the Ventimiglia Prostitute
- Enzo Tarascio as Professor Luca Quadri
- Fosco Giachetti as The Colonel
- José Quaglio as Italo Montanari
- Pierre Clémenti as Pasqualino “Lino” Semirama
- Yvonne Sanson as Giulia’s Mother
- Milly as Marcello’s Mother
- Giuseppe Addobbati as Antonio Clerici (Marcello’s Father)
- Antonio Maestri as Don Lattanzi (The Confessor)
- Christian Aligny as Raoul
Dubbing voices (Italian version)
- Sergio Graziani as Marcello Clerici
- Rita Savagnone as Anna Quadri
- Arturo Dominici as The Colonel
- Giuseppe Rinaldi as Italo Montanari
- Lydia Simoneschi as Giulia’s Mother
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
Produced by Maurizio Lodi-Fe
Screenplay by Bernardo Bertolucci
Music by Georges Delerue
Cinematography Vittorio Storaro
Edited by Franco Arcalli
Running time 111 minutes
Country Italy, France, West Germany
Language Italian, French, English