Death in Venice
1971 · Movie · 131 min · ★ 7.2 · 75% critics
A weary composer travels to Venice to recover his health and finds himself captivated by the beauty of a young guest staying at the same seaside hotel. As the city’s heat and unease grow, his quiet fixation deepens into a troubling, inward struggle amid the fading elegance of a bygone world.
Based on Death in Venice
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Details
- Original title
- Morte a Venezia
- Years
- 1971
- Release date
- 1971-03-05
- Language
- Italian
- Runtime
- 131 min
- Critic score
- 75/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (544 votes)
About
You may like this if you’re drawn to slow, mood-heavy art films about obsession and decay, with long stretches of quiet and striking Venice imagery; Not for you if you want fast plot, clear answers, or comfort.
Pros: haunting classical music; rich period atmosphere; powerful lead performance | Cons: very slow pace; minimal dialogue; repetitive, unsettling fixation
Themes
- venice, italy
- composer
- obsession
- beauty
- vacation
- cholera
- male homosexuality
- epidemic
- teenage boy
- makeover
- homoeroticism
- unspoken love
- +2 more
Awards & recognition
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1972 · nominated
Cast & crew
Dirk Bogarde
as Gustav von Aschenbach
Björn Andrésen
as Tadzio
Romolo Valli
as Hotel Manager
Mark Burns
as Alfred
Nora Ricci
as Tadzio's Governess
Silvana Mangano
as Tadzio's Mother
Marisa Berenson
as Aschenbach's Wife
Carole André
as Esmeralda, Brothel Prostitute
Leslie French
as Travel Agent
Franco Fabrizi
as Barber
Directed by Luchino Visconti