The Spider's Stratagem (1970)★ 7.2/10
- Drama
- Mystery
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
Written by: Jorge Luis Borges, Marilù Parolini, Eduardo de Gregorio, Bernardo Bertolucci
A man returns to the place where his father was murdered and tries to find closure. But he finds himself in a similar predicament as his late father instead.
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Cast & crew
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Giulio BrogiAthos Magnani, father and son
Alida ValliDraifa
Pippo CampaniniGaibazziFranco GiovanelliRasoriTino ScottiCosta (e con la partecipazione di)
Giuseppe BertolucciPortatore della testa di leoneClaudio CerioliBambino dell'osteriaChiara Reginabambina a casa di Draifa
Allen MidgetteSailor (uncredited)Attilio VitiTamer (uncredited)Reviews
A
Ariel_MartinSeptember 18, 2025
Ariel_MartinSeptember 18, 2025Visually poetic and rich in metaphor, the film uses elegant camerawork, refined art direction, and a lush score to craft a dreamlike atmosphere. Yet as a conventional narrative, it stumbles in two areas: the pacing is dull, and the thematic message remains frustratingly vague.
C
Cathy_McintoshSeptember 18, 2025
Cathy_McintoshSeptember 18, 2025One of two films Bernardo Bertolucci made in 1970 about Italian fascism—alongside the more well-known "The Conformist"—this film marked a creative turning point in his career. With distinctively stylized cinematography and a layered plot, it remains an absorbing work.