Preguntas Frecuentes

It was filmed almost non-linear, however, with some exceptions. As Bernardo Bertolucci explains, he shot the film beginning with a segment of the liberation in April 1945. It then shifts to the beginning of the story of Alfredo and Olmo as children and friends in the beginning of the 1900s when it takes place in the Spring. When the film forwards the two characters to adults in the 1920s, the setting is then changed to summer. As the story progresses to the revolution and the ideals that are introduced to Alfredo and Olmo when they begin to separate from their friendship, the setting shifts into Autumn. When the film reveals the roles of Olmo as the leader of the socialist movement who fights for workers' rights and Alfredo who has now inherited the estate as the padrone, the film's setting is in Winter. Finally, the film comes full circle to the end of World War II and the Spring of April 1945 as we learn about the fates of Alfredo and Olmo. In short, the film is shot in semi-sequence, but according to the order of seasons.

Director Bertolucci originally wanted the film to be named Novecento, which in English, means 1900s, as in the century. He wanted the title to be reflective of the concept of a film set during several decades in that century. However, distributors in the USA thought that might confuse audiences, so the title was changed to 1900. Bertolucci has often expressed his dislike of the other title; the interview on the Paramount 2-disc DVD has him speaking about this fact.

The Americanization of the title is somewhat confusing, since no part of the film actually takes place in the year 1900; it opens in 1901 w/the births of Alfredo & Olmo.

Attila was taken with the idea of fascism which would have established people like him at the top of the societal ladder, with the power to enforce new governmental laws which were often very harsh and brutal. Under fascism, people who objected to the new regime could be imprisoned or executed without fair trials or evidence.

In order to achieve their aims, the fascists would have to garner the support of the landowners, like Alfredo, who held the real power over the economy. The counterpart to fascism was Communism, represented by Olmo. Communists believed that true societal power rests with the working class. Alfredo does not join them and disapproves heavily of Attila's brutality but chooses to do nothing about it.

He didn't want to upset the fascists during the period where they rose to power and during World War 2. Any agitation to the new order impose by Mussolini & his followers, like Attila, would result in even harsher treatment of the workers & perhaps even imprisonment of Alfredo himself.

"Olmo" is the Italian word for "elm". Leo Dalco thought that his son would grow to be a strong and idealistic man, which Olmo did. Therefore he chose a name that he believed would reflect that.