A bleak but brilliantly photographed and beautifully acted cinematic exploration of Fascism's pernicious influence in Mussolini's Italy and beyond. It's the first film I've seen in recent memory where the look of the characters and settings seemed so flawlessly authentic. In addition to Jean-Louis Trintignant, it stars Stefania Sandrelli, who was in 1961's hilarious "Divorce-Italian Style"; the lovely Dominique Sanda, and Gastone Moschin, who played Don Fanucci in "Godfather II". In the interests of full disclosure, my parents fell asleep in the middle of it (in spite of my mother's openly-expressed disgust and indignation at all the sex and violence in today's motion pictures, the only movies she seems able to stay awake during are those that feature plenty of sex and violence), but it is without question a stunning example of Italian cinema at its finest. Bertolucci's masterpiece.

Rome, in 1938. Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant) works for Mussollini; he marries the woman who will enable him to reach a higher level of acceptance within the strongarm regime. His fascist bosses assign for him to look up a professor of his who exiled himself in France in protest of the Duce’s regime. At the border, Marcello must shoot his old teacher. As Marcello sits in a hotel room, a series of flashbacks allow us to learn his deeper motivation, making for a most rewarding cinematic experience. Set aside Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar-winning ‘The Last Emperor,’ ‘Last Tango in Paris,’ etc. Adapted from the novel by Alberto Moravia, one of Italy's most celebrated novelists, ‘The Conformist’ (1970) is one is perhaps his most rewarding piece of work. Restored in 2005, it will come out on DVD in December, cause for true celebration. Clerici's needs to please the authorities, 'to be normal, to conform.' Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography is extraordinary. It is noted on Amazon that “Francis Ford Coppola watched this film over and over before making ‘The Godfather’ --- and then hired Storaro to shoot ‘Apocalypse Now.’ The production designer was Ferdinando Scarfiotti, whose credits include 'Death in Venice' and 'Scarface.' Georges Delerue, who did the scores for "Jules and Jim" and 'Platoon', composed the music." Dialogue extracts: Denying a rumor regarding his father. Marcello: You see, the origin of my father's mental illness isn't venereal. That can be medically confirmed. Giulia's Mother: By the way, my little girl has had the mumps, scarlet fever, and German measles. Marcello: They're all very moral maladies. Marcello: I'm going to build a life that's normal. I'm marrying a petty bourgeoise. Confessor: Then she must be a fine girl. Giulia: Speak out. Go ahead. Marcello: Mediocre. A mound of petty ideas. Full of petty ambitions. She's all bed and kitchen. Confessor: The one thing you have to do is repent and humbly ask His pardon today. Marcello: I've already repented. I want to be excused by society. Yes. I want to confess today the sin I'll commit tomorrow. One sin atones for another. It is the price I must pay society. And I shall pay it. Italo: A normal man? For me, a normal man is one who turns his head to see a beautiful woman's bottom. The point is not just to turn your head. There are five or six reasons. And he is glad to find people who are like him, his equals. That's why he likes crowded beaches, football, the bar downtown... Marcello: At Piazza Venice. Italo: He likes people similar to himself and does not trust those who are different. That's why a normal man is a true brother, a true citizen, a true patriot... Marcello: A true fascist. Giulia: He'll be a typical intellectual, disagreeable and impotent. Professor Quadri: Clerici, you had me convinced you were the typical new Italian. Marcello: No such type exists yet, but we're creating him. Anna: Through repression? Marcello: No, through example. Anna: Giving him castor oil? Throwing him into prison? By torturing them? Blackmailing? Professor Quadri: Anna, please, dear, calm down. Clerici is a fascist. I'm an anti-fascist. We both knew. And we decided to have supper together all the same. o [after overthrow of Mussolini] Giulia: What are you going to do now? Marcello: The same as everyone else who thought like me. When there are so many of us, there's no risk. o Giulia: Marcello, don't go out. They could hurt you. Marcello: I won't be in danger. After all, what have I done? My duty. Giulia: But why do you want to go? Marcello: I want to see how a dictatorship falls. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of this remarkable movie, resisting the English-dubbed version for atmosphere, enjoying the Original version in Italian with subtitles in English.