Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

Ray Bradbury (novel)
François Truffaut (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Aflame with the excitement and emotions of tomorrow!

Plot:

In an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Fireman | Future | Television | Book Burning

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Oskar Werner	...	Guy Montag
Julie Christie	...	Clarisse / Linda Montag
Cyril Cusack	...	The Captain
Anton Diffring	...	Fabian / Headmistress
Jeremy Spenser	...	Man with the Apple
Bee Duffell	...	Book Woman
Alex Scott	...	Book Person: 'The Life of Henry Brulard'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Noel Davis	...	Cousin Midge - TV Personality

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Anglo Enterprises

Trivia:

François Truffaut said that only in this movie he had serious troubles with an actor and that was Oskar Werner. Truffaut asked Oskar to forget heroics and play with great deal of modesty, but he wanted to play it with arrogance. They were constantly misunderstanding each other. Truffaut didn't like robotic performance that Oskar gave and asked him to play it like a monkey discovering books for the first time, sniffing at them, wondering what they are; but Oskar said that because it was science fiction film he'll play it like a robot.

Goofs:

Continuity: As the firemen leave the apartment in the first raid, the sack is half full of books. The bag they toss over the balcony is twice as full.

Quotes:

Guy Montag: [reading from David Copperfield] David Copperfield. Chapter one. I am born. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born, as I have been informed and believe on a Friday, at twelve o'clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry simultaneously.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Music of 'Fahrenheit 451' (2003) (V)

The Books Are Alive

In a future totalitarian and oppressive society, where books are forbidden, Guy Montag (Oskar Werner) is a fireman. The mission of firemen in this society with fireproof houses is to burn books at 451o F, the temperature of combustion of paper. Montag is married with Linda (Julie Christie), a futile woman that joins "The Family" through the interactive television. When Montag meets Clarisse (Julie Christie, in a double role), she questions him if he has never read a book, and Montag become curious. He decides to steal and read a book, twisting his view of life.

François Truffault is one of my favorite directors, and his unique English-spoken film "Fahrenheit 451" is a masterpiece and one of my favorite movies ever. The first time I saw this movie, I was a teenager and I was very impressed with such clever story about this fascinating oppressive society. The visionary Ray Bradbury frightens the viewers with this dramatic sci-fi, not far from the reality in many parts of the world almost forty years later. The awesome Julie Christie, as usual, and Oskar Werner from "Jules et Jim", have magnificent performances. The optimistic conclusion closes this adaptation with golden-key. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): It is a shame, but this movie has not been released on video or DVD in Brazil. Many years ago, a cable and a broadcast television presented "Fahrenheit 451", but this masterpiece was forgotten by the Brazilian distributors. The unique alternative for Brazilian movie lovers that speak English is to buy the American DVD.