The Visit (1964 film)

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The Visit

Original film poster
Directed by Bernhard Wicki
Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck
Julien Derode
Ingrid Bergman
Anthony Quinn
Written by Ben Barzman
Maurice Valency (adaptation)
Friedrich Dürrenmatt (play)
Starring Ingrid Bergman
Anthony Quinn
Irina Demick
Paolo Stoppa
Music by Richard Arnell
Hans-Martin Majewski
Cinematography Armando Nannuzzi
Editing by Samuel E. Beetley
Françoise Diot
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) Flag of France4 October 1964
Flag of United States 4 October 1964
Running time 100 min
Language English, French
IMDb profile

The Visit is a 1964 film co-production from France, Italy, Germany and the USA, distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Bernhard Wicki and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and Julien Derode with Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn as co-producers. The screenplay was by Ben Barzman, adapted by Maurice Valency from Friedrich Dürrenmatt's play Der Besuch der alten Dame (literally, The Visit of the Old Lady).

The film stars Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn with Irina Demick, Paolo Stoppa, Hans Christian Blech, Romolo Valli, Valentina Cortese, Claude Dauphin and Eduardo Ciannelli.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Karla Zachanassian (Ingrid Bergman), a fabulously wealthy woman returns to the decaying village which she had been forced to leave years earlier in disgrace. She had had a child by Serge Miller (Anthony Quinn) who denied paternity. Her purpose in this "visit" is to make a deal with the inhabitants - in exchange for a vast sum of money, she wants Miller killed. At first reluctant, they eventually accept the arrangement and Miller is condemned to death. At the last moment, Karla stops the execution and tells the citizens that they will have to live with the guilt of what they might have done for the rest of their lives.

[edit] Main themes

Dürrenmatt stresses that The Visit is a comedy. However, it is a study of the darker elements of human nature. The themes of the film, as with the play, are greed, revenge and corruption and the fact that money can buy anything, even justice. Power that comes from money can lead to hate and even murder and to the collapse of ordinary morality.

[edit] Cast

  • Ingrid Bergman - Karla Zachanassian
  • Anthony Quinn - Serge Miller
  • Irina Demick - Anya
  • Claude Dauphin - Bardick
  • Paolo Stoppa - Doctor
  • Romolo Valli - Town Painter
  • Valentina Cortese - Mathilda Miller
  • Eduardo Ciannelli - Innkeeper
  • Jacques Dufilho - Fisch
  • Leonard Steckel - Priest
  • Ernst Schroeder - Mayor
  • Fausto Tozzi - Darvis
  • Hans-Christian Blech - Capt. Dobrik
  • Lelio Luttazzi - First Idler
  • Marco Guglielmi - Chesco
  • Renzo Palmer - Conductor
  • Dante Maggio - Cadek
  • Richard Münch - Teacher


[edit] Notes

  • In the stage play, the character of Serge Miller (who is called Alfred Ill) is killed at the end. In the film, the execution is halted.
  • Bergman and Quinn were to be paired again in 1970 in the romantic melodrama Walk in the Spring Rain

[edit] Nominations

[edit] External links


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