"Theorem", P. Pasolini: plot, actors, interesting facts, reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Pasolini's "Theorem" is a scandalous film that still causes a lot of controversy. The film turned out to be truly ambiguous due to the ambiguity of the scenes and interpretation. The creator of the project even had to appear before the court - critics accused the director of blasphemy and obscenity. Why did this film adaptation so excite the public?

About the film

The picture is a parable in the genre of art house. Initially, Pasolini's book was published, which served as the basis for his future parable. "Theorem" in a cinematic version was presented in 1968, splitting film critics into two camps. Some viewers called the director a real genius and a prophet, while others accused him of blasphemy. In general, the project is interpreted as a religious allegory and a lesson in psychoanalysis. As in his book, in "Theorem" Pasolini tries to convey the thesis about the identity of the Christian doctrine and sexual desire. Scenes in the film are periodically completely silent and presented in sepia tones, but this does not prevent the viewer from understanding what is happening on the screen.screen.

The plot of Pasolini's "Theorem"

The plot focuses on the family of a Milanese manufacturer. The characters lead a rather measured and boring life, which the director decided to emphasize with silent scenes and shots in sepia tone. Soon their world begins to change - the picture becomes colored, sounds appear. The first reason for these changes is the visit of the postman, who delivered a telegram about the imminent arrival of a certain nameless visitor. Further, the sudden guest himself appears in the frame, who manages to "seduce" all the inhabitants of the house with his gaze, including the maid and the head of the Paolo family.

When Terence Stamp's character leaves town for unknown reasons, the family returns to a boring lifestyle. However, the detachment does not last long - the characters begin to fill the spiritual emptiness in the most ridiculous way.

Unexpected plot development

Further events of "Theorem" by Paolo Pasolini take an unexpected turn. Being impressed by the meeting with the charming seducer, each of the family members begins to feel longing for his departure. After several depressive days, Paolo's daughter, the beautiful Odette, finds herself in a state of catatonia. Son Pietro, distraught, tries to recreate on paper the image of a stranger. The wife of an industrialist enters into promiscuity, trying to somehow calm her raging passion. At the same time, the manufacturer himself decides to leave the usual business and transfers the plant to the disposal of subordinates, completely losing interest inlife. Emily the maid believes she has become a Christian martyr.

Film Interpretation

What exactly is the meaning of "Theorem", Pasolini told the audience himself. According to him, the picture clearly shows that the bourgeois is always wrong and does everything wrong, no matter how noble impulses he experiences. The director's interpretation in the Marxist style suggests that only a lower-class maid could count on salvation in his story. The cinematographer notes that he sought to present Stamp as a metaphysical celestial being, in which some will see dark forces, while others will see a deity.

The name of the film is quite justified due to the geometric accuracy of plot lines. Many scenes in the parable are repeated twice. The villa where the action took place is also subject to strict symmetry. Attentive viewers will notice that the seduction of the heroes of the parable took place in the same order as their confidential conversations with the mysterious guest. Yes, and household members avoid communication with each other, preferring to conduct dialogues exclusively with Stamp's character.

Interesting facts

Pier Paolo Pasolini's film "Teorema" is based on his own story "The Guest". For the whole picture, the actors said only 923 words. The owner of the house and the visitor both received several replicas from the director. The parable was included in Beyond the Canon's 100 most underrated films.

Despite the ambiguityreviews of "Theorem", Pasolini managed to win a trial on charges of obscenity. During the announcement of his decision, the judge noted that the erotic scenes in the film are of an exclusively ideological nature, and the film itself is a real work of art. Theorem was nominated for the Golden Lion award.

Key roles

The director entrusted the role of the charming seducer to Terence Stamp, who is known for his acting work in such popular projects as "Changing Reality", "The Collector", "Three Steps Delirious" and others. Despite his rather advanced age, the actor continues to act in films. In the image of the manufacturer Paolo, Massimo Girotti appeared, who during his career managed to star in more than a hundred films, including Medea and The Red Tent. The wife of the head of the family was portrayed by the Spanish actress Silvana Mangano, who also played in The Adventures of Odysseus and Dune. The role of Paolo's son was taken over by Andrés José Cruz Sublett, who has since starred in only two films.

Daughter Odette was played by Anna Vyazemsky, who stopped her acting career in the late 80s, having managed to star in the films "Chinese Woman", "Pigsty" and others. The image of the maid Emilia went to Laura Betty, an Italian actress who also played in La Dolce Vita, Twentieth Century and other films.

About The Theorem director

The future writer and cinematographer Pier Paolo Pasolini was born in Italy on March 5, 1922 in a military family. From an early age he was fond of literature,giving preference to Dostoevsky, Rimbaud. During his life, the famous Italian published seven collections of poems, and the last of them came out in the year of his death. Pasolini had an active political stance, calling himself a Catholic communist. The famous director began his career in cinematography by writing lines in other people's scripts, but later he made films himself, one of which was the scandalous "Theorem".

Pasolini's life was tragically cut short seven years after the premiere of his ambiguous parable - the director was found murdered near Rome on one of the beaches of Ostia. To this day, there are various speculations about the death and the possible killer of the celebrity, despite the fact that shortly after the discovery of the corpse, a prostitute Pino Pelosi admitted that it was he who killed the director. According to the young man, Pasolini wanted to use his services, but was very rude, which led to a conflict.