Morte a Venezia (1971)

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Thomas Mann (novel)
Luchino Visconti (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 June 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

In this adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel, avant-garde composer Gustave Aschenbach (loosely based...

Plot Keywords:

Beauty | Composer | Corruption | Vacation | Sand Dial

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 17 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Dirk Bogarde	...	Gustav von Aschenbach
Romolo Valli	...	Hotel manager
Mark Burns	...	Alfred
Nora Ricci	...	Governess
Marisa Berenson	...	Frau von Aschenbach
Carole André	...	Esmeralda (as Carole Andre)
Björn Andrésen	...	Tadzio (as Björn Andresen)
Silvana Mangano	...	Tadzio's mother
Leslie French	...	Travel Agent
Franco Fabrizi	...	Barber
Antonio Appicella	...	Vagrant
Sergio Garfagnoli	...	Jaschu, Polish youth
Ciro Cristofoletti	...	Hotel clerk
Luigi Battaglia	...	Scapegrace
Dominique Darel	...	English tourist
Masha Predit	...	Russian tourist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eva Axén	...	Tadzio's oldest sister (uncredited)
Marcello Bonini Olas	...	Nobleman at hotel party (uncredited)
Bruno Boschetti	...	Train station employee (uncredited)
Nicoletta Elmi	...	Little girl at table (uncredited)
Mirella Pamphili	...	Hotel guest (uncredited)
Marco Tulli	...	Man who faints at station (uncredited)

Directed by
Luchino Visconti

Writing credits
Thomas Mann		(novel)
Luchino Visconti		(screenplay) &
Nicola Badalucco		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Gordon Edwards	....	associate executive producer
Mario Gallo	....	executive producer
Luchino Visconti	....	producer

Cinematography by
Pasqualino De Santis		(director of photography) (as Pasquale De Santis)

Film Editing by
Ruggero Mastroianni

Art Direction by
Ferdinando Scarfiotti

Costume Design by
Piero Tosi

Makeup Department
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	hair stylist: Miss Mangano
Gilda De Guilmi	....	hair stylist
Mario Di Salvio	....	makeup artist
Mauro Gavazzi	....	makeup artist
Goffredo Rocchetti	....	makeup artist: Miss Mangano
Luciano Vito	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Anna Davini	....	production manager
Dino Di Dionisio	....	assistant production manager
Alfredo Di Santo	....	assistant production manager
Egidio Quarantotto	....	production supervisor
Annie Rozier	....	assistant production manager
Umberto Sambuco	....	assistant production manager
Bruno Sassaroli	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albino Cocco	....	assistant director
Paolo Pietrangeli	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nedo Azzini	....	set dresser
Gianfranco De Dominicis	....	assistant set dresser
Osvaldo Desideri	....	assistant set dresser

Sound Department
Renato Cadueri	....	sound mixer
Giuseppe Muratori	....	sound
Vittorio Trentino	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Cimini	....	first assistant camera
Gastone Colantoni	....	chief gaffer
Aldo Colanzi	....	key grip
Nino Cristiani	....	first assistant camera (as Michele Cristiani)
Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci	....	second assistant camera (as Giovanni Fiore)
Roberto Gengarelli	....	second assistant camera
Luciano Leoni	....	chief gaffer
Marcello Mastrogirolamo	....	second assistant camera (as Marcello Mastrogirolomi)
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maria Fanetti	....	wardrobe
Paolo Luciani	....	wardrobe
Gabriella Pescucci	....	assistant costume designer
Sara Santarelli	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Loredana Cruciani	....	assistant editor
Mario D'Ambrosio	....	assistant editor
Lea Mazzocchi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Franco Mannino	....	conductor: National Academy Orchestra of Santa Cecilia
Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia	....	orchestra (as National Academy Orchestra of Santa Cecilia)

Other crew
Rometta Pietrostefani	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Alfa Cinematografica

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (worldwide) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1971) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Death in Venice (Canada: English title) (UK) (USA)
Mort à Venise (France)
Morte a Venezia (Italy) (dubbed version)
Morte em Veneza (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Döden i Venedig (Sweden) [sv]
Døden i Venedig (Denmark) [da]
Halál Velencében (Hungary) [hu]
Kuolema Venetsiassa (Finland) [fi]
Muerte en Venecia (Spain) [es]
Smierc w Wenecji (Poland) [pl]
Thanatos sti Venetia (Greece) [el]
Tod in Venedig (West Germany) [de]
Venedik'te ölüm (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English | Italian | Polish | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13 | France:Unrated | West Germany:12 (f) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:S | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:12A (re-rating) (2002) | UK:12 (video re-rating) (2004) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Ireland:15

Filming Locations:

Banca Commerciale Italiana, St. Mark's Square, Venice, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Alfa Cinematografica

Trivia:

In the dining room, Aschenbach orders "soup and fish" which is also a slang term for his formal evening suit.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: TV aerials clearly visible on Venetian rooftops in one scene.

Quotes:

Alfred: In all the world, there is no impurity so impure as old age.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Aux sources de 'Mort à Venise' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Adagietto From Symphony No.5

More and more beautiful as the years pass by

"Slow", "slow", "slow"... I read many people complain "it's slow"... slow what? This movie takes its time. All the most beautiful things in life take time. When you make sex with your girlfriend would you try to make it last five minutes? No you would like to make it last the whole night. When you eat good food in a good restaurant would you like to finish it in two minutes? No, you sit down, enjoy the place, the food, the company and the wine. When you visit an art museum, would you rush through the rooms? No, you would move slowly, pay attention, and stop at the artworks that mean more to you. So why should a movie be different?

If you want speed, then eat at McDonald's, rush in the tube, watch TV commercials, and pay a prostitute for a 5 minute work.

If you are looking for real emotions, deep feelings and thoughts that will last in your memory and heart for a long time, then you don't want to miss this movie.

One caveat: don't go watching it for the gay theme. This movie isn't about gay love, if you look at it through this point of view, it will let you down completely. This movie is symbolism from beginning to end, it does not speak of what you see. It speaks of the struggle of the artist to reach the beauty, so close, always unreachable, and, like another reader perfectly commented, so inevitably connected with death, because the only perfection that a living being can ever attain, is in the death. If you look at the movie from this point of view, it will show to you for what it is: a complete masterpiece, from beginning to end.