La caduta degli dei (1969)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Nicola Badalucco (story) and
Enrico Medioli (story) ...

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:

Nazi | SS | Murder | Power | Massacre

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 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

Also Known As:

Die Verdammten (West Germany)
Luchino Visconti's The Damned (USA) (poster title)
The Damned (Götterdämmerung)

MPAA:

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

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Ireland:18 | Spain:18 | Italy:VM18 | 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: Throughout the film, SS-Captain Aschenbach is referred to as a "Hauptsturmfuhrer". However, prior to 1934 (when the film is set) the SS referred to the rank of Captain as "Sturmhauptfuhrer".

Quotes:

Aschenbach: But he who wants to become master of all, even himself, who deludes himself into thinking he is able to make his own decisions to thinking himself. That, no. You don't have these pretensions - right, Martin?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality (2004)

Soundtrack:

Nachts ging das Telefon

Fall of the Gods

"La Caduti dei degli" may take place during Hitler's time.Actually it makes me think of a Shakespearian tragedy.A tragedy with many characters performed by a stellar cast :Helmut Berger,Helmut Griem,Dirk Bogarde,Ingrid Thulin ,all extraordinary thespians.Actually Martin at the beginning of the story is close to Hamlet and Sophie recalls Gertrude.

Nothing predated "la caduti dei degli" except for the long "dinner" scene in Minnelli's " Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" and of course Frank Borzague 's "mortal storm".The three works involve a whole family during the Nazi era.

Admirable scenes:the first pictures, Hell's antechamber; the dinner in the baroque Essenbeck mansion when Berger does his Marlene "Blaue Engel" Dietrich imitation (impressive!); the incest night with an unusually inventive use of light;the orgy; the final "wedding" when a a mushy sentimental song can be heard.

In "Ludwig" three years later,only one character would remain on stage. Visconti was a master.