Caduta degli dei, La (1969)

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Nicola Badalucco (writer)
Enrico Medioli (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

18 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

The dramatic collapse of a wealthy, industrialist/Junker family during the reign of the Third Reich.

Plot Keywords:

Richard Wagner | Cabaret Number | Gay Orgy | Military Band | Recital

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Dirk Bogarde	...	Frederick Bruckmann
Ingrid Thulin	...	Sophie Von Essenbeck
Helmut Griem	...	Aschenbach
Helmut Berger	...	Martin Von Essenbeck
Renaud Verley	...	Gunther Von Essenbeck
Umberto Orsini	...	Herbert Thallman
Reinhard Kolldehoff	...	Konstantin Von Essenbeck (as René Koldehoff)
Albrecht Schoenhals	...	Joachim Von Essenbeck (as Albrecht Schönhals)
Florinda Bolkan	...	Olga
Nora Ricci	...	Governess
Charlotte Rampling	...	Elisabeth Thallman
Irina Wanka	...	Lisa
Karin Mittendorf	...	Thilde Thallman
Valentina Ricci	...	Erika Thalman
Wolfgang Hillinger	...	Janek
Bill Vanders	...	Chief of Police
Howard Nelson Rubien	...	Dean of the University (as H. Nelson Rubien)
Werner Hasselmann	...	Gestapo Officer
Peter Dane	...	Steelmill Clerk
Mark Salvage	...	Police Inspector
Karl-Otto Alberty	...	1st Officer Wehrmacht (as Karl Otto Alberty)
John Frederick	...	2nd Officer Wehrmacht
Richard Beach	...	3rd Officer Wehrmacht
Klaus Höhne	...	1st S.A. Officer (as Claus Höhne)
Ernst Kuhr	...	2nd S.A. Officer
Peter Brandt	...	3rd S.A. Officer
Wolfgang Ehrlich	...	S.A. Militiaman
Ester Carloni	...	1st Maid (as Esterina Carloni)
Antonietta Fiorito	...	2nd Maid (as Antonietta Fiorita)
Jessica Dublin	...	Nurse
Piero Morgia	...	Young man in shirt-sleeves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Judith Burnett	...	Helga (uncredited)

Directed by
Luchino Visconti

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Nicola Badalucco		writer
Enrico Medioli		writer
Luchino Visconti		writer

Produced by
Attilio D'Onofrio	....	associate producer
Ever Haggiag	....	producer
Alfred Levy	....	producer
Pietro Notarianni	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre
Willy Kollo		(uncredited)

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

Film Editing by
Ruggero Mastroianni

Art Direction by
Vincenzo Del Prato		(as Enzo Del Prato)
Pasquale Romano

Costume Design by
Piero Tosi

Makeup Department
Mauro Gavazzi	....	makeup artist
Rocchetti	....	wig maker
Luciano Vito	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Giuseppe Bordogni	....	general manager
Anna Davini	....	production supervisor
Ernst Egerer	....	production supervisor
Hugo Leeb	....	production supervisor
Umberto Sambuco	....	production supervisor
Bruno Sassaroli	....	production supervisor
Gilberto Scarpellini	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albino Cocco	....	assistant director
Fanny Wessling	....	assistant director

Art Department
Giuseppe Ranieri	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Renato Cadueri	....	dubbing mixer
Vittorio Trentino	....	sound engineer

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Bernardini	....	camera operator (as Giuseppe Berardini)
Mario Cimini	....	camera operator
Nino Cristiani	....	camera operator
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peter Breurer	....	costume supplier
Vera Marzot	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Lea Mazzocchi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor

Other crew
Mario Maldesi	....	dialogue director
Rometta Pietrostefani	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Ital-Noleggio Cinematografico
• Pegaso
• Praesidens
• Eichberg-Film (co-production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• CBS Television (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• General Video (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1970) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• General Music  music publishing

Also Known As:

The Damned (USA)
The Damned (Götterdämmerung)
Verdammten, Die (West Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, nudity and aberrant sexuality. (edited version)

Runtime:

155 min

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Italy:VM18 | Ireland:18 | Spain:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (cut version) (1979) | USA:X (original rating) | West Germany:16 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Attersee, Upper Austria, Austria

Company:

Ital-Noleggio Cinematografico

Trivia:

First part of Luchino Visconti's German Trilogy also including Morte a Venezia (1971) and Ludwig (1972).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film is set between 1933-1934, yet most of the insignia and badges, shown worn on the German military and Nazi Party uniforms, were not invented until after 1938.

Quotes:

Martin Von Essenbeck: I will destroy you, Mother!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Costumes from the Films of Visconti (1978)

A Twisted Masterpiece...

Visconti outdid himself on this one! In 'The Damned' we take a long look into the dark world of a perverted German family during Hitler's rise to power. Little bit of everything in this one; treachery, murder, incest, molestation... nothing pretty here, but a fantastic story. Well told and nicely photographed, The Damned is not for the squeamish, but very much worth a look.