Momo (1986 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Momo

| caption = Theatrical release poster by Renato Casaro

| image = Momo poster.jpg

| director = Johannes Schaaf

| producer = Horst Wendlandt

| writer = Johannes Schaaf
Rosemarie Fendel
Michael Ende
Marcello Coscia

| based_on = Momo by Michael Ende

| music = Angelo Branduardi

| cinematography = Xaver Schwarzenberger

| editing = Amedeo Salfa

| studio = Rialto Film

| distributor = Tobis

| released = {{Film date|1986|7|17}}

| country = West Germany
Italy

| gross =2,083,890 admissions (Germany)

}}

Momo is a 1986 fantasy film directed by Johannes Schaaf and based on the 1973 novel Momo by Michael Ende. It is about the concept of time and how it is used by humans in modern societies. The film features the final acting role of actor / writer / director John Huston.

Synopsis

In the ruins of an amphitheatre just outside an unnamed Italian city lives Momo, a little girl of mysterious origin. She is remarkable in the neighbourhood because she has the extraordinary ability to listen—really listen. By simply being with people and listening to them, she can help them find answers to their problems, make up with each other, and think of fun games.

This pleasant atmosphere is spoiled by the arrival of the Men in Grey. These strange individuals represent the Timesavings Bank and promote the idea of timesaving among the population, time which can be deposited to the Bank and returned to the client later with interest. In reality, the more time people save, the less they have. The time they save is actually lost to them, consumed by the Men in Grey. Momo, however, is a wrench in the plans of the Timesaving Bank thanks to her special personality.

Cast

Radost Bokel - Momo
Leopoldo Trieste - Beppo
Bruno Stori - Gigi
Mario Adorf - Nicola
Armin Mueller-Stahl - leader of grey men
John Huston - Meister Hora
Concetta Russino - Liliana
Sylvester Groth - agent BLW/553 X
Ninetto Davoli - Nino
{{ill|Francesco De Rosa (actor)|lt=Francesco De Rosa|it|Francesco De Rosa (attore)}} - Herr Fusi
Elide Melli - Frau Daria
Michael Ende - train passenger (writer of the story told by Master Hora)

Author involvement

This film was a German-Italian co-production in which Michael Ende himself played the role of the passenger in the train (who is told the story by Master Hora and writes it down). It appears that Ende, unhappy with how the film based on The Neverending Story did not follow the spirit of the book faithfully enough, requested to be involved more directly in filming Momo.

Reception

The film was the third highest-grossing German film in West Germany for the year with admissions of 2,083,890.{{cite magazine|magazine=Screen International|title=1986 Top 20 Grossing German Films|page=32|date=14 February 1987}}