The Conformist
A psychologically scarred Italian bureaucrat pursues respectability by serving fascism, only to become trapped in its machinery of violence.
Overview
A man struggles between his ambitions and the oppressive weight of conformity in a world of fascism and personal trauma.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- baroque
- oppressive
- erotic
- arthouse film night
- political cinema program
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Bertolucci’s film as a sumptuous, formally daring, emotionally charged political drama whose visual mastery and period evocation can sometimes overshadow its psychological development.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Marcello seeks respectability through marriage and service to Mussolini while suppressing his own moral and psychological conflicts.
Bertolucci repeatedly frames Marcello within severe interiors, corridors, windows, and stark architectural compositions associated with authoritarian order.
The 1917 flashback links Marcello’s childhood encounter with sex and violence to his adult pursuit of conformity and participation in political murder.
The film combines sumptuous period recreation, erotic tension, and fascist political menace in a deliberately heightened style.
Films like The Conformist, and why
Investigation of a Private Citizen
shared fascist-era political paranoia, moral compromise, and elegant neo-noir visual design
The Leopard
shared baroque period atmosphere, political repression, and psychologically troubled protagonists
A Special Day
shared Italian fascism setting, anti-fascist politics, and intimate personal drama shaped by history
The Passenger
shared stylized noir imagery, ideological corruption, and protagonists performing identities to survive
Movie Details
- Director
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Release Date
- 1971-01-29
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (787)
Cast
- Jean-Louis Trintignant
- Stefania Sandrelli
- Gastone Moschin
- Dominique Sanda
- Enzo Tarascio
- Fosco Giachetti
- José Quaglio
- Yvonne Sanson
- Milly
- Antonio Maestri
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MovieMe
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Conformist about?
- A psychologically scarred Italian bureaucrat pursues respectability by serving fascism, only to become trapped in its machinery of violence.
- What is The Conformist like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Conformist as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Conformist violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Conformist as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Conformist?
- Critics broadly regard Bertolucci’s film as a sumptuous, formally daring, emotionally charged political drama whose visual mastery and period evocation can sometimes overshadow its psychological development.
- Which films are like The Conformist?
- Films with a similar feel include Investigation of a Private Citizen, The Leopard, A Special Day, and The Passenger.
- How long is The Conformist?
- The Conformist runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Conformist?
- In United States, The Conformist streams on Kino Film Collection.
