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The Conformist

The Conformist

1970
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 53m
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.
Your probable score
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The Conformist

1970
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 53m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 73.21% from 1676 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1676)
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Compact view
Rated 10 Mar 2007
91
95th
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.
Rated 07 Mar 2007
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.
Rated 03 Jan 2010
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.
Rated 26 Mar 2007
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.
Rated 30 Jun 2008
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.
Rated 30 Jun 2008
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.
Rated 11 Nov 2007
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.
Rated 16 Apr 2011
70
65th
The cinematography absolutely lives up to the hype. The rest doesn't.
Rated 15 May 2011
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.
Rated 13 Sep 2012
92
92nd
Beautiful is an understatement for this camera work and the story is one that improves upon repeat viewings and post-viewing reflection.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
32nd
Like every other Bertolucci film, it has some stunning imagery, but little else.
Rated 23 Jan 2008
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.
Rated 23 Oct 2008
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.
Rated 11 Nov 2008
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.
Rated 27 Dec 2008
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.
Rated 22 Aug 2012
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.
Rated 24 May 2015
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.
Rated 27 Jul 2015
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?
Rated 09 Feb 2016
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.
Rated 13 Mar 2016
86
83rd
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.
Rated 05 Mar 2019
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.
Rated 31 Mar 2007
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
Rated 14 Aug 2007
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.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
86
78th
All those walnuts!
Rated 13 Apr 2008
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.
Rated 26 Jul 2008
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.
Rated 04 Nov 2008
90
92nd
You haven't seen window wiper shots like these, bella bella belllllla
Rated 30 Jan 2009
100
97th
Never has anything explained fascism as well as the Conformist. The assassination scene is quietly horrifying.
Rated 02 Mar 2009
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.
Rated 01 Feb 2010
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
Rated 16 Feb 2010
100
97th
One of Bertolucci's most acclaimed films still lives up to its reputation on its second viewing, taking a very simplistic story, which can be taken as a political analogy of Italy's history or not, and fleshing it out in a wonderfully shot and unconventional work. It's one of the films by Bertolucci where his obsessions - sex, politics, decadence - come together fully and succinctly.
Rated 24 May 2010
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.
Rated 12 Sep 2010
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.
Rated 19 Dec 2010
61
71st
great cinematography and art direction dragged down by a tedious screenplay
Rated 04 Feb 2011
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.
Rated 09 Jul 2011
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.
Rated 18 Apr 2013
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.
Rated 23 Sep 2013
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.
Rated 20 Aug 2015
90
94th
On cowardice. a mother escapes through drugs. a son escapes this reality, his past, his nations politics, and eventually reality itself.
Rated 18 Dec 2018
70
53rd
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."
Rated 03 Jan 2021
88
85th
and thereby I conform to my probable score.
Rated 16 Apr 2021
78
54th
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.
Rated 22 Apr 2023
87
84th
Marcello would have paid for his blue tick but then pretended it was a glitch
Rated 17 Apr 2007
94
95th
# 58
Rated 09 Jun 2007
90
95th
A visual pleasure from start to finish. Possibly one of the greatest masterpieces of cinematgraphy.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
48th
In the end, style wins over substance. Just when Bertolucci can't stop showcasing his (admittedly considerable) chops as a moviemaker, he'll toss some Plato into the mix to remind you you're watching an Important Film. But are you really?
Rated 17 Oct 2007
100
95th
nothing let out.date bell weather.she gets it or you walk away
Rated 16 Nov 2007
75
81st
fabulous!
Rated 01 Mar 2008
97
95th
# 65
Rated 26 Apr 2008
70
57th
Delicate in shape and mysterious in spirit, and still so difficult to fully ingest. A remarkable film, but not as forceful as it immidiately seem, and at times almost uninteresing. A strange, ambiguous and impalpable film.
Rated 08 Oct 2008
95
98th
Captivating, beautiful on the big screen. I'd like to thank the Bytowne cinema in Ottawa for screening this gem!
Rated 19 Dec 2008
97
94th
65
Rated 19 Dec 2008
40
57th
Highly stylized and visually stunning, as others have commented. Narrative structure and story generally could have been tighter.
Rated 23 Jan 2009
87
85th
Developing film nerds; This one is important, but not the end-all be-all.
Rated 12 Mar 2009
83
82nd
Disturbing blend of character study and historical context of 1930s. Film's overall mood uniquely tense.
Rated 10 Apr 2009
75
82nd
Psychologically confusing but brilliantly realized recreation of an age.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
96
96th
Simply Stunning...
Rated 13 Jan 2010
97
94th
63
Rated 12 Apr 2010
90
96th
The most beautifully shot film of the 70's.
Rated 24 Apr 2010
66
75th
Really pretty hollow beneath its hypnotic veneer of excessive visual beauty. Worth a look nonetheless, if only for that great cinematography.
Rated 25 May 2010
96
92nd
Obviously, astonishing to behold visually. The structure works well to build tension and suspense. I'm largely unfamiliar with the politics of the time, which I think would add a great deal to understanding the film.
Rated 24 Sep 2010
84
93rd
Phenomenal photography and art direction. A gripping story and a devastating critique of fascism too.
Rated 15 Dec 2010
99
85th
Masterpiece. It's sort of indescribable though, so I don't know what to say. Mostly for film buffs only.
Rated 11 Apr 2011
80
71st
İyi film ama İtalyan sinemasında (bu filmde de var olan) genel bir takım defolar var bence haddim olmayarak. ^^ Rezalet dublajlar var mesela birçok filmde, bilhassa '90s öncesi daha sık görülüyor -ki ben bu dublaj olayına feci takarım-. Suni oyunculuklar ve yapmacık hissiyat da var, onlara da çok gıcık olurum. Boylesi defolar Amerikan, Uzakdogu ve Avrupa sinemasının aynı dönem filmlerinde bu kadar yok mesela benim gözlemlediğim.
Rated 15 Apr 2011
66
59th
Reviewing this flick after twenty years was an interesting experience. I used to love it, since the film was rich with symbolism and gave a nice portrait of the protagonist. Unfortunately it bored me to the bone how they did it. There was many scenes extended too long and the main story suffered for it. The opening scene was nice though.
Rated 21 Apr 2011
90
95th
Wow. This was... strange. Hyper-stylized, very beautiful, very peculiar and made even more peculair by the dubbing (watched it in Italian), oddly funny, more often subtly unsettling, great role by Trintignant, great and great-looking women, some image compositions felt "too much" but the film is also highly allusive and symbolic so who knows, and the ending scene is fantastic. In other words it was great, but I will have to watch it again to fully appreciate it, I think.
Rated 05 Jun 2011
84
38th
A fascinating look into the inner struggles of a man trying to find a path to follow amidst the backdrop of Fascist Italy, and where it eventually leads him.
Rated 10 Jun 2011
90
97th
"Il Conformista" is astonishing visually and perfectly satisfactory story-wise. Bertolucci's direction is absolutely fantastic and the cinematography groundbreaking -cinematically, there's no dull shot. The plot, although not as advanced as the stunning visuals, remains fully serviceable and there are some daring choices, especially regarding the structure. I think the term "masterpiece" eludes the film, exactly because of some storytelling deficiencies, but it's overall remarkable and timely.
Rated 17 Jun 2011
87
90th
Wow the cinematography is absolutely beautiful
Rated 01 Jul 2011
93
97th
93.250
Rated 12 Sep 2011
16
3rd
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
Rated 30 Nov 2011
97
94th
#62
Rated 23 Jan 2012
80
61st
Beautiful, but don't except much from the plot.
Rated 16 Mar 2012
86
86th
Strange mix of beautiful art direction and cinematography and an entirely unsympathetic main character who is one of the least pleasant individuals you'll meet for quite a while.
Rated 05 Apr 2012
95
98th
Nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Every single shot has something to marvel over: vibrant colors, expansive palette, graceful camera movement, perfect framing -- even the elegant sets and costumes. It manages to feel very French, mirroring the physical and philosophical passage between fascist Italy and France in the narrative. Speaking of narrative, it's complicated and layered, broken up and rearranged into an intelligent, unique whole. Overall, it's an engaging, active watch.
Rated 16 Sep 2012
88
40th
Beautifully shot movie with no life at all.
Rated 26 Oct 2012
76
75th
* Casting, Acting : 8 * Script : 9 * Directing, Aura : 8 * Ease of Viewing : 5 * Naked Eye : 8
Rated 26 Dec 2012
97
96th
Like many others noted, Vittorio Storaro shot this film with the Eye of God on his head. The film itself is also excellent. It concerns a man on a quest to become normal (with a normal job, normal wife, etc) during the Mussolini regime.
Rated 01 Apr 2013
87
85th
While the political themes and symbolism didn't fascinate me, the visual style certainly did. The film has an adept story that kept me interested, but it was the masterful camera movements, colors, shadows and lighting that blew me away. And the visuals aren't just eye candy, they're a vital component in establishing an emotional connection with the characters and events. The use of skewed camera angles and dramatic lighting can be trite, but here it's like I'm seeing them for the first time.
Rated 13 Jun 2013
74
62nd
Fasizm, italya, paris, balayi, evlilik, kari-koca, profesör, günah cikarma, escinsel, cinayet, ilk cinayet, aldatmak, tetikçi, suikastçi, derin devlet (Marcello Clericci, Fasist italyan hükümeti adina calisan bir casustur. Evlilik hazirliklari yapmaktadir. Eski günahlariyla yenileri arasina sikismistir. balayina gittigi pariste bir profesörü öldürecektir. Profesörün karisina asik olur. İsi birakmak ister, birkamaz. En sonunda çiftin ölümüne neden olur.) Basta agir sonra iyi. MÃœSTEHCEN.
Rated 03 Sep 2013
70
34th
Asides from Storaro's immaculate cinematography, I felt oddly disconnected from the film. I believe it is largely attributed to the difficulty I had in being interested in the characters and narrative, as much as socio-political dramas about fascism interest me. Though Bertolucci attempts to flesh out Marcello's backstory through flashbacks, it feels thin and unconvincing in showing us the motivations for his future actions.
Rated 30 Nov 2013
90
80th
Pretty brilliant, if only for the consistently beautiful cinematography. A complete visual marvel. The rest of the film, loaded up on fascism and sex and international intrigue, is a blast as well - well, a "blast" in some sense, but I guess it is ultimately quite depressing.
Rated 05 Jan 2014
9
80th
Some of the most beautiful-looking shots I've ever seen in a movie.
Rated 23 Jan 2014
90
94th
certainly gonna rewatch this, and not only for its visual beauty.
Rated 23 Feb 2014
40
12th
90% boring,10% stupid
Rated 30 Mar 2014
100
97th
too good to sully with words
Rated 04 Jun 2014
60
57th
I guess when this movie came out it must have been amazing. But to be honest, I am not so impressed now.
Rated 26 Aug 2014
33
5th
Beautifully shot, it has interesting themes but doesn't execute it very well. Slightly boring as I have felt with other italian classics, really not my cup of tea.
Rated 18 Sep 2014
85
88th
crime and punishment in a different context
Rated 25 Oct 2014
100
98th
Just so good. Go see it, ask questions later.
Rated 04 Nov 2014
65
69th
The cinematography of this film is indeed remarkable and Jean-Louis Trintignant fits the lead role perfectly, but I'm taking some points off for its somewhat uninteresting story, still a near-great achievement as a whole though.
Rated 06 Nov 2014
7
73rd
Great cinematography and a compelling but confusing narrative, This could do with a repeat viewing because I felt that I was missing out on a lot of imagery and sub plot
Rated 28 Nov 2014
85
87th
Truly something else. The extravagance in style is wonderful to behold and makes up for a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. Bertolucci's manneristic tendency and nonlinear structure isn't really beneficial to the already complex way of storytelling, but I can only imagine it gets better upon subsequent viewings.
Rated 31 Dec 2014
82
83rd
Extremely well made drama.
Rated 02 Jan 2015
70
63rd
Bertolucci and Storaro, 110/100; but (i'm italian, so maybe is different for who has watched this with sub or dubbed) i didn't appreciate acting at all, and the idea of the film is nothing new in Italy, is a common reading of fascism. The psychological symbolism is sometimes too excessive, at the expense of plausibilty of some scenes. The plot makes his work and the last 30 minutes have surely an emotional impact, but is not enough to dazzle me, probably 2 hours is few for the Moravia's book.
Rated 06 Mar 2015
80
90th
This is a striking and impressive film. The direction was pretty incredible - there were so many expertly framed shots. And the cinematography is so beautiful. I wasn't completely invested in the story throughout the movie, and didn't feel like I could relate to the characters, but by the end, everything made sense and I thought it was brilliant. The lead actor gives a cold, calculated and captivating performance. This film should definitely be more well-known.
Rated 27 Apr 2015
66
39th
Well composed and photographed. It is strange watching the ebb and flow of the disciples of government.
Rated 28 Jul 2015
72
71st
glorious cinematography and a very intriguing setup. too bad the last act conforms (hah) to a fatalistic line common to the period.
Rated 30 Jul 2015
88
75th
Beautiful film, at least in a cinematographic perspective. Interesting manner to display the dude's character, from multiple perspectives and in a various array of situations, all leading to the same focal point: dude's dispicable.
Rated 07 Sep 2015
50
19th
I guess I took the wrong pill before viewing The Conformist because I thought it was average verging on silly. #1001Movies #Netflix

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