SarinaSingh

04/22/16
th
20 CenturyEurope
PowerDynamicsinSalo
and
TheConformist
Givenitstroubledandbrutalhistoryofoppression,thefascistperiodiseasyto
criticizeasanevilandterribletimeperiodthatisfarremovedfrommodernsociety.
However,anexaminationofthemanyfascistregimesmakesonequestionhowthosein
powerjustifiedpreservingthefascistregimeforsolong,andwhetherhumantendencies
towardspreservationofpowerhavereallychangedthatmuch.Ratherthanendlessly
criticizethefacelessideologyoffascism,orreduceAdolphHitlerandBenitoMussolini
ascharismaticanomalies,manyItalianfilmmakersattemptedtofurtherexaminethe
deeprootedpsychologicalcharacteristicsandbasichumanneedsthatpreservedsucha
morallycorruptsystem.PierPaoloPasolinisSalo,or120DaysofSodom,andBernardo
BertoluccisTheConformistexplorethepsychologicalaspectoffascism.Thesetwo
artistswerecloselyinterconnected,andseemedtosharesimilarviewsonsocietyand
powerdivisions.Infact,PasolinievenwrotethescreenplayofBertoluccisfirstfeature
filmreleasedin1962,LaCommareSecca.Althoughbothapproachthedepictionof
fascismonahumanscale,ratherthanagrandpoliticalone,theytaketwoverydifferent
routesindisplayinghowfascismappealstopeoplesdesires.While,faithfultoitstitle,
TheConformistdepictsafruitlesssearchfornormalcy,Salodepictsadepravedsearchfor
pleasureintheradicalsubjugationofthelesspowerful.SaloandTheConformistforce
theaudiencetoquestionwhethertheexploitativefascistgovernmentisreallythatdistant
fromthewealthyandpowerfulclassoftodayshighlycapitalisticandindividualistic
society.

BertoluccisandPasolinisruthlessportrayalsofcompletelyirredeemablefascist
charactersreflectthedeepdisdainoffascistsandformerfasciststhatpervadedItalian
societysincethemidtolate1940s.Around1945,manyofthefascistgovernments,
includingthoseinBerlin,Oslo,andSalo,hadbeguntocollapse.1NotonlyinItaly,but
alsothroughoutallofEuropeantifascistrevoltsgainedsupportandmademany
Europeansoptimisticabouttheeventualoverthrowoffascistleaders.Accordingto
historianRoyPalmerDomenico,physicaldangerhadbecomeafactoflifeforthe
fascistsbytheendofthewar.2Oneonlyneedstolookatthebrutalexecutionof
Mussoliniandhismistress,andthemanyillegitimate,makeshifttrialsandexecutionsof
fascistsforanaffirmationofthehatredoftheItalianfascistperiod.3Therefore,itisonly
fittingthatItalianfilmmadeaboutthefascistperiod,eveninthe1970s,depictsfascists
asunfeelingandunsympathetic.TheConformistfollowsamemberofthesquadristi,the
fascistsecretpolice,namedMarcelloClerici.Themajorityofthefilmtakesplacein
France,whereClericihasbeensentbythegovernmenttoassassinatehisformer
professor,adissidentwhoescapedtoParis.Althoughhiscoverstoryisthatheisthereon
ahoneymoonwithhisnewwife,Giulia,hefallsinlovewiththeprofessorswife,Anna
Quadri.Theprofessorinvitesthecoupletotheirhouseinthemountains,andClerici,
seeingthisexcursionasanopportunitytoassassinateProfessorQuadri,triesto
discourageAnnafromgoinginordertosaveherfromthesamefate.However,ultimately
sheremainssteadfastinherposition.Fascistscornerthecouplescarinthemountains
1RoyPalmerDomenico,ItalianFascistsonTrial19431948(ChapelHill:The
UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,1991),138.
2Ibid,146.
3Ibid,150.

andtheprofessorisstabbedtodeath.AnnarunstoMarcelloscar,whereheissitting
placidly,andknocksonhiswindowandscreamsindespair.SeeingMarcellosapathy,
sherunsintothewoods,wheresheiseventuallychaseddownbyfascistagentsandshot
todeath.ThissamethemeofunrepentantviolenceisseeninSalo,whichtakesplacein
theItalianSocialRepublic(RSI)ofSalo.Thefascistgovernmentinthispuppetrepublic
wasnotoriouslybrutalandunforgiving.DuringthefascistreignintheSaloRepublic,
72,000weremurdered,40,000mutilatedandroughlythesamenumber[were]sentto
camps,and,inonesmallItaliantown,Marzabotto,2,000villagersweremassacred
andanumberofwomenandchildrenweresexuallyhumiliated.4Pasolinicouldnothave
chosenamoreappropriatesettingforhisfilm,whichis,moreorless,anunrelenting
spectacleofintensifyinghorrors.HeadaptedSalo,120DaysofSodomfromtheinfamous
MarquisdeSadenovel120DaysofSodom.Thefilmlargelymirrorsthenovel,inwhich
bothyoungmenandwomenarebroughttoanisolatedmansion,onlytobesubjecttothe
whimsoffourmalelibertines.Fourolderwomentelllasciviousandsometimeseven
extremelyviolentstorieswithasenseofchildlikewonder,whileeveryonesitsinthe
largeballroomandwatches.Thesewomenwereprostitutes,sotheytrulyhaveastrange
varietyofstories.Apianistplaysthroughoutthefilm,whilethemalelibertinesusethe
youngmenandwomentofulfillanyoftheirdesires.Eachdemeaningactexceedsthelast
initscompletewickednessanddegeneracy,untilultimatelytheremainingvictimsare
torturedandkilledassomeofthelibertineslookonwithoperaglassesfromthemansion.
SincethecontentofSalodoesnotdiffermuchfromdeSadesnovel,thesettingis
4R.T.Witcombe,TheNewItalianCinema:StudiesinDanceandDespair(NewYork:
OxfordUniversityPress,1982),148.

