The Visit (1964 film)
Encyclopedia
The Visit is a 1964 film co-production from France, Italy, Germany, and the United States, distributed by 20th Century Fox
. It was directed by Bernhard Wicki and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck
and Julien Derode with Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn as co-producers. The screenplay
was by Ben Barzman
, adapted by Maurice Valency
from Friedrich Dürrenmatt
's 1956 play Der Besuch der alten Dame
(literally, The Visit of the Old Lady).
The film stars Ingrid Bergman
and Anthony Quinn
with Irina Demick
, Paolo Stoppa
, Hans Christian Blech
, Romolo Valli
, Valentina Cortese, Claude Dauphin
, and Eduardo Ciannelli
.
. However, it is a study of the darker elements of human nature. The themes of the film, as with the play, are greed, revenge and corruption and the fact that money can buy anything, even justice. Power that comes from money can lead to hate and even murder and to the collapse of ordinary morality.
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. It was directed by Bernhard Wicki and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl Francis Zanuck was an American producer, writer, actor, director and studio executive who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors...
and Julien Derode with Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn as co-producers. The screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was by Ben Barzman
Ben Barzman
Ben Barzman was a Canadian journalist, screenwriter, and novelist. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and died in Santa Monica, California, USA. He is best known as a writer or co-writer of more than 20 films, from You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith to The Head of Normande St...
, adapted by Maurice Valency
Maurice Valency
Maurice Valency was a playwright, author, critic, and popular professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University, best known for his award winning adaptations of plays by Jean Giraudoux and Friedrich Duerrenmatt. He wrote several original plays, but is best known for his adaptations of...
from Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Friedrich Dürrenmatt was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire...
's 1956 play Der Besuch der alten Dame
The Visit
The Visit is a 1956 tragicomic play by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt.-Plot summary:...
(literally, The Visit of the Old Lady).
The film stars Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
and Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
with Irina Demick
Irina Demick
Irina Demick , sometimes credited as Irina Demich was a French actress with a brief career in American films....
, Paolo Stoppa
Paolo Stoppa
Paolo Stoppa was an Italian actor and dubber.Born in Rome, he began as a stage actor in 1927 in the theater in Rome and began acting in films in 1932...
, Hans Christian Blech
Hans Christian Blech
Hans Christian Blech was a German film, stage and television character actor who found success both in his native land and in Hollywood....
, Romolo Valli
Romolo Valli
Romolo Valli was an Italian actor.Valli was born in Reggio Emilia. He was one of the best known Italian actors from the 1950s to his death. He worked both for the stage and the silver screen...
, Valentina Cortese, Claude Dauphin
Claude Dauphin (actor)
Claude Dauphin was a French actor. He appeared in over 130 films between 1930 and 1978.He was born in Corbeil-Essonnes, Essonne. His father was Maurice Étienne Legrand, a poet who wrote as Franc-Nohain, and who was the librettist for Maurice Ravel's opera L'heure espagnole.Dauphin married...
, and Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Karla Zachanassian (Bergman), a fabulously wealthy woman returns to the decaying village which she had been forced to leave years earlier in disgrace. She had had a child by Serge Miller (Quinn) who denied paternity. Her purpose in this "visit" is to make a deal with the inhabitants — in exchange for a vast sum of money, she wants Miller killed. At first reluctant, they eventually accept the arrangement and Miller is condemned to death. At the last moment, Karla stops the execution and tells the citizens that they will have to live with the guilt of what they might have done for the rest of their lives.Cast
- Ingrid BergmanIngrid BergmanIngrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
as Claire Zachannassian - Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
as Serge Miller - Irina DemickIrina DemickIrina Demick , sometimes credited as Irina Demich was a French actress with a brief career in American films....
as Anya - Claude DauphinClaude Dauphin (actor)Claude Dauphin was a French actor. He appeared in over 130 films between 1930 and 1978.He was born in Corbeil-Essonnes, Essonne. His father was Maurice Étienne Legrand, a poet who wrote as Franc-Nohain, and who was the librettist for Maurice Ravel's opera L'heure espagnole.Dauphin married...
as Bardick - Paolo StoppaPaolo StoppaPaolo Stoppa was an Italian actor and dubber.Born in Rome, he began as a stage actor in 1927 in the theater in Rome and began acting in films in 1932...
as Doctor - Romolo ValliRomolo ValliRomolo Valli was an Italian actor.Valli was born in Reggio Emilia. He was one of the best known Italian actors from the 1950s to his death. He worked both for the stage and the silver screen...
as Town Painter - Valentina Cortese as Mathilda Miller
- Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
as Innkeeper - Jacques DufilhoJacques DufilhoJacques Dufilho was a French actor.He was born at Bègles and he died at Ponsampère .He was also famous for his collection of Bugatti cars.-Filmography:More than 150 movie, including:...
as Fisch - Leonard SteckelLeonard SteckelLeonard Steckel was a German actor and director of stage and screen. He began his career as a stage actor, and spent the duration of World War II in exile in Zürich, where he had gone to work at the Schauspielhaus...
as Priest - Ernst SchröderErnst Schröder (actor)Ernst Schröder was a popular German theatre, film and TV actor.-Life:Born in Herne, Schröder began his acting career at the nearby Bochum Theatre in 1934, under the legendary director Saladin Schmitt. He worked there until 1936, also working as Assistant Director and Stage Designer...
as Mayor - Fausto TozziFausto TozziFausto Tozzi was an Italian film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in 70 films between 1951 and 1978...
as Darvis - Hans Christian BlechHans Christian BlechHans Christian Blech was a German film, stage and television character actor who found success both in his native land and in Hollywood....
as Captain Dobrik - Lelio Luttazzi as First Idler
- Marco Guglielmi as Chesco
- Renzo Palmer as Conductor
- Dante Maggio as Cadek
- Richard MünchRichard MünchRichard Heinrich Ludwig Münch , better known as Richard Münch, was a German actor, best known for portraying Alfred Jodl in Patton...
as Teacher
Main themes
Dürrenmatt stresses that The Visit is a tragicomedyTragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
. However, it is a study of the darker elements of human nature. The themes of the film, as with the play, are greed, revenge and corruption and the fact that money can buy anything, even justice. Power that comes from money can lead to hate and even murder and to the collapse of ordinary morality.
Awards
- Bernhard Wicki was nominated for the Golden PalmPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival1964 Cannes Film FestivalThe 17th Cannes Film Festival was held from 29 April to 14 May 1964. The Palme d’Or is renamed 'Grand Prix International du Festival', the name that will be used until 1975.-Jury:*Fritz Lang *Charles Boyer... - The film received a nomination for Best Costume designAcademy Award for Costume DesignThe Academy Award for Best Costume Design is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievement in film costume design....
at the Academy AwardsAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...