Archive of films Todo modo / Todo modo
Italy
1976, 130 min
Section:
Tribute to Elio Petri
Year: 2014
In his absurdly delirious treatise on corruption and power, Petri portrayed a Jesuit-organized spiritual gathering of the Christian Democratic elite. The detective plot, in which highly-placed politicians are eliminated under mysterious circumstances, strengthens what is clearly the most uncompromising example of a political film anywhere. Mastroianni and Volonté star in a movie so unwelcome it was relegated to oblivion.
Synopsis
Petri’s magnum opus is an ill-fated film. The disarming audacity the filmmaker mustered to create his shocking portrait of the ruling establishment resulted in the relegation of this absurdly delirious treatise on corruption and power to oblivion. Loosely based on the novella of the same name by Leonardo Sciascia, Petri suggestively portrayed a spiritual retreat organized by Jesuit cleric Don Gaetano (Marcello Mastroianni) for the Christian Democratic elite, including their hardened leader (Gian Maria Volonté). The detective plot – during the course of which highly-placed politicians are eliminated under mysterious circumstances – enhances the most uncompromising example of a political film ever made, a sophisticated indictment of events that took place in a country convulsed by the Years of Lead: politicians’ desperate efforts to maintain wealth and power gained through clientelistic practices, the fear of a neofascist coup d’état, terrorist attacks, a murky system (for state representatives themselves) of secret services, and CIA activities motivated by a strengthening communist movement. Through all this, ordinary people were somehow forgotten, their worthy lives having long weighed heavy on Petri’s heart. So the outraged moviemaker sent the cynical political hirelings to hell, even the leader himself, whom Volonté befittingly modeled on politicians Aldo Moro and Giulio Andreotti. Then the film’s accursed fate was sealed when Moro was murdered by the Red Brigades, an event it had sadly presaged.
Contacts
Istituto Luce Cinecitta Srl
, 001 73, Rome
Italy
Surf Film
Via Padre G.A. Filippini 130, 00144, Rome
Italy
Tel: +39 065 262 101
Fax: +39 065 293 816
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.surffilm.com
About the film
Color, 35 mm
Section: | Tribute to Elio Petri |
---|---|
Director: | Elio Petri |
Screenplay: | Elio Petri, Roberto Pelosso podle románu / based on the novel by Leonardo Sciascia |
Dir. of Photography: | Luigi Kuveiller |
Music: | Ennio Morricone |
Editor: | Ruggero Mastroianni |
Producer: | Daniele Senatore |
Production: | Cinevera |
Cast: | Gian Maria Volonté, Marcello Mastroianni, Mariangela Melato, Ciccio Ingrassia, Franco Citti |
Contact: | Istituto Luce Cinecitta Srl, Surf Film |
Guests
Paola Pegoraro
Other
Milena Gregor
Film Institution Rep.