Rating: NR
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 08/16/1976(Italy),
Release Date: 12/05/2006
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: English/French/Italian
Sound: DDS2.0/DD1
Run Time: 315 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language
Distributor/Studio: Paramount
Bernardo Bertolucci's 255-minute
1900 was a gargantuan undertaking, requiring the resources of three European countries and a trio of American movie studios. Set in the Italian town of Parma, the film's continuity backtracks from Liberation Day in 1945 to the occasion of composer/patriot
Giuseppe Verdi's death in 1901. We follow the lives of two men born on that day in 1901, who grow up to be
Alfredo Berlinghieti (
Robert De Niro) and
Olmo Dalco (
Gérard Depardieu). Wealthy
Alfredo sinks into dissipation, while poverty-stricken
Olmo becomes a firebrand labor leader and communist. After WWI,
Alfredo is allowed to peacefully retain his land holdings by playing nice with the burgeoning fascists;
Olmo, on the other hand, engages in a long-standing battle against the minions of
Mussolini. The two protagonists are reunited when
Alfredo returns to Parma to preside over
Olmo's trial for "political crimes." Co-star
Burt Lancaster is cast as
Alfredo's wealthy grandfather, who hates to see the old values buried beneath the social travails of the 20th century. Many American prints of
1900 were shortened to 243 minutes, rendering the story hard to follow at times.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
