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The Night Porter (1974)

The Night Porter (1974)
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Max (Dirk Bogarde) is a discreet, unassuming night porter working in a posh hotel in Vienna in 1957, tending to the guests' needs, from cold water to a bed-warming gigolo. Then Lucia (Charlotte Rampling) arrives at the hotel, on the arm of her husband, an American composer, and Max's past comes flooding back to him. It turns out Max was an S.S. officer at a Nazi concentration camp where Lucia was a beautiful young prisoner. She became, in effect, Max's sexual slave. Now, years later, their reunion shatters both of their lives. Lucia stays in Vienna after her husband travels on, in order to see Max, and they find themselves caught up in a renewal of their former sadomasochistic relationship. Max has an upcoming show trial for his war crimes. His former S.S. comrades have been carefully destroying documents and "filing away" witnesses to clear all their names, and, while Max tries to keep Lucia's existence a secret from them, they eventually find out about her. They consider her a threat, and they urge Max to turn her over to them. He quits his job, and he and Lucia hide out in his apartment, while his former friends keep watch. Liliana Cavani (Ripley's Game) co-wrote and directed this controversial film, Il Portiere di Notte, which she reportedly based partly on her own interviews with a Holocaust survivor. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Starring:
Dirk BogardeCharlotte Rampling, (more)
Director(s):
Liliana Cavani
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Night Porter

Max (Dirk Bogarde) is a discreet, unassuming night porter working in a posh hotel in Vienna in 1957, tending to the guests' needs, from cold water to a bed-warming gigolo. Then Lucia (Charlotte Rampling) arrives at the hotel, on the arm of her husband, an American composer, and Max's past comes flooding back to him. It turns out Max was an S.S. officer at a Nazi concentration camp where Lucia was a beautiful young prisoner. She became, in effect, Max's sexual slave. Now, years later, their reunion shatters both of their lives. Lucia stays in Vienna after her husband travels on, in order to see Max, and they find themselves caught up in a renewal of their former sadomasochistic relationship. Max has an upcoming show trial for his war crimes. His former S.S. comrades have been carefully destroying documents and "filing away" witnesses to clear all their names, and, while Max tries to keep Lucia's existence a secret from them, they eventually find out about her. They consider her a threat, and they urge Max to turn her over to them. He quits his job, and he and Lucia hide out in his apartment, while his former friends keep watch. Liliana Cavani (Ripley's Game) co-wrote and directed this controversial film, Il Portiere di Notte, which she reportedly based partly on her own interviews with a Holocaust survivor. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
118 mins

Complete Cast of The Night Porter


Director(s):
Liliana Cavani
Writer(s):
Italo MoscatiLiliana Cavani
Producer(s):
Robert Gordon Edwards
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Profanity, Not For Children, Violence, Strong Sexual Content, Nudity, Rape & Sexual Abuse)
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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Member Reviews
 
Jeff H.

An interesting look at the relationship between victim and victimizer. The movie starts well, but the last half of the movie was poorly conceived. There was too little material about the earlier death camp period to explain the depth of the relationship and why it jump started in the present. Despite this, it's a dark, thought provoking film with excellent acting. A drive through the night city that ends lost in the dark countryside.

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Lynn B.

Not a movie for everyone. Some scenes of Nazi brutality were so psychologically horrifying they made me feel a bit sick. Charlotte Rampling gives a hauntingly memorable performance as the sexually-dominated concentration camp survivor, and how this early trauma impacts her entire life. But the film breaks down in the second half. It loses any credibility as a plausible story. What starts as a compelling film, although quite grim, becomes simply absurd.

Yes   |   No

 
Brian P.

Some say the movie is slow. Some say the movie uses shock value. The Salome dance scene in itself is enough to warrant a look.

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