1900

US/Italy, 1976, 320 minutes, Colour.
Burt Lancaster, Robert de Niro, Gerard Depardieu, Sterling Hayden, Dominique Sanda, Donald Sutherland, Alida Valli.
Directed by Bernardo Bertollucci.

1900 is an epic film by writer-director Bernardo Bertolucci. Bertolucci, often very political in his perspectives, creates an epic of Italy from 1900 to 1945, tracing the history from World War One to the rise of fascism and the experience of World War Two.

The film had troubled distribution. Its director’s cut runs for over five hours. Shorter versions were released in cinemas, some four hours, some less. DVD offers the opportunity for audiences to see the full director’s cut and the director’s vision.

Bertolucci had made a number of films in the 1960s but came to world attention with The Spider Stratagem and, especially, The Conformist. Both of these films were political, examining fascist Italy. In 1972 he released Last Tango in Paris with Marlon Brando, causing great controversy. 1900 was his next film. After that he had a mixed career making such films as La Luna with Jill Clayburgh but winning an Oscar as best director for The Last Emperor in 1987. Some of his projects are big in scope, The Sheltering Sky, and The Little Buddha (a strange re-creation of the early life of the Buddha with Keanu Reeves) and smaller-budget films like Besieged. He received critical acclaim for his film, The Dreamers, a look at the French student uprisings in Paris, 1968.

1900 follows the classic Italian storytelling style, from the grand novels of the 19th and 20th century. It shows two young men growing up, distinct in class. Robert de Niro (at the beginning of a successful career, in the same year as Taxi Driver) is the wealthy son. Gerard Depardieu (also emerging on the international scene) plays the peasant son. The film traces the interactions of the two families, especially their response to fascism and their reaction to the war and the rise of communism.

There is a supporting cast of veterans including Sterling Hayden as the peasant and Burt Lancaster as the aristocrat. There are also a number of prominent character actors, especially Lara Betti as a terrifying fascist and Alida Valli. French actress Dominique Sanda is the ambiguous young woman who comes between the two men. And Donald Sutherland is almost an extreme caricature of a bloodthirsty fascist.

The film was photographed by Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now and many other Italian films) which means that the film is impressive to look at.

Sometimes the film is hard going, has the Italian, rather operatic style in its treatment of issues and characters. However, it was one of the landmarks of 1970s cinema.

1. The impact of the film? The controversy when it was made? Themes, treatment, length? The edited version - doing justice to the whole? Audience expectations?

2. The work of Bernardo Bertollucci? His early films? Communist background? Aristocratic background? His interest in the Italian ethos? The history of the 20th century? The political tones of the film?

3. The impact of the film for Italian audiences? Non-Italians? The communication of tradition, atmosphere, feeling, political growth, decline? War? Italy emerging in the 20th century world?

4. The portrayal of the communist ethos? Influence in Italy? Stances? Themes seen in black and white? The communist understanding of Italian history? The finale of 1945-76 and the perspective on the earlier part of the century?

5. The title and the 1900s? The culmination in 1945, the flashback? The point of moving from 1900 to 1945?

6. The use of the family and the farm as a microcosm, symbol? The Italian families: rich, poor? Parallels? Shared destinies? The decline of one and the rise of the other?

7. Themes of fascism in 20th century Italy? The background of fascism, political rule? Aristocracy? The Padrones and their domination? Mussolini emerging from this background? The local fascists and their cruelty? People rising up against them? World War Two and the defeat of the fascists?

8. The film's presentation of socialism and communism - and the characters as good compared with the evil fascists? How persuasively were these political and philosophical stances dramatised by the characters?

9. The importance of the beauty of Italy, the countryside, the city? The Italian heritage? Ugly Italy? Cultural background, the arts, music? The excerpts? The film opening at the era of the death of Verdi?

10. The 1945 opening: the workers, peace, the shot boy, the farm? The pursuit of the fascists and the death Attila and Regina? The initial impression of Olmo and Alfredo?

