This is a movie that could be made in any era due to its timeless theme. Fascist Italy, however, is a perfect setting for "The Conformist" where as in all totalitarian states conformity is required, not an option. Jean-Louis Trintignant is perfectly cast as Marcello Clerici, a fascist assassin sent to Paris on a covert mission. Trintignant's slight figure, his humorless, unsmiling demeanor, and his consciously formal dress, including a hat that he cannot do without, project him as the perfect wannabe conformist.

Based upon a traumatic childhood experience Clerici not only has a need to conform he is impelled to take conformity to its extreme; assassinating non-conformists. His confession before his marriage is a brilliant scene and Trintignant's interaction with the confessor priest reveals the heart of his motivation and his sense of self.

His target is a former professor he admired as a student, Professor Quadri. The professor has left Italy for Paris due to his anti-fascist views and is viewed as dangerous by a mysterious arm of the fascist government. The scene where he discusses Plato's cave with the professor is worth the price of admission in itself.

Two beautiful women in his life represent the extremes that pull at his conformist soul as he proceeds toward the intended assassination. Stefania Sandrelli, as his wife Giula, represents the carefree, sensual, emotional part of his life. Dominique Sanda, as the professor's wife, Anna, represents sensuality of a different type. She appeals to his intellect as well as his sense of real love.

When Anna is formally introduced to Clerici as the professor's wife Clerici is stunned and aroused. Trintignant manages to convey both emotions with one look, the sign of a truly great actor. He has seen her in very different circumstances earlier in the movie. Anna provides the tension and inner conflict for Clerici which leaves the assassination of the professor in doubt.

Sanda is quite believable as a woman who could have that effect on a man in real life. One need not suspend a sense of disbelief to be convinced. Without her presence there would be no doubt about the assassination for Clerici. That tension and doubt results in a climactic scene that is stunning.

Bertolucci, in this 1970 release, is already displaying his trademark genius for visual beauty. Even scenes which are ugly are shot in an extraordinary cinema graphic style. His use of light, switching from black and white to color depending on the scene, shows real genius at work. The same cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro, who later collaborated with him on "The Last Emperor," was also a young man at the time of release. The "Special Features" where the two discuss their innovations in the use of color and light is almost as fascinating as the movie.

The "Special Features" also present very interesting insights into the artistic process in film and the dynamism of plot development. The only negative in this movie is that the flashback technique is overused to the point of confusion. All the other elements of the movie, though, show the promise of a great director at an early age.

Made by Bernado Bertolucci in 1971, it is a study of a young man striving for position in Fascist Italy in the 1930s. The series of events that overwhelm him put him into the position of a willing murderer.

Having now seen The Conformist again, in "restored" form, I've got to say I think it terribly overrated. Just for a start, one thing I find problematic is the equation of repressed or latent homosexuality, if that's what it is, with fascist tendencies, or guilt about some homosexual exeperience (as indicated at the end of the film) with whatever the central character's pathology. But then this is not sufficiently clearly sketched to make any real sense; it's the kind of thing that can only be taken seriously in the context of a particular kind of left-wing European machismo of the 1960s. Otherwise it's nonsense. Perhaps one's not meant to take it as "realism" but as "symbolism" all the way through the film, but even then it fails to join the dots; certainly, it doesn't work as "realism". Despite some effective scenes (like the final murder), I think that as a whole this movie has a vastly inflated reputation.

The Conformist is by far a well made and original film, though I can easily say that it is not for all taste, and it may confuse some people. Its not an easy viewing experience, and may take a couple viewings to really understand. Worth it none the less.
I'd like to comment that some viewers (and Mr. Maltin) were led to believe that the main character had repressed homosexuality, which seems to be false because if one watches the film closely, it should be clear that as a young boy, he was sexually led and molested by a young homosexual man who was at first just being a friend to Marcello. Marcello is unconfortable with what is happening and out of fear he shoots at the homosexual man. The incident left its mark on Marcello for the rest of his life, complicating the childs mind forever. It is clear to me that Marcello desires women. He hides behind the mask of a fascist conformist because he wants to be comfortable and live a normal life within the society. He doesn't have a good relationship with his parents or good memories of childhood so he is trying to escape. With the two women he is involved with in this story, are the only times we see any happiness expressed by Marcello. He is a tortured mind of confusion and angst and he does have many fears and repressed emotions. At the end when the fascist goverment seems to have fallen we see Marcello and his blind friend walking the street, seeing the reaction of the city. He overhears a homosexual mans pickup conversation with another man, and then discovers that it is the man who molested him as a child who wasn't actually killed by the bullet he had shot. He then expresses some inner turmoil to the man who then runs away. In other words, Marcello flips out.

It is a year of Bernardo Bertolucci's revival. Everyone was talking about "The Conformist" this year and I have decided to see the film again. Based on Moravia's book, film depicts young man, in his early thirties, doing his best to fit in society of the fascist Italy of the pre world war II era. The entire film is symbolism of man's search for himself and discovery of one's true identity. Marcello, the main character of the story, is a member of the secret fascist group in charge of hunting down and eliminating exiled intellectuals. In the course of the assignment, which incidentally takes place during Marcello's honeymoon in Paris, Marcello reconnects with his former philosophy professor he is tasked to eliminate. With flashbacks from his childhood and completion of the assignment, Marcello finally uncovers that behind the facade of happily married man and a father, he is damaged homosexual whose denial led him to a life of professional assasin whose life is full of treason, murder and misplaced ideals. This is a masterpiece of a film. Everything is pure perfection: the actors, costumes, colors, symbols, music. Bertolucci gets credit for not only presenting the story in all its complexity but for assembling great cast both in front and behind the camera. This film is a classic masterpiece. One of the fims that stays in one's personal library.