Gruppo di famiglia in un interno
Directed by:
Luchino ViscontiCinematography:
Pasqualino De SantisComposer:
Franco ManninoCast:
Burt Lancaster, Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano, Stefano Patrizi, Claudia Cardinale, Dominique Sanda, Claudia Marsani, Guy Tréjan, Romolo Valli (more)Plots(1)
A retired American professor (Burt Lancaster) lives a solitary and luxurious life in a house in Rome. His world takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to rent part of his house to a countess and her companions: a lover, a daughter and the daughter's boyfriend. Forced into interaction with the unruly younger group, the professor's growing fascination begins to stir the possibilities of a life he had previously kept at arm's length. A sumptuous, grandly enjoyable chamber drama with a wry sense of humour, Conversation Piece features an international ensemble cast including Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano and Stefano Patrizi (with uncredited cameos by Claudia Cardinale and Dominique Sanda). (Eureka Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (1)
Visconti and I never really got along - his world of actors darlings in authentic backdrops, social commentaries, morality that suffers from many taboo topics, grand gestures and vanity observed as if from the safe distance of the director's chair from the detached intellectual... That's not the world I want to deal with. However, the ideas here on how to tame the stoic Burt Lancaster, the dissolute Helmut Berger, and the eloquent Silvana Mangano are quite attractive to the audience. If it weren't for the chilling irony inserted at times, it would have been impossible to experience it.
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