The Subversives

1967 1h 33m IT

😐

6.4

MID

⭐

6.1

IMDB

★6.4TMDB · 8★6.1IMDB · 200

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The film combines actual footage of Communist leader Palmiero Togliatti's funeral with the intermingled stories of four people affected by his death: Ettore, a Venezuelan radical who abandons the wealthy Italian woman he loves to go back to his country and help his cause; Ludovico, an ailing filmmaker who finds out that art alone is not enough; Giulia, a woman who embarks upon a lesbian affair with a former mistress of her husband; and Ermanno, a philosophy graduate who breaks up with his past.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Lucio Dalla
Ermanno
Ferruccio De Ceresa
Ludovico
Fabienne Fabre
Giovanna
Marija Tocinoski
Giulia
Giulio Brogi
Ettore
Lidija Juracik
Paola
Maria Cumani Quasimodo
Ludovico's Mother
Barbara Pilavin
Ermanno's Mother

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paolo Taviani
Writers: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
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

59 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 Paolo Taviani, shot by Giuseppe Ruzzolini. 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 Giovanni Fusco. 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 Brogi Taviani 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

Lucio Dalla and Ferruccio De Ceresa and Fabienne Fabre carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0062293 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paolo Taviani directs. Giuseppe Ruzzolini behind the camera. Giovanni Fusco scores. Franco Brogi Taviani cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

159 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Paolo Taviani, shot by Giuseppe Ruzzolini. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Giovanni Fusco. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Franco Brogi Taviani shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lucio Dalla and Ferruccio De Ceresa and Fabienne Fabre carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0062293 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.