Galileo *** (1975, Topol, Edward Fox, Tom Conti, Colin Blakely, John Gielgud, Margaret Leighton, Patrick Magee, John McEnery) – Classic Movie Review 10,078

Topol is an unexpected choice as the 17th-century Italian scientist Galileo Galilei, but, in an intense, dignified star turn, he earns his inclusion in Joseph Losey’s 1975 historical biographical drama film Galileo. 

Thanks to the American Film Theatre series, Joseph Losey finally got to make his long-cherished film of Bertolt [Berthold] Brecht’s great 1943 play Galileo about the 17th-century Italian mathematician, astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) in dire difficulty with the Roman Catholic hierarchy for his supposedly heretical theories about astronomy. The Inquisition force him to recant his support of the ideas of the Polish astronomer Copernicus that the Earth rotates around the Sun.

In 1609 Galileo is a maths professor in Padua, Italy, free to pursue controversial scientific studies under the protection of the Venetian Republic. He takes a more prestigious academic position in Florence, Italy, which does not come with the government protection he had in Venice, and his influential Roman Catholic Church friends abandon him when he is summoned before the Inquisition.

Brecht condemns Galileo as a coward for his betrayal of science, though there is a heroic side to Galileo too, as an intellectual and a pioneering scientist, as well as a fighter against the Roman Catholic Church, which Losey and Topol bring out.

Losey had always planned to make a film of Galileo with Charles Laughton, whom he had directed on stage in the US in 1947, and upon whose adaptation of the play this screenplay is based (adapted for the screen by Joseph Losey and Barbara Bray), but he could not find the finance before Laughton died in 1962. Topol is an unexpected choice but, in an intense, dignified turn, he earns his inclusion.

Although essentially uncinematic, the 1975 historical biographical drama film Galileo works on its own terms as filmed theatre, and is compelling, even at this considerable length of 145 minutes. The austere, grim story is intriguing enough, packed with beautifully written speeches, not to require too many demands on the audience.

Michel Lonsdale plays Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII), and the cast of British theatrical worthies (especially Edward Fox as the Cardinal Inquisitor, John Gielgud as the Old Cardinal, and Tom Conti as Andrea Sarti) give Topol the right backup.

The cast also includes Richard O’Callaghan, Judy Parfitt, Patrick Magee, Michael Gough, Margaret Leighton, Colin Blakely, Clive Revill, Georgia Brown, Tim Woodward, John McEnery, Mary Larkin, Ian Travers, James Aubrey, Tom Chatto, Paul Curran, Harold Innocent, Vernon Dobtcheff, Basil Henson, Ian Hoare, John Moffatt, Ronald Radd, John Savident, John Sharp, Peggy Thorpe-Bates and Henry Woolf.

Tim Woodward makes his screen debut as the young noble Ludovico Marsili, one of the scientist and philosopher’s students.

Galileo is directed by Joseph Losey, runs 145 minutes, is made by Cinévision Ltée, The American Film Theatre, The Ely Landau Organization, is released by The American Film Theatre (1975) (US) and Seven Keys (1975) (UK), is written by Barbara Bray and Joseph Losey, based on Bertolt [Berthold] Brecht’s play, is shot in Panavision by Michael Reed, produced by Otto Plaschkes (executive producer) and Ely A Landau, is scored by Hanns Eisler and Richard Hartley, and is designed by Richard Macdonald.

It is shot at EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England.

The American Film Theatre presented 13 film adaptations of plays from 1973 to 1975.

Galileo was the first film of the American Film Theatre’s second season, which started in January 1975.

Losey directed the first production of the play’s English language version in 1947 in the US with Brecht’s active participation and his film fairly closely follows the ‘American’ version of Brecht’s play Galileo.

Galileo DVD cover art (2003).

The first release of the film to home media was not till 2003 when Kino International produced region 1 DVDs of all films from American Film Theatre. The Galileo DVD includes interviews with Topol and producer Otto Plaschke.

The cast are Topol as Galileo Galilei, Georgia Brown as the Ballad Singer’s wife, Edward Fox as the Cardinal Inquisitor, Sir John Gielgud as the Old Cardinal, Margaret Leighton as an elderly Court Lady, Tom Conti as the adult Andrea Sarti, Patrick Magee as Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, John McEnery as Federzoni, Michael Lonsdale as Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, Clive Revill as the Ballad Singer, Job Stewart as a Monk-Scholar, Richard O’Callaghan, Judy Parfitt, Michael Gough, Margaret Leighton, Colin Blakely, Tim Woodward as Ludovico Marsili, John McEnery, Mary Larkin, Ian Travers, James Aubrey, Tom Chatto, Paul Curran, Harold Innocent, Vernon Dobtcheff, Basil Henson, Ian Hoare, John Moffatt, Ronald Radd, John Savident, John Sharp, Peggy Thorpe-Bates and Henry Woolf.

These films were shown by American Film Theatre: The Iceman Cometh, The Homecoming, A Delicate Balance, Rhinoceros, Luther, Three Sisters, Butley, Lost in the Stars, Galileo, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, In Celebration, The Maids, and The Man in the Glass Booth. Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1970) was also included in the DVD releases of 2003 and 2008.

RIP Chaim Topol (September 9, 1935 – March 8, 2023). He is best known for his portrayal of Tevye, the lead role in the stage musical Fiddler on the Roof and the 1971 film Fiddler on the Roof.

Tim Woodward makes his screen debut in director Joseph Losey’s 1975 film Galileo as the young noble Ludovico Marsili, one of the scientist and philosopher’s students.

Tim Woodward was born on 24 April 1953 and died of cancer on 9 November 2023, aged 70. His other film roles include Felix Young in The Europeans (1979). He was born in London, the first child of actress Venetia Barrett and Edward Woodward.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,078

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