Novecento (1976)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writers:

Franco Arcalli (writer)
Bernardo Bertolucci (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance | War

Plot:

Set in Italy, the film follows the lives and interactions of two boys/men, one born a bastard of peasant stock (Depardieu)...

Plot Keywords:

Peasant | Friend | Italy | Enemy | Italian

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Alfredo Berlinghieri
Gérard Depardieu	...	Olmo Dalcò (as Gerard Depardieu)
Dominique Sanda	...	Ada Fiastri Paulhan
Francesca Bertini	...	Sister Desolata
Laura Betti	...	Regina
Werner Bruhns	...	Ottavio Berlinghieri
Stefania Casini	...	Neve
Sterling Hayden	...	Leo Dalcò
Anna Henkel	...	Anita
Ellen Schwiers	...	Amelia
Alida Valli	...	Signora Pioppi
Romolo Valli	...	Giovanni
Bianca Magliacca	...	Peasant
Giacomo Rizzo	...	Rigoletto
Pippo Campanini	...	Don Tarcisio
Paolo Pavesi	...	Alfredo as a Child
Roberto Maccanti	...	Olmo as a Child
Antonio Piovanelli	...	Turo Dalcò
Paulo Branco	...	Orso Dalcò (as Paolo Branco)
Liu Bosisio	...	Nella Dalcò (as Liú Bosisio)
Maria Monti	...	Rosina Dalcò
Anna-Maria Gherardi	...	Eleonora (as Anna Maria Gherardi)
Demesio Lusardi
Pietro Longari Ponzoni	...	Pioppi
Angelo Pellegrino	...	Tailor
José Quaglio	...	Aranzini
Clara Colosimo	...	Woman who accuses Olmo
Mario Meniconi
Carlotta Barilli	...	Peasant
Odoardo Dall'aglio	...	Oreste Dalcò
Piero Vida
Vittorio Fanfoni	...	Fanfoni - a fascist
Alessandro Bosio
Sergio Serafini	...	Young Fascist
Patrizia De Clara	...	Stella
Edda Ferronao
Winni Riva
Fabio Garriba	...	Peasant at Attila's execution
Nazzareno Natale	...	Peasant at Attila's execution
Katerina Kosak
Stefania Sandrelli	...	Anita Foschi
Donald Sutherland	...	Attila Mellanchini
Burt Lancaster	...	Alfredo's Grandfather
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francesco D'Adda	...	Soldier on train (uncredited)
Allen Midgette	...	Vagabond (uncredited)
Salvator Mureddu	...	Chief of the King's Guards (uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Fascist (uncredited)
Tiziana Senatore	...	Regina as a Child (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernardo Bertolucci

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Franco Arcalli		writer
Bernardo Bertolucci		writer
Giuseppe Bertolucci		writer

Produced by
Alberto Grimaldi	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Vittorio Storaro

Film Editing by
Franco Arcalli

Production Design by
Maria Paola Maino
Gianni Quaranta

Art Direction by
Ezio Frigerio

Set Decoration by
Maria Paola Maino

Costume Design by
Gitt Magrini

Makeup Department
Paolo Borselli	....	hair stylist
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist (as Jole Cecchini)
Giannetto De Rossi	....	key makeup artist
Fabrizio Sforza	....	makeup artist
Maurizio Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Giuseppe Banchelli	....	production supervisor
Paolo De Andreis	....	production manager
Augusto Marabelli	....	production supervisor
Alessandro Mattei	....	production supervisor
Silvano Spoletini	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Massimo Arcalli	....	assistant director
Suzanne Durrenberger	....	second assistant director
Clare Peploe	....	second assistant director
Gabriele Polverosi	....	assistant director
Peter Shepherd	....	assistant director
Giovanni Soldati	....	second assistant director
Claudio Taddei	....	third assistant director
Giuseppe Bertolucci	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Carlo Agate	....	construction chief
Mauro Pagano	....	assistant production designer
Gianni Silvestri	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer
Roberto Arcangeli	....	foley artist
Michael Billingsley	....	sound editor (as Mike Billingsley)
Claudio Maielli	....	sound
Giuliano Maielli	....	sound recordist
Alessandro Peticca	....	sound editor (as Sandro Peticca)
Decio Trani	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Andrea Baracca	....	digital color timing: restored version HD to 35mm (uncredited)
Ludovico Bettarello	....	digital online film restoration: Technicolor Rome (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Alberti	....	assistant camera
Luciano Galli	....	chief electrician
Alfredo Marchetti	....	key grip
Mauro Marchetti	....	assistant camera
Angelo Novi	....	still photographer
Enzo Tosi	....	camera operator
Enrico Umetelli	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vittoria Guaita	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Gabriella Cristiani	....	assistant editor
Ugo De Rossi	....	assistant editor
Fernanda Indoni	....	second assistant editor
Ernesto Novelli	....	color technician
Rosemarie Ruddies	....	assistant editor
Elvio Sordoni	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Nando Monica	....	musician: accordion
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor
Rota	....	musician: ocarina (uncredited)

