Morte a Venezia (1971)

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

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

Release Date:

17 June 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Man Boy Love | Cabana | Beautician | Sand Dial | Prostitute

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 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

Other crew
Rometta Pietrostefani	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Alfa Cinematografica

Distributors

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

Other Companies

• Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia  orchestra (as National Academy Orchestra of Santa Cecilia)

Also Known As:

Death in Venice (Canada: English title) (UK) (USA)
Mort à Venise (France)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English | Italian | Polish | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:Unrated | West Germany:12 (f) | Spain:13 | 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 Thomas Mann novella Aschenbach is an author, not a composer.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Aschenbach first asks the hotel manager about the situation in Venice, the manager finishes by saying, "There's nothing to worry about." His glasses are on his face. The scene cuts to a different angle, and the manager repeats, "Nothing to worry about", but he's holding his glasses in his hands.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Zweite Heimat - Chronik einer Jugend, Die: Kunst oder Leben (#1.13)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Sehr Langsam Misterioso From Symphony No.3

Beauty Found and Lost in Venice: Mann + Mahler +Visconti = a Masterpiece

I first saw "Death in Venice" 1971) about 15 years ago, found it profoundly moving and often thought about it. Watching it again few days ago, I realized that it is close to the top of the great works of cinema. With hardly any dialog it captivates a viewer with the beautiful cinematography, the fine acting, and, above all, the Mahler's music without which the movie simply could not exist.

"Death in Venice" is a stunning Luchino Visconti's adaptation of the Thomas Mann novella about a famous composer (in the novella he was a writer but making him a composer in a movie was a great idea that works admirably) Gustav von Aschenbach (loosely based on Gustav Mahler) who travels to Venice in the summer of 1911 to recover from personal losses and professional failures. His search for beauty and perfection seems to be completed when he sees a boy of incredible divine beauty. Ashenbach (Dirk Bogard) follows the boy everywhere never trying to approach him. The boy, Tadzio, belonged to very rare creatures that own an enigmatic and inconceivable power which captivates you, enchants you, conquers you and makes you its prisoner. Ashenbach became one of the prisoners of Tadzio spellbinding charms. He became addicted to him; he fell in love with him. Was it bless or curse for him? I think both. He died from unreachable, impossible yet beautiful love which object was perfection itself. The last image Ashenbach's eyes captured was that of the boy's silhouette surrounded by the sea and golden sun light. Nothing could compare to the beauty and charm of the scene and to take it with you to the grave is the death one can only dream about. If he could, Ashenbach probably would've said, "I was able to witness one of the faces of perfection, I could not bear it but I was chosen to learn that it exists here, in this world and I can die in peace now because it did happen to me."

Unforgettable music, Gustav Mahler's haunting adagietto of his Fifth Symphony found perfect use in a perfect movie. It reflects every emotion of a main character - it sobs, it longs, it begs for hope, and it summarizes the idea that once you are blessed to encounter beauty you are condemned to die. I may come up with hundreds movies that use classical music to perfection but nothing will ever compare to "Death in Venice". I dare say that Mahler's music IS its main character - it would change and sound differently depending on what was happening on the screen. It sounded triumphantly when Ashenbach returned back to Venice, to what he thought would be his happiness but turned to be his death. It sounded gloomy when he first entered Venice from the sea. You can hear so many different feelings in it - tenderness and adoration, confusion and self-loathing, worship and melancholy, but always - LOVE that gives the purest happiness and breaks the hearts (literally). The movie for a viewer is similar to what the boy was for the aging composer/writer/Artist. We are enchanted and captivated by its power and beauty as much as Achenbach was by the boy's mysterious charm.