The Conformist (1970)

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This story opens in 1938 in Rome, where Marcello has just taken a job working for Mussollini and is courting a beautiful young woman who will make him even more of a conformist. Marcello is going to Paris on his honeymoon and his bosses have an assignment for him there: to look up an old professor who fled Italy when the fascists came into power.

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Directed By: Bernardo Bertolucci

Written By: Bernardo Bertolucci, Alberto Moravia

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Pierre Clémenti, Gastone Moschin, Dominique Sanda, Yvonne Sanson, Fosco Giachetti, Giuseppe Addobbati, José Quaglio, Enzo Tarascio, Milly, Christian Aligny

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller

AKA: Il Conformista

Country: France, Italy, West Germany

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The Conformist belongs to 113 collections

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
10	MartinTeller	93 _97th
An excellent film in its own right, but it's the photography that rockets this movie into the stratosphere. Storaro's cinematography makes this one of the most visually appealing and engaging films I've ever seen. The camera really helps tell the story through its angles, graceful movements, astonishing compositions, mind-melting color and stunning light and shadow. It's an absolute masterpiece of photography, a treasure trove of jaw-dropping, memorable images.
9	Magb	90 _85th
The amazing cinematography may steal the show, but the story deserves mention too. The main character of The Conformist is Marcello Clerici. It's rare to see a character who is so unsympathetic, through and through. He's a coward, yet he has no scruples. He's a fascist, but only because fascism is the dominant political orientation of his surroundings. He's intelligent, but he has no humanity. There's no moral ambiguity here; you're going to hate the guy by the end. You'll love the film, though.
9	Alex Watkins	6 _98th
A tense, moody, and tightly-scripted political thriller that also happens to be probably the single most beautiful film ever shot. Good god damn, Vittorio Storaro.
8	Nathan S	4 _74th
Deserves all the recognition it gets for the cinematography alone. It might be the most visually satisfying movie ever made, but the complex, tightly-woven story is equally noteworthy. The film certainly holds up well and is still quite modern, but there's a certain recollection of old gangster films about it. Bertolucci's direction is youthful yet expert, and the result is something excessive, intelligent, and beautiful.
5	Moribunny	73 _79th
The Conformist is the cinematic equivalent of a dumb blonde. The movie's strength lies in its being pretty and not saying much, but that's also why greatness eludes it.
4	Farzan	93 _94th
The Conformist is flat out amazing. It is absolutely beautiful to look at, and the performance by Jean-Louis Trintignant is one of the greatest performances I have ever witnessed. Bertolucci wrote a damn good script that keeps its viewers extremely captivated. The plot is extremely well woven, at first it was confusing but slowly gets easier to understand. Everything from the beginning, to the ending shot is so extremely well crafted, it really is impossible to resist.
3	KasperL	70 _65th
The cinematography absolutely lives up to the hype. The rest doesn't.
3	XakkMaster	92 _92nd
Beautiful is an understatement for this camera work and the story is one that improves upon repeat viewings and post-viewing reflection.
3	Noblet	87 _89th
The lighting, shadows, use of color, and camera movement combine into some of the best visuals I have seen in any movie ever. The sunlight bleeding through the trees in the forest, the leaves blowing around at the mansion, the dance hall scene-there's just so many wonderful images that stick in your mind. The story felt more serviceable than good in its own right, but the portrayal of fascism is interesting and well-done.
2	willofgaia	75 _32nd
Like every other Bertolucci film, it has some stunning imagery, but little else.
2	Pickpocket	9 _93rd
Some of the best use of light and shadows ever. The story is incredible and the cinematography is some of the best in all of cinema. Not too crazy about the English dubbing but it still works. The last 25 minutes were so great.
2	Skenkere	83 _89th
