Don Giovanni

1979 2h 56m IT

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 42

DramaMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The famous nobleman Don Giovanni travels from town to town conquering women’s hearts, until the troubles he has created return to his own doorstep.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ruggero Raimondi
Don Giovanni
John Macurdy
The Commendatore
Edda Moser
Donna Anna
Kiri Te Kanawa
Donna Elvira
Kenneth Riegel
Don Ottavio
José van Dam
Leporello
Teresa Berganza
Zerlina
Malcolm King
Masetto

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Joseph Losey
Writers: Frantz Salieri, Joseph Losey, Patricia Losey
Languages: Italian
Countries: Germany, Italy, France

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

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 176 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Germany, Italy, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Joseph Losey, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Reginald Beck 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

Ruggero Raimondi and John Macurdy and Edda Moser carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0079063 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Joseph Losey directs. Gerry Fisher behind the camera. Reginald Beck cuts. A long sit — settle in. Produced in Germany, Italy, France. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 176 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
247 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 3 countries: Germany, Italy, France.
4Directed by Joseph Losey, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Reginald Beck shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Ruggero Raimondi and John Macurdy and Edda Moser carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0079063 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gerry Fisher
Editing: Reginald Beck
Production design: Alexandre Trauner
Costume design: Annalisa Nasalli-Rocca
Makeup / hair: Franco Corridoni
Runtime: 176 min · 2h 56m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $7,000,000
Original language: IT
IMDB: Don Giovanni (1979)

Awards

César Award for Best Editing
César Award for Best Production Design

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Joseph Losey

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

dnitzer2014-02-20
Frustrating rendition of Mozart's masterpiece. The singers are all first-rate, and led by Lorin Maazel and the Orchestra of the Paris Opera. But the direction by Losey and his team is unfocused, and seems to care more about making some confused socio-political commentary, and not so much about telling a clear story. (For just one example, what in the world has Losey done to the sextet in Act 2? Does that scene make any sense?) In short, here you will find magnificent Mozart, and lousy Losey.
CinemaSerf2025-06-09
★ 7/10
I’m not usually a fan of cinematic adaptations of opera. They often resort to the lazy convenience of the photography and forget to include the heart and soul of the subject. Those elements are especially important with this dark and self-destructive tale of the womanising “Giovanni” (Ruggero Raimondi). Right from the start when he kills the father (John Macurdy) of one of his many lovers, though, Joseph Losey manages to interweave the sumptuous details of Venetian settings with intricate costumes and he manages to successfully ensure that the libretto is clearly and energetically heard as this ghostly tale of human frailty unfolds. To be honest, when you have Mozart at his most creative played out in the hands of Raimondi; Edda Moser as the daughter of the murdered man; Macurdy and the powerful soprano of Kiri Te Kanawa then it’s hard to imagine how he could have gone wrong - and he doesn’t. It’s a lavish enterprise. You don’t really need to know the story beforehand (though it does help) as I find it one of the more straightforward plots to follow. That said, it isn’t a simple story and the characters offer plenty for us to get our teeth into and to wrap our ears around as we watch a real drama emerge from the torch-lit granite and marble, with powerful arias and duets delivered with emotion and oomph. If you can see it in one go on a big screen, then that does most justice to this stylishly crafted and orchestrated interpretation of a man’s flirtation with love, lust and the fires of hell. Rousing stuff well worth your time, even if you’re not an opera buff.

Production companies