Arcana

"This movie is not a story, but a card game. This is why the beginning is not credible, nor is the ending. You are the players. Play well and win."

1972 1h 42m IT

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 12

DramaHorrorMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A Sicilian widow earns her living as a clairvoyant, in Milan, but she hasn't got any power at all. Her son instead holds supernatural powers and with the help of his mother he becomes a strong sorcerer. But he fails perhaps to understand the real strength he possesses inside and unbinds uncontrolled forces that lead people that surround him to go mad.

“This movie is not a story, but a card game. This is why the beginning is not credible, nor is the ending. You are the players. Play well and win.”

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Cast

Lucia Bosè
Mamma
Maurizio Degli Esposti
Son
Tina Aumont
Brenda
Renato Paracchi
Passante gay
Gianfranco Pozzi
Giovanni Ricci
Dario Viganò
Annarella De Faveri

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Giulio Questi
Writers: Franco Arcalli, Giulio Questi
Languages: Italian
Countries: Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

54 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Giulio Questi, shot by Dario Di Palma. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Romolo Grano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Franco Arcalli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lucia Bosè and Maurizio Degli Esposti and Tina Aumont carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "This movie is not a story, but a card game. This is why the beginning is not credible, nor is the ending. You are the players. Play well and win.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0221803 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Giulio Questi directs. Dario Di Palma behind the camera. Romolo Grano scores. Franco Arcalli cuts. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

154 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Giulio Questi, shot by Dario Di Palma. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Romolo Grano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Franco Arcalli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lucia Bosè and Maurizio Degli Esposti and Tina Aumont carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "This movie is not a story, but a card game. This is why the beginning is not credible, nor is the ending. You are the players. Play well and win.".
8IMDB entry: tt0221803 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 12 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "mother", "rape", "milan", "supernatural".