As far as the plot goes, it actually took it a while to sink in before I liked it - on first viewing, I wasn't terribly stricken. What I WAS stricken by is how utterly amazing the cinematography is. Every shot is beautifully calculated, and visually this is just an amazing movie to watch. It helps that Stefania Sandrelli is stunningly beautiful too. After letting it sit a bit, the impact of the story sets in too, and this is far more than just some pretty scenes.
2	TedDedon	93 _90th
Every important aspect of a movie is brought together so well in The Conformist. The acting, particularly by the main character, is fantastic. The final scene, to be exact, is incredible. To say the very least, the film is beautifully shot;' the cinematography is sophisticated to the point of reaching perfection. It's a masterful film in every respect, and it deserves all of the recognition it gets from film fanatics all around. Bertolucci knows how to make 'em right.
2	Anomaly	86 _88th
Visually striking, somewhat wandering story about an abnormal man who wants to conform, and the lengths he goes to in order to do so. The commentary on the relationship between fascism and sexual repression provides the best material in the film.
2	frederic_g54	7 _57th
The story's underlying complexity makes its unremarkable plot feel somewhat like an afterthought. And while the film looks great, the tone is unfocused, often transitioning from romance to comic relief to drama in a matter of seconds. As a result, the film's disparate elements add up to less than the sum of its parts, but I can imagine repeat viewings will allow me to appreciate it more.
2	meerkat	100 _96th
A terrifying picture of a person who commits atrocities by allowing others around him to take the actions. The acting is brilliant. Not only is Stefania Sandrelli unutterably beautiful, but there is a scene where she gives one of the most powerfully horrifying performances I have ever seen on screen.
2	purgatos	92 _93rd
The cinematography is so astoundingly gorgeous that you could watch this without the sound or any understanding of what's happening on screen and still enjoy it.
2	afx237vi	85 _90th
Enigmatic, multi-layered film about a weak-willed man who's content to spend his time chained to the wall of a cave in exchange for a simple life. There's a lot to take in here. Politics, sex, religion, a story within a story, the odd touch of absurdist humour, and more. Most of the plaudits go to the cinematography, which is easy to understand, but I thought Georges Delerue's music was equally responsible in adding to the atmosphere.
2	Hawkins	86 _82nd
Passionate meandering. As someone who often responds to the audiovisual presentation of a movie more than its plot or characters The Conformist is a consistent eye-popper. Every image is sumptuous to the point of distraction (especially from subtitles), and with such stylistic variety it's able to achieve a bizarre combination of sexy, funny, scary, and thinky. Some moments are unforgettable: the encounter with Lino, the spiral dance, the scream at the window. All the cool kids are watching it.
1	NeuroticErot	86 _78th
All those walnuts!
1	CatScandal	69 _66th
great cinematography and art direction dragged down by a tedious screenplay
1	djross	80 _91st
Upon my first viewing of this movie, I would have scored it far higher, but it seemed after a second viewing to have lost something in my eyes.
1	PeaceAnarchy	89 _92nd
As others have mentioned the visual aspect is where the film really shines. The costumes, the makeup, the use of colour, the angles, the camera movement and the framing are all meticulous and complement the content of the film perfectly. The content of the film is really good as well in its strong depiction of conformity and cowardice through character development and contrast, culminating in a powerful ending. The storytelling is a little weak though, especially in contrast with the rest.
1	Stain	100 _95th
One of those films whose greatness you can't really describe in terms of plot or anything like that: it's a movie whose sheer poetry of sound and image make it absolutely fascinating
1	sebby	90 _98th
Beautiful, mesmerizing film. The story -- though complex and fantastic -- takes a back seat to the impeccable cinematography (which is truly jaw-dropping and among the best I've ever seen); cliche as it is to say, the camera does indeed serve as the main character in the film. Greatest film from a great director. By the way: Stefania Sandrelli and Dominique Sanda are HOLY SHIT beautiful to the point of constant distraction.
1	BillyShears	90 _92nd
You haven't seen window wiper shots like these, bella bella belllllla
1	rthornhill	73 _10th
pithy review: all style, no substance...... date viewed: may 22, 2010 highlight(s): cinematography. watching two blind men trying to fight one another. the restaurant dance vortex sequence. stefania sandrelli's performance. lowlight(s): virtually everything else........ verdict: not recommended.
1	Ranald	60 _34th
Ridiculously beautifully shot, but the storyline and characters never really moved me. The subtitling is crap also, which is weird for a high profile re-release.
1	Neonman	87 _86th
Although I become a little disinterested in the storyline and characters from time to time, I was always outstanded by the immaculate cinematography; every single frame of this movie is so absolutely composed of undeniable beauty and emotional relevance. This film made me believe in a God .... and his name is Vittorio Storaro.
1	sellis	78 _55th
I'm not sure I understand the decision behind the non-linear structure. I'm not against it in theory, but I feel I'm missing subtext to the imagery of the protagonist passively waiting in the backseat of a car for the majority of the "present" timeline of the film? I appreciate the works of Roeg, Watkins, and others who have utilized a similar structure conceptually - it just felt like a missed opportunity character-wise. The visuals are stupid great. Like Jean Pierre Melville by way of Argento.
1	andagh	100 _97th
Never has anything explained fascism as well as the Conformist. The assassination scene is quietly horrifying.
1	WWallce4prez	90 _95th
It goes without saying, but The Conformist is strikingly beautiful. Bertolucci's use of shadow is among the best I've ever seen. The interplay between fascism and conformity, explored in a non-linear fashion, is very well done with a deliberate pace.
1	pompousass	60 _85th
The enormous suspense potential of the Moravia novel, about an Italian Fascist whose yearning for normality and acceptance has brought him the assignment of murdering his former professor, remains buried beneath the hot-shot gimmickries and smart-aleckries indulged in by Bertolucci -- the shuffled time sequence, the overly choreographed snow-white insane asylum, the mountains of walnuts piled high around a bureaucrat's office, the virtuoso hand-held-camera scramble through the forest, etc.
1	Bown	87 _84th
Marcello would have paid for his blue tick but then pretended it was a glitch
1	shalev	90 _95th
Probably the most visually stunning film i've seen so far. I usually pay little attention to cinematography, but I was truly amazed by this one. Other aspects were good too, but not quite as outstanding: The story was interesting but a bit lacking, the characters not so intriguing (exept for Dottore, I guess) and the acting carried the movie well, but weren't really memorable
1	Valenzetti	97 _98th
So tightly tuned that every element feels like a natural extension of every other element, the characters seem to be creating the film in which they are contained, speaking with one beautifully rich, complicated voice. Text as psyche, for sure.
1	knuth	90 _96th
The Conformist obliges Marcello and the viewer to escape Plato's cave, to leave a dark, blue world behind and to discover a red and true existence.
1	ribcage	60 _38th
I appreciate the stunning, gorgeous and creative visuals and cinematography. The abrupt flashbacks and flashforwards were well used and created a sense of being in marcellos head. However the film is heavy heavy handed on its theme and says about all its going to in the first 20 minutes.
1	Zeboim	7 _69th
Beautifully and unusually filmed in sumptuous settings - great use of Fascist architecture in some scenes, the women's dresses are to die for. Plot is not that great, but the ride is very enjoyable.
1	Bobbles	88 _95th
A pinnacle of visual communication in film. A note on some of the reviews: I find "all style, no substance" to be an overly simplistic criticism; it presumes a strict distinction between two closely interrelated elements of expression. But let's play along and reduce the film's ambitions to a simple core: showcasing the qualities of the peculiar in contrast to the social forces of homogenization. Could that, in itself, not be "substance" enough for a good film?
1	simsorut	88 _84th
and thereby I conform to my probable score.
1	dardan	90 _94th
On cowardice. a mother escapes through drugs. a son escapes this reality, his past, his nations politics, and eventually reality itself.
1	Ceekay19	70 _55th
Marcello: "Ten years ago, my father was in Munich. Often, after the theater, he told me that he'd go with friends to a Bierstube. There was a nutty man they thought a fool. He spoke about politics. He was quite an attraction. They'd buy him beer and encourage him. He'd stand up on the table making furious speeches. It was Hitler."

Average Percentile 73.45% from 1626 Ratings