particularlyimportant.WhileTheConformistisdecisivelyafilmsetinfascistItaly,
Salossettingfeelssomewhatambiguoussinceittakesplaceinanisolatedmansionaway
fromovertpoliticallife.Ascreenprefacingthefilmstatingthatthefilmoccursin
NorthernItaly,duringtheNazifascistoccupation,thetitle,andacoupleofminorand
inconspicuousartifacts,includingMussoliniontheradiodiscussingthegloryofthe
fascistyouthinthebackgroundofonedinner,aretheonlymanifestationsofthefascist
setting.However,withthisinformation,thedebauchedcontentofdeSadesnovel
developsintoacommentaryontheappallinginstitutionalizedcrueltyofthefascist
governmentofSalo,and,inextension,ofItaly.Thefascistgovernment,notunlikethe
fourlibertinesinthefilm,isdevoidofanydegreeofhumanityorempathy.Thelossof
Pasolinisbrother,whowaskilledduringtheoppositiontoMussolinisrepublicin1944,
likelydeepenedhisderisionforfascists.5TheConformistportraysthebrutalityoffascists
throughapathy.Marcelloisverydisconnectedfromalmosteveryone,includinghisown
wife.However,heturnshisheadawayastheonlypersonhefeelsatruebondwith
Annascreamstobesavedfromdeathinascenethatepitomizesthecallousnessof
Italianfascists.
WhileTheConformistsubtlycritiquestheshallow,butaestheticallypleasingbourgeois
lifestyle,Salorelentlesslyattacksthebourgeoisiesblatantexploitationofthepoor.
Aroundthetimewhenthesefilmsweremade,Italywasinatimeofpoliticalunrest.One
particularlyintriguingprotestwasthesocalledbattleofValleGiulia,a1968
demonstrationinwhichUniversityofRomestudentssetcarsandvansonfire,and

5Ibid,153.

injured46policemen.6Thisincident,whichwastheclimaxoftheirrevolt,represented,in
part,theinabilityofexistingItalianinfrastructuretohandlethenewreformsinstitutedby
thegovernment.Thesereforms,whichdoubledthenumberofstudents,included
compulsoryeducationforallItaliansuntiltheageoffourteen,butthegovernmentdidnot
makeenoughchangestoaccommodatethislargespikestudents.7Inaddition,thestudents
wantedtheUniversitytogivethemmoreautonomyfordecidingthecourseoftheir
education.However,PierPaoloPasolinihadnosympathyforthestudents.Althoughthey
werebotheffectivelycommuniststhoughitshouldbenotedthatmanyofthestudents
opposedthePCI,ofwhichPasoliniclaimedmembership8andanticonsumerists,hedid
notfindtheirclaimslegitimate.Theartistwroteascathingpoemcriticizingtheleftwing
militants,inwhichhedeclared,Whentheotherday,atVillaGiuliayoufought/the
police,/IcantellyouIwasontheirside./Becausethepolicearethesongsofthepoor./
Theycomefromsubtopias,inthecitiesandthecountryside9Whyshouldhefeelbad
forthesespoiltrichbrats,10afterall?Hispoem,thoughheavilycriticized,well
representedhisattitudetowardswhathesawasthebourgeoisietakingadvantageofthe
poor.Heresentedthatthestudentsreceivedallthepressandattention,whilethepolice,
thetruevictimsinhiseyes,wereessentiallypaintedasaggressors.11Pasolinissympathy
forthepoorandunderprivilegedisveryevidentinSalo,astheexploitationofthe

6 PaulGinsborg,AHistoryofContemporaryItaly:SocietyandPolitics19431988
(London:PenguinBooks,1990),304.
7Ibid,300.
8Ibid,305.
9Ibid,307.
10Ibid,307.
11Ibid,304.

poor12isamajorthemeinthefilm.Pasolinihasnoreservationsaboutcritiquingthe
bourgeoisie.Atonepoint,oneofthelibertinesevendeclares,itiswhenIseeothers
degradedthatIrejoiceknowingitisbettertobemethanthescumofthepeople
becauseinalltheworldnovoluptuousnessmoreflattersthesensesthansocial
privilege.13Pasolinibelievedthatthebourgeoisiewerelivinglavish,consumerist
lifestylesattheexpenseofthepoor.Thisclassdifferenceisclearinthewaypeopleare
dressedinthefilm.Whilethewomenarealwaysoutfittedinfancydressesandopulent
jewelry,theyoungmenandwomenthatareheldprisonersaredressedveryplainly,and
even,atonepoint,reducedtoactingasdogs.Thelibertinesandthewomensimplydonot
careforthewelfareoftheyoungprisoners.TheConformistislessovertlycriticalofthe
bourgeoisie,thoughtherearesubtlehintsattheirflaws.ThebeautifulGiulia,Marcello
Clericiswife,livesverycomfortably.Atonepoint,sheevenseemstobelievethatsheis
inafilm.AsshetellsMarcellothestoryofherexploitswithanolderman,sheacts
bizarrelydramatic,exaggeratinghereverymoveandword.Shebecomesobsessedwith
Annasmaterialwealth,andseemstofindnogreaterpleasurethaninshopping.Sheis
enchantedbythefursandclothesthatshebuys,butshedoesnothaveseemtohave
anythingdeeperinsideofher.AfterAnnasdeath,theaudiencelearnsfromadialogue
betweenGiuliaandMarcellothatAnnatoldherthatheispartofMussolinissecret
police.Marcelloaskedherwhatshesaid,towhichshereplied,inessence,thatshe
believedthathewouldnotdoanythingthatwasnttherightthingtodo.Atthispointin
thefilm,thefascistregimeisintatters,andMarcellonolongerholdsthesamestatusas
12Witcombe,153.
13Saloor120DaysofSodom,directedbyPierPaoloPasolini(1975;NewYork,NY:
TheCriterionCollection,1998),DVD.

hedidbefore.Giuliastone,unlikebeforeinthefilm,isveryinsecureandunconfident.
Clearly,shedoesnotreallybelievewhatshesays,butshelikelydidnotspeakoutagainst
Marcellobecauseshefearedlosingherluxuriouslifestyle.However,oncethefascist
regimefalls,sodoesherstandardofliving,andshehasnothingtolosebyinquiringabout
hisinvolvement.Thus,thoseinpower,thosewithwealth,willtrytomaintaintheir
wealthatallcosts,nomatterhowitaffectsothers.
SaloandTheConformistdepictthesuffocatingnatureofpowerandthedangerofbeing
complicitinpreservinganunethicalsystem.InSalo,thepianist,mostlyrelegatedtothe
background,commitssuicide.Inaverybriefscene,sheisseenjumpingoutthewindow
justbeforethefinalactoftortureandslaughteroftheyoungprisoners.Perhapsthis
pianistisarepresentativeoftheaudience.Shedoesnotexplicitlypartakeinthe
exploitativeactivities,butinherinaction,sheispassivelyconveyingacceptanceand
normalizingtheactionsofthelibertines.Itisworthnotingthatthisfilmwasbannedin
ItalyandremovedinLondonbythevicesquad,14thoughfromcriticsitreceived
opinionsrangingfromunconditionaladmirationtounconditionalrejection.15However,
itisunquestionablethatPasoliniunderstoodthattheexplicitactswouldmakethe
audienceuncomfortablewithwhatwashappeningonscreen.Audienceswhorejectthe
filmonaccountofitssalaciousnaturearemissingthepointentirely.Orperhapsthe
libertines,ratherthanthepianist,arerepresentativeoftheaudience.For,attheendofthe
film,thelibertineswatchfromadistancewithoperaglassesastheoneprisonersfleshis
burnedandanotherhasherscalpgraphicallypeeledoff.Theaudienceisthesame,
14Witcombe,153.
15MiraLiehm,PassionandDefiance:FilminItalyfrom1942tothePresent(Berkeley:
UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1984),292.

watchingtheoppressionandchaosfromadistance,perhapsforsomestrangesortof
entertainment.Pasolinirejectedthecapitalistconsumerstate,inwhichhearguedpeople
mustbecomemorecruelinordertosucceed.16Theviolenceinthefilmisadirect
paralleltohowhebelievedpeopletreatedeachotherinacapitalist,consumeriststate.
PasolinionceevensaidthatheconsideredconsumerismtobeaFascismworsethanthe
classicalone,becauseclericalFascismdidntreallytransformItalians,didntenterinto
them.Itwasatotalitarianstatebutnotatotalizingone.17Pasoliniwaslikelyreactingto
thesocalledeconomicmiracleofItalyin19501970,inwhichItalyexperienced
economicgrowthduetoincreasedtradeofmanufacturedgoodsandthepopularityof
massproductionformassmarkets.18Asincomeincreased,advertisingexpanded,since
Italianshadmoredisposableincometospend.Thus,theriseofconsumerismisglaringly
evidentintