Galileo (1968 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Galileo

| image = Galileo (1968 film).jpg

| director = Liliana Cavani

| writer = Liliana Cavani
Tullio Pinelli
Fabrizio Onofri

| starring = Cyril Cusack
Georgi Kaloyanchev
Piero Vida

| music = Ennio Morricone

| cinematography = Alfio Contini

| editing = Nino Baragli

| producer = Leo Pescarolo

| studio = Rizzoli Film
Fenice Cinematografica
Kinozenter

| distributor = Cineriz

| released = {{Film date|1968|9|7|Italy}}

| runtime = 105/92 minutes

| country = Italy
Bulgaria

| language = Italian

}}

Galileo (also known as Galileo Galilei) is a 1968 Italian–Bulgarian biographical drama film directed by Liliana Cavani. It depicts the life of Galileo Galilei and particularly his conflicts with the Catholic Church over his scientific theories.{{cite book|author1=Roberto Chiti |author2=Roberto Poppi |author3=Enrico Lancia |author4=Mario Pecorari |title=Dizionario del cinema italiano. I film|publisher=Gremese Editore, 1992|isbn=8876055932}}{{cite web|url=https://asac.labiennale.org/attivita/cinema/6364 |title=Galileo |website=La biennale di Venezia |language=it |access-date=14 January 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lilianacavani.it/produzioni/lungometraggi/1968-galileo/ |title=Galileo |website=lilianacavani.it |language=it |access-date=14 January 2024}}

Plot

Astronomer Galileo Galilei teaches at the University of Padua. While he questions the ideas of Ptolemy and Aristotle, the official scientific dogmas imposed by the Catholic Church, he remains secretive about his doubts. His more candid friend, philosopher Giordano Bruno, is reported to the Inquisition for his revolutionary ideas and later executed as a heretic. Still, Galileo continues his studies with a telescope constructed by Dutch technicians and perfected by him, and comes to the conclusion that Copernico's heliocentric system is valid. He publishes his discoveries in a book, which leads to a series of interrogations by the Inquisition. Facing a possible death sentence, Galileo publicly recants his theories.

Cast

Cyril Cusack as Galileo Galilei
Georgi Kaloyanchev as Giordano Bruno
Nevena Kokanova as Marina
Nicolai Doicev as Cardinal Bellarmino
Georgi Cherkelov as Paolo Sarpi
Piero Vida as Pope Urban VIII
Gigi Ballista as Dominican Commissioner
Paolo Graziosi as Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Maia Dragomanska as Galilei's daughter
Lou Castel as Father Charles
Giulio Brogi as Sagredo

Production and release

Originally intended as a miniseries co-produced by Italian and Bulgarian film companies, radio and television company RAI refused to broadcast the finished film and sold the distribution rights to Cineriz, who trimmed the originally 105 minutes long film to 92 minutes running time.{{cite book|title=The Gaze and the Labyrinth: The Cinema of Liliana Cavani |last=Marrone |first=Gaetana |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2000 |page=206 |isbn=9780691008738}}

Galileo was shown in competition at the 1968 Venice International Film Festival.

Home media

Galileo was released in 2010 as a Region 2 DVD.{{cite AV media |title=Galileo |publisher=Medusa |date=2010 |type=DVD |oclc=701711998}} In Italian with English subtitles.

References

External links

{{IMDb title|0062998|Galileo}}
[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00016-010-0027-4 Article by Cristina Olivotto and Antonella Testa comparing the 1968 and 1975 films]

Category:1968 drama films

Category:1960s biographical drama films

Category:1960s historical drama films

Category:Bulgarian biographical drama films

Category:1960s Italian-language films

Category:Bulgarian historical drama films

Category:Films scored by Ennio Morricone

Category:Films directed by Liliana Cavani

Category:Italian biographical drama films

Category:Italian historical drama films

Category:Films shot in Bulgaria

Category:Films shot at Cinecittà Studios