| 1969/Italy/Switzerland/ West Germany/155' Directed by: Luchino Visconti Writing credits: Luchino Visconti, Nicola Badalucco, Enrico Medioli Original music by: Maurice Jarre Cinematography by: Pasqualino De Santis, Armando Nannuzzi Film Editing: Ruggero Mastroianni Art Direction: Vincenzo Del Prato, Pasquale Romano Costume Design: Vera Marzot, Piero Tosi Produced by: Ever Haggiag, Alfred Levy, Pietro Notarianni |
| Cast: Dirk Bogarde ( Friedrick Bruckmann) Ingrid Thulin ( Baroness Sophie von Essenbeck ) Helmut Griem ( Aschenbach ) Helmut Berger ( Martin von Essenbeck) Renaud Verley ( Gunther von Essenbeck ) Umberto Orsini ( Herbert Thallman ) Reinhard Kolldehoff ( Baron Konstantin von Essenbeck) Albrecht Schoenhals ( Baron Joachim von Essenbeck ) Florinda Bolkan ( Olga ) Nora Ricci ( Governess) Charlotte Rampling ( Elisabeth Thallman) Irina Vanka ( Lisa ) Karin Mittendorf ( Thilde Thallman) Valentina Ricci ( Erika Thalman ) Wolfgang Hillinger ( Janck) 1969's The Damned (La caduta degli dei) was director Luchino Visconti's most explosively controversial film to date. Set in the 1930s, the film zeroes in on a Krupp-like family of German munition manufacturers. Ever in pursuit of more millions to add to their already bulging coffers, the family plays along with the Nazis, descending into corruption, betrayal and murder all along the way. The stylized decadence depicted by Visconti was of such graphic intensity that the film was released in the U.S. with an X rating. Incredibly, The Damned was picked up for telecasting by the CBS network; so many cuts were necessitated that industry wise-guys quipped that the film would be retitled The Darned. And while we're on the subject of titles, we note here that The Damned was called Gotterdammerung in Germany -- a far more meaningful title in the light of its "how the mighty have fallen" throughline.
Hal Erickson, All-Movie Guide
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