A Talking Picture

2003 1h 36m PT

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 50

DramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A meditation on civilization. July, 2001: friends wave as a cruise ship departs Lisbon for Mediterranean ports and the Indian Ocean. On board and on day trips in Marseilles, Pompeii, Athens, Istanbul, and Cairo, a professor tells her young daughter about myth, history, religion, and wars. Men approach her; she's cool, on her way to her husband in Bombay. After Cairo, for two evenings divided by a stop in Aden, the captain charms three successful, famous (and childless) women, who talk with wit and intellect, each understanding the others' native tongue, a European union. The captain asks mother and child to join them. He gives the girl a gift. Helena sings. Life can be sweet.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Leonor Silveira
Rosa Maria
Filipa de Almeida
Maria Joana
John Malkovich
Comandante John Walesa
Catherine Deneuve
Delfina
Stefania Sandrelli
Francesca
Irene Papas
Helena
Luís Miguel Cintra
Himself
Ricardo Trêpa
Oficial

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Manoel de Oliveira
Writers: Manoel de Oliveira
Languages: Italian, French, Greek, English, Portuguese
Countries: Portugal, 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

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Italian, French, Greek, English, Portuguese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Manoel de Oliveira, shot by Emmanuel Machuel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Leonor Silveira and Filipa de Almeida and John Malkovich carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0364093 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Manoel de Oliveira directs. Emmanuel Machuel behind the camera. Valérie Loiseleux cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Portugal, Italy, France. Dialogue in Italian, French, Greek, English, Portuguese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 23 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Italian, French, Greek, English, Portuguese.
3International production across 3 countries: Portugal, Italy, France.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Manoel de Oliveira, shot by Emmanuel Machuel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Valérie Loiseleux shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Leonor Silveira and Filipa de Almeida and John Malkovich carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0364093 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 50 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.