Saturday 5 November, 14.00
Screening Room, Embankment level
£10/£9 conc (screening & exhibition)
£6 (screening only)
Dirk Bogarde stars as a composer who arrives on Venice’s Lido seeking solitude and recuperation. However, his stay becomes increasingly reflective; his personal and professional life plaguing his thoughts and a deepening infatuation with an angelic adolescent boy, who seems to represent the youth and perfection that has so far eluded him.
Visconti uses imagery that is both harrowing and sublime, with minimal dialogue and lingering shots of a glittering, distant Venice. Accompanied by a haunting score from Mahler, this faithful interpretation of Thomas Mann’s novel exemplifies Visconti’s mastery of visual style and encapsulates the demise of a city and a man.
Certificate 15
Release date 1971
Duration 125 mins