1900 (film)

1900 (Italian: Novecento, "Twentieth Century") is a 1976 Italian epic historical drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu, Dominique Sanda, Stefania Sandrelli, Donald Sutherland, and Burt Lancaster. Set in Bertolucci's ancestral region of Emilia, the film chronicles the lives of two men during the political turmoils that took place in Italy in the first half of the 20th century. The film was screened at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition.

Due to the film's length, 1900 was presented in two parts when originally released in many countries, including Italy, East and West Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, and Colombia.

Plot

Born on the day of the death of renowned composer Giuseppe Verdi—27 January 1901—Alfredo Berlinghieri and Olmo Dalcò come from opposite ends of the social spectrum. Alfredo is from a family of landowners led by his populist grandfather (also called Alfredo), while Olmo is an illegitimate peasant. Olmo's grandfather, Leo, is the foreman and peasants' strong man who verbally and spiritually carries out a duel of wits with grandfather Alfredo. As Alfredo is somewhat rebellious and despises the falseness of his family, in particular his weak but abusive and cynical father Giovanni, he befriends Olmo, who was raised as a socialist.

1900 in film

The year 1900 in film involved some significant events.

Events

  • Reulos, Goudeau & Co. invent Mirographe, a 21 mm amateur format.
  • The Lumière Brothers premiere their new Lumiere Wide format for the 1900 World Fair. At 75 mm wide, it has held the record for over 100 years as the widest format yet developed.
  • Raoul Grimoin-Sanson also creates a sensation at the 1900 World Fair with his multi-projector Cinéorama spectacle, which uses ten 70 mm projectors to create a simulated 360-degree balloon ride over Paris. The exhibit is closed before it formally opens, however, due to legitimate health and safety concerns regarding the heat of the combined projectors ons, and releases the format as La Petite.
  • Gaumont-Demeny release their own 15 mm amateur format, Pocket Chrono.
  • Release of the first film version of Hamlet, an adaptation of the duel scene, with French actress Sarah Bernhardt playing the title rôle (sic.) and accompanying recorded sound.
  • Making of the first film to feature the detective character Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes Baffled, by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
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    Latest News for: 1900 (film)

    Italian film director looks forward to innovative narratives from new generation of Chinese filmmakers

    China.dot.org 25 Mar 2025
    In an interview with Xinhua at his office in Rome, Italy, Tornatore showed reporters the Chinese version poster of The Legend of 1900, a film that depicts the story of a piano prodigy who lives his entire life on a ship.

    Interview: Italian film director looks forward to innovative narratives from new generation of Chinese filmmakers

    China.dot.org 24 Mar 2025
    In an interview with Xinhua at his office in Rome, Italy, Tornatore showed reporters the Chinese version poster of The Legend of 1900, a film that depicts the story of a piano prodigy who lives his entire life on a ship.

    Chinese movies make deep inroads into ASEAN

    ECNS 22 Mar 2025
    ... Media and Legend Cinema, said the Chinese epic fantasy film Creation of Gods 2 and the comedy mystery Detective Chinatown 1900 dominated the Cambodian box office in the first quarter of the year.

    'Cinema Paradiso' director to head jury panel of Shanghai International Film Festival

    China.dot.org 21 Mar 2025
    ... such as Cinema Paradiso and The Legend of 1900, will be the president of the jury for Golden Goblet Awards at this year's Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), said its organizer Friday.

    "Cinema Paradiso" director to head jury panel of Shanghai International Film Festival

    Xinhua 21 Mar 2025
    ... such as Cinema Paradiso and The Legend of 1900, will be the president of the jury for Golden Goblet Awards at this year's Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), said its organizer Friday.

    Wells High School Players bring 'The Wizard of Oz' to life

    Seacoast Online 19 Mar 2025
    WELLS, Maine — The Wells Players troupe at Wells High School is bringing the magic of "The Wizard of Oz" to the Olenn Performing Arts Center stage, starting March 19 ... Frank Baum’s 1900 novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and the iconic 1939 MGM film.

    Detectives from another era grab attention

    China.dot.org 17 Mar 2025
    Set in San Francisco in 1900, the film follows detectives Qin Fu and Ah Gui as they investigate the murder of an American woman in Chinatown ... Detective Chinatown 1900 is among the flagship Chinese ...

    Chinese film boom talk of the town

    China Daily 11 Mar 2025
    Leading the charge was the animated hit Ne Zha 2, which made history as the first Asian film to exceed $2 billion in earnings, and claim a spot in the top 6 global box-office rankings ... "The success of one film does not mean all films are successful.

    Hit films boost tourism market in China

    People Daily 10 Mar 2025
    The Laoling Film Studio, the filming location of another blockbuster movie "Detective Chinatown 1900," in Dezhou, east China's Shandong Province, raked in nearly 100 million yuan in tourism revenue in seven days during the Spring Festival holiday.

    Ten Influential Greek Women Who Shaped Modern Greece

    Greek Reporter 08 Mar 2025
    Katina Paxinou was a film and stage actress. She was born in 1900 and became one of the most famous actresses around the world during the first half of the 20th century.

    Cashing in on the cinematic view

    China Daily 06 Mar 2025
    The studio has become popular as the primary location for Detective Chinatown 1900, this year's second highest-grossing film in China, which has raked in over 3.4 billion yuan ($466.2 million) at the box office.
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