The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
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- Approved
- 2h 18min
- Biography, Drama
- 16 Sep 1965 (West Germany)
- Movie
The biographical story of Michelangelo's troubles while painting the Sistine Chapel at the urging of Pope Julius II.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Charlton Heston | ... |
Michelangelo
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| Rex Harrison | ... |
Pope Julius II
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| Diane Cilento | ... |
Contessina de'Medici
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| Harry Andrews | ... |
Bramante
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Alberto Lupo | ... |
Francesco Maria della Rovere, duke of Urbino
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| Adolfo Celi | ... |
Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici (pope Leo X)
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| Venantino Venantini | ... |
Paris De Grassis
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| John Stacy | ... |
Sangallo
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| Fausto Tozzi | ... |
Foreman
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| Maxine Audley | ... |
Woman
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| Tomas Milian | ... |
Raphael
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Fortunato Arena | ... |
Pope's Bodyguard (uncredited)
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Lars Bloch | ... |
Baron Von Silenen (uncredited)
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Angelo Boscariol | ... |
Papal Guard (uncredited)
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Calisto Calisti | ... |
Physician (uncredited)
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Enrico Chiappafreddo | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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Antonio Corevi | ... |
Banquet Guest (uncredited)
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Pasquale De Filippo | ... |
Priest Hit by Spilled Paint (uncredited)
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Gianni Di Segni | ... |
Man at Tavern (uncredited)
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Vito Fasano | ... |
Street Sweeper (uncredited)
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Umberto Felici | ... |
Nobleman (uncredited)
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Onofrio Fulli | ... |
Priest (uncredited)
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Eugenio Galadini | ... |
Cardinal (uncredited)
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| Gilberto Galimberti | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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Veriano Ginesi | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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| Andrea Giordana | ... |
Michelangelo's Assistant (uncredited)
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Margherita Horowitz | ... |
Noblewoman (uncredited)
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Paolo Magalotti | ... |
Papal Guard (uncredited)
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Vincenzo Maggio | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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Ugo Mari | ... |
Priest (uncredited)
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Gino Marturano | ... |
Soldier (uncredited)
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| Alec McCowen | ... |
Cardinal (uncredited)
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| Furio Meniconi | ... |
Peasant (uncredited)
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| Mario Meniconi | ... |
Cart Driver (uncredited)
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| Marvin Miller | ... |
Narrator (uncredited)
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Sandro Mondini | ... |
Banquet Guest (uncredited)
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Nino Musco | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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| Rosalba Neri | ... |
Seductive Woman (uncredited)
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Piero Pastore | ... |
Nobleman on Battlefield (uncredited)
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Mario Pennisi | ... |
Man Unimpressed by Pope's Arrival (uncredited)
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Adolfo Pezzini | ... |
Man at Quarry (uncredited)
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| Mimmo Poli | ... |
Tavern Customer (uncredited)
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Antonio Proietti | ... |
Nobleman (uncredited)
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| Giuliano Raffaelli | ... |
Michelangelo's Assistant (uncredited)
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| Amerigo Santarelli | ... |
Man Driving Cart (uncredited)
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Luigi Scavran | ... |
Priest (uncredited)
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Alberto Sorrentino | ... |
Prostitute's Client (uncredited)
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Dino Strano | ... |
Guard (uncredited)
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Amedeo Trilli | ... |
Tavern Customer with God's Face (uncredited)
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Mirko Valentin | ... |
Soldier (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Carol Reed | ||
Written by
| Irving Stone | ... | (based on the novel: "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by) |
| Philip Dunne | ... | (screen story and screenplay) |
Produced by
| Carol Reed | ... | producer (uncredited) |
| Elmo Williams | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
| Darryl F. Zanuck | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Music by
| Alex North | ||
Cinematography by
| Leon Shamroy | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Samuel E. Beetley | ... | film editor |
Production Design by
| John DeCuir | ... | (as John De Cuir) |
Art Direction by
| Jack Martin Smith | ... | (art direction) |
Set Decoration by
| Dario Simoni | ... | (set decorations) |
Costume Design by
| Vittorio Nino Novarese | ... | (costumes designed by) |
Makeup Department
| Grazia De Rossi | ... | hair stylist (as Grazia DeRossi) |
| Giancarlo Del Brocco | ... | makeup artist |
| Amato Garbini | ... | make-up |
Production Management
| Giorgio Zambon | ... | production manager: Italian |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Gus Agosti | ... | assistant director |
| Robert D. Webb | ... | second unit director |
Art Department
| Sam Gordon | ... | prop master |
| Howard Terpning | ... | poster designer |
| Alessandro Alberti | ... | assistant art director (uncredited) |
| Giovanni Natalucci | ... | set designer (uncredited) |
| Bruno Tempera | ... | property master (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Carlton W. Faulkner | ... | sound |
| Douglas O. Williams | ... | sound |
| James Corcoran | ... | sound supervisor (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| L.B. Abbott | ... | special photographic effects |
| Emil Kosa Jr. | ... | special photographic effects |
| Art Cruickshank | ... | special photographic effects (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Fortunato Arena | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Enrico Chiappafreddo | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Gilberto Galimberti | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Vincenzo Maggio | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Gino Marturano | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Raffaele Marino | ... | gaffer (as Raf Marino) |
| Leo McCreary | ... | key grip |
| Piero Portalupi | ... | photography: second unit |
| Cristo Verrillo | ... | electrician |
| Red Crawford | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Ruggero Peruzzi | ... | wardrobe maker (as R. Peruzzi) |
| Ed Wynigear | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Frederick Muller | ... | location manager (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Alexander Courage | ... | orchestrator |
| Alex North | ... | conductor |
| Franco Potenza | ... | choral music: composed and conducted by |
| Jerry Goldsmith | ... | composer: prologue (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Manlio Busoni | ... | voice dubbing: Adolfo Celi: Italian version (uncredited) |
| Emilio Cigoli | ... | voice dubbing: Rex Harrison: Italian version (uncredited) |
| Saul Cooper | ... | publicity director (uncredited) |
| Igino Cupelloni | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Vincenzo Labella | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Bruno Persa | ... | voice dubbing: Harry Andrews: Italian version (uncredited) |
| Giuseppe Rinaldi | ... | voice dubbing: Charlton Heston: Italian version (uncredited) |
| Rita Savagnone | ... | voice dubbing: Diane Cilento: Italian version (uncredited) |
| Massimo Turci | ... | voice dubbing: Tomas Milian: Italian version (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1965) (United States) (theatrical) (as 20th Century Fox)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1965) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Netherlands Fox Film Corporation (1965) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Fox Films (1966) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century-Fox (1967) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (United States) (tv) (broadcast premiere)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (United Kingdom) (video)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (United States) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (United States) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (United States) (DVD) (widescreen)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (United States) (DVD) (4 film collection)
- Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- CBS / Fox Video (1988) (United Kingdom) (video)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1984) (Australia) (video)
- CBS/Fox (1985) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1989) (United States) (VHS)
- Fox Video (1994) (United Kingdom) (video)
- Fox Video (1992) (United States) (VHS)
- Fox Video (1993) (United States) (VHS)
- Magnetic Video (1978) (United States) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Casa d'Arte di Firenze (wardrobe)
- American Optical Company (developed by: Todd-AO)
- Cinecittà (production facilities)
- Costumi d'Arte (costumes)
- Crest Digital (post-production)
- Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica (production facilities)
- Magna (developed by: Todd-AO)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Pope Julius II (Sir Rex Harrison) is eager to leave behind works by which he will be remembered. To this end he cajoles Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) into painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When not on the battlefield uniting Italy, the Pope nags Michelangelo to speed up his painful work on the frescoes.
Written by Ed Stephan |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | From the age of magnificence comes a new magnificence in motion pictures See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $10,000,000 (estimated) |
| Cumulative Worldwide Gross | $17,801,880 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | In his 1995 autobiography "In the Arena" Charlton Heston denied that Michelangelo Buonarroti was a homosexual. He also refused permission to use scenes from "The Agony and the Ecstasy" in the 1995 documentary "The Celluloid Closet" because he told the filmmakers he had done a lot of research for his role and could assure them that Michelangelo was not gay. See more » |
| Goofs | As shown in the movie, Michelangelo created a flat wooden platform on brackets built out from holes in the wall, high up near the top of the windows. But contrary to what is depicted in the film, he did not lie on this scaffolding while he painted, but painted from a standing position. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited from Prologue: The Artist Who Did Not Want to Paint (1965). See more » |
| Quotes |
[repeated exchange]
Pope Julius II: When will you make an end? Michelangelo: When I am finished! See more » |