
The Conformist
1971, Drama, 1h 55m
56 Reviews 5,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
A commentary on fascism and beauty alike, Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist is acclaimed for its sumptuous visuals and extravagant, artful cinematography. Read critic reviews
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Where to watch
The Conformist Photos
Movie Info
Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a member of the secret police in Mussolini's Fascist Italy. He and his new bride, Giulia (Stefania Sandrelli), travel to Paris for their honeymoon, where Marcello also plans to assassinate his former college professor Luca Quadri (Enzo Tarascio), an outspoken anti-Fascist living in exile. But when Marcello meets the professor's young wife, Anna (Dominique Sanda), both his romantic and his political loyalties are tested.
Cast & Crew
Jean-Louis Trintignant
Marcello
Marcello
Stefania Sandrelli
Giulia
Giulia
Dominique Sanda
Anna Quadri
Anna Quadri
Pierre Clémenti
Lino
Lino
Gastone Moschin
Manganiello
Manganiello
Enzo Tarascio
Professor Quadri
Professor Quadri
News & Interviews for The Conformist
Critic Reviews for The Conformist
Audience Reviews for The Conformist
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Feb 02, 2021Shot and edited brilliantly, Bertolucci crafted the perfect narrative about how totalitarian regimes are powered both by a small group of committed ideologues and by a large number of people performing as committed ideologues.Alec B Super Reviewer
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Apr 01, 2014The Conformist is a film that has stuck with me since my initial viewing a few days ago, perhaps it deserves half a star higher. The slow style draws similarity to Melville's assassin film Le Samourai. Trintignant puts up a solid performance as the assassin (Marcello), but my issue with the character was he felt to smooth to be a universal conformist. Marcello feels like a charming individual, just not another man in the crowd. The film does reveal what it means with labeling Marcello as a conformist with the climax, which follows his fascist conformity. The second theme, sex, is also addressed in the end which I feel is the most important scene in the whole film. The last scene is chilling and revealing, crucial to the film.Daniel D Super Reviewer
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Apr 30, 2012Visually great, but really tough to sit through.Jared H Super Reviewer
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Apr 03, 2012Started off very well, very stylized and compelling. The complex narrative is quite pleasurable to watch, however, by the end there is something lacking. I think the film gets weighed down by the character of Giula because she isn't as interesting as Marcello himself. The camera work and mis en scene are breathtaking. The relationship between him and Italo is very interesting as well till the very end. The ending though when Lino is discovered alive and we see Marcello turn on Italo and proclaim them both as fascists is troubling because we don't see the change that brings Marcello to that point. I felt in those kinds of instances that the film sacrificed psychology for style.G S Super Reviewer
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