Other crew
Ferruccio Amendola	....	voice dubbing: Robert De Niro
Claudio Camaso	....	voice dubbing: Gérard Depardieu (as Claudio Volonté)
Riccardo Caneva	....	administrative director
Riccardo Cucciolla	....	dubbing director
Leonardo Curreri	....	administrator
Mario Di Biase	....	general manager
Rossella Ferrero	....	production secretary (as Rosella Ferrero)
Maurizio Forti	....	administrator
Clemente Giovannini	....	press office
Alberto Grimaldi	....	presenter
Antonio Guidi	....	voice dubbing: Donald Sutherland
Renato Mori	....	voice dubbing: Sterling Hayden
Nico Naldini	....	press office
Enzo Ocone	....	continuity
Antonio Pala	....	administrator
Giuseppe Rinaldi	....	voice dubbing: Burt Lancaster
Angelo Sarago	....	administrator
Rita Savagnone	....	voice dubbing: Dominique Sanda

Production Companies

• Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA) (as PEA Produzioni Europee Associate-Rome)
• Les Productions Artistes Associés (co-production)
• Artemis Film (co-production) (as Artemis Film GMBH - Berlin)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (cut)
• United Artists (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (cut)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Action Gitanes (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Cine Video Corporation (CVC) S.r.l. (1998) (Italy) (VHS) (remastered complete version) (Italian dialogue)
• Divisa Home Video (2008) (Spain) (DVD)
• Eagle Pictures (2003) (Italy) (DVD) (uncut)
• Eagle Pictures (2007) (Italy) (DVD) (special edition) (uncut)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Gativideo (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• United Artists (1976) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Language and Motion Ltd.  post-production (as Language & Motion, Ltd.)
• Eureka Edizioni Musicali  music publisher
• Technicolor  color by
• Veste RTC  costumes (as Sartoria Veste)
• Tirelli Costumi  costumes (as Sartoria Tirelli)
• Ditta Maggi  wigs
• Actiline  makeup
• Ditta Pompei  shoes (as Pompei)
• Ditta Rancati  props (as Rancati)
• Cooperativa  sound post-production
• Fono Roma  sound re-recording
• International Recordings  sound mixing (as International Recording)
• Orchestra dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma (U.M.R.)  orchestra (as Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma)
• Cine Audio Effects  sound effects and foley design

Also Known As:

1900 (USA)
1900 - Gewalt, Macht, Leidenschaft (West Germany) (first part title)
1900 - Kampf, Liebe, Hoffnung (West Germany) (second part title)
1900: Seconde époque (France) (TV title)
Nineteen Hundred (USA) (alternative spelling)
Novecento - Atto I (Italy) (first part title)
Novecento - Atto II (Italy) (second part title)
Novecento (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
1900 (Brazil) [pt]
1900 (Finland) [fi]
1900 (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
1900 (Greece) [el]
1900 (Sweden) [sv]
1900 - Gewalt, Macht, Leidenschaft (Austria) (first part title) [de]
1900 - Kampf, Liebe, Hoffnung (Austria) (second part title) [de]
1900 de Bertolucci (Brazil) [pt]
Huszadik század (Hungary) [hu]

Runtime:

USA:245 min (R-rated version) | 315 min (2 parts) (uncut version) | Argentina:250 min (heavily cut) | Australia:248 min (heavily cut)

Country:

Italy | France | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:18 (DVD release) (2005) | West Germany:16 (video rating) (cut) | Germany:18 (uncut version) | New Zealand:R18 | France:-16 (uncut) | Hungary:18 | USA:NC-17 (re-rating) (uncut version) (1993) (rating surrendered) | Italy:VM14 (re-release) (uncut version) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) (uncut version) (1976) | Portugal:M/16 (uncut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | West Germany:16 (f) (original rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Spain:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Canada:R | USA:X (original rating) (uncut version) (1976) | USA:R (original rating) (edited version) (1976)

Filming Locations:

Busseto, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Company:

Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA)

Trivia:

Bernardo Bertolucci had wanted Jack Nicholson to play Alfredo Berlinghieri.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: As Attila Mellanchini is shot by the communist partisans on VE Day, a close-up is shown of a man's hand holding the pistol to Attila's head. The pistol in his hand is a Beretta M951, which only began production circa 1953 - eight years after the war ended.

Quotes:

Olmo Dalco: This is my bride-trap.
Ada Fiastri Paulhan: Have you caught any brides?
Olmo Dalco: You're the first one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in El diputado (1978)

Historic Masterpiece

1900(1976) begins with the defeat of the fascist regime in Italy by the allies. The film then flashes back to 1900 with the birth of Alfredo and Olmo who belong to different social classes. It follows the lives of the grandfathers as well as the growth of their two grandchildren. Alfredo and Olmo becomes friends as young boys.

Alfredo is someone who prefers to hang out with Olmo's social class then his own. Alfredo's grandfather kills himself and Olmo's grandfather dies of old age. Olmo joins the military and returns at the end of World War 1. A new helping hand is hired by Alfredo's father named Attila who later becomes a member of the Fascist party.

Alfredo goes off adventures with his new wife Ada and the Fascist regime's battles with the Socialist becomes worse. Alfredo and Olmo develops a love/hate relationship and Olmo exiles from his home town to avoid being caught by the blackcoats. The film then returns to the year of 1945. 1900(1976) finishes in 1976 with Alfredo and Olmo as grandfather figures.

1900(1976) does a good job in taking a narrative look at the first fifty years of the 20th Century. The film begins during the period of a new age. The film follows the early rise of the Socialist Party in Northern Italy. It describes the struggle between landowners and socialist supporters.

This movie also is good at showing the rise and fall of the landowning class. 1900(1976) contains a scene which describes how the Fascist Party came into being in Italy. The landowners are the ones who planted the seeds of fascism and helped it grow to almost all powerful proportions. The film begins with birth, progresses through life, and ends in death.

1900 is controvsial in its full uncut frame of 312minutes. There were many scenes deemed to be offensive that were cut from the motion picture. One such scene is the menage a trois with Alfredo, Neve(Stevania Casini), and Olmo. Another controvsial sequence is the rape and graphic murder/torture of a young boy at the hands of the fascist Attila.

The art direction is beautifully filmed with a historic touch of Northern Italy. The filmmakers presents Italy during the early to mid 20th Century as a country whose identity is always changing. The motion picture gives the viewer an idea of what it might have been like in Italy during the first half of the last Century. The actors give a realistic performance and behave like the people of that era.

1900(1976) is comparable to Bertolucci's award winning movie, The Last Emperor(1987). Both take a look at middle aged men and flashback to their childhood days. Both Alfredo and Pu Yi are Puppets of the system as they have no real authority to behold and are just figure heads. Finally, Alfredo and Pu Yi are part of a power structure that falls apart before they are able to establish themselves as strong and powerful leaders.

Bernardo Bertolucci gives another excellent directorial performance. Vittorio Storaro does a brilliant job as the director of photography. Gerald Depardieu gives one of his top performances as Olmo(this is when he was slender and before he became known for his olfish looks). Robert De Niro's performance as Alfredo is widely overlooked by his chilling portrayal of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver(1976).

Bertolucci did back to back films with two of the greatest actors in film history(Marlon Brando{Last Tango in Paris}) and (Robert De Niro{1900}). Donald Sutherland is purely evil as the hatable Attila. The make up effects were done by the man who did the effects for Let Sleeping Corpse Lie(1974), and would later provide some of the most gory effects for most of Lucio Fulci's films during the late 1970's/early 1980's(Giannetto De Rossi). 1900(1976) is a perfect movie to view together with The Last Emperor(1987).