11. The return to 1900? A significant and symbolic parallel with the births of the two children? Comparisons and contrasts? Hopes? The two boys and their backgrounds? The era of the death of Verdi? Giovanni and his attitude towards his son? Alfredo and Leo? The contrast between the two men, owner and worker? The celebrations, champagne for all? The nun and her presence? Rigoletto and his comments?

12. Leo's family: so many, the hopes, domestic life, work, Olmo at the table, legitimacy?

13. The contrast of the meals in the two houses? The two grandfathers, the hunts, the boys and the frog? Regina with the boys?

14. The portrait of the two boys together, the games with the frogs, the train line and the train, sex and the earth? Testing their strengths, cowards or not?

15. The background of country life, the dance, the rustic picnic, the focus on milk and excrement? The achievement of Alfredo? The significance of his death? The strike? Leo's death in the field? The end of an era?

16. The new era: Giovanni and Ottavio, the contrast of the two characters, Ottavizo and his option to go to the city, the will and his wealth, self-indulgence? Giovanni and his staying, the Padrone, the modernisation of the farm, the accident with the harvester, the cutting of the ear?

17. 1908: the strike, Olmo in Genoa, the puppets, the Carabinieri and the train? Olmo growing up?

18. The background of World War One - and its not being seen on screen? The visual impact of the effects of the war? The return of Olmo? Alfredo in uniform? Macho attitudes and the indications of change?

19. Olmo and his encounter with Anita? Her teaching, her stances? Socialism? Free love? Song, dance? Anifta's persuading Olmo to become involved? His dismay after the war at what had happened to his family? Olmo and his relationship with women? The lessons, the house? Attila at the scene?

20. The rise of fascism; Attila, his place in society, foreman? His devotion to Giovanni, the meeting? Fascism, crusades? Money? The songs and the spirit of the fascists?

21. Alfredo and the background of the war, growing up, wealth? The day in town? The man and his ear? Sex relationships, the girl and her fit? Olmo's return, the fight with Anita? Alfredo and his meeting with Ada, his uncle's house, the drive and the dance, the apology, sexual relationship? Ada and her background, a futurist?

22. The focus on Ottavio, his wealth, homosexuality, art, drugs and cocaine, fascist luxury??

23. The burning of the house, the funeral, Attila and the cat?

24. Giovanni's death, Olmo taking the gun, Alfredo finding it? The transition of power to the next generation?

25. Olmo and his trying to persuade the sending away? The wedding? Olmo and Ada? The wedding, the pomp, the horse? The humiliation of Attila? Regina humiliated? Patrizio?

26. The search, Senora Pioppi? The discovery, the violence? Alfredo watching? The vagrant and his murder on the instigation of Attila? The blaming of Olmo?

27. The passing of the years, the change in Olmo and Alfredo? Alfredo and his wealth, gambling, the mortgage situation? Ada and her teaching, drinking? Regina's contempt?

28. Olmo's return, his arrest, the confrontation?

29. Ada and the decline of the marriage, her relationship with Alfredo, her disgust with him? The tavern, Neva? Reconciliation?

30. Signora Pioppi, the impact of Attila and Regina? her death? Ada's leaving?

31. The 30s, Olmo and Alfredo meeting again, reminiscing, reuniting?

32. The outbreak of the war, the leadership of the fascists? The mechanisation?

33. Anita's death, childbirth? Olmo leaving? break-up of the world of the '30s? Ada leaving? Alfredo at Olmo's house?

34. The war, the violence? The screenplay returning to April 1945? The chase? Regina and her being cut down, Attila and his confessing, the ugliness of his death?

35. Alfredo and the court case, the peasants against him? Olmo's stance? The passing of the world of the Padrone? The future?

36. The finale with the two old men in the square, the gesture, the train? Who was the hero? Who the coward?

37. The sweep of the film? The gallery of characters? The richness of the background? The Italianate style (operatic)? A survey and pageant of the early 20th. century in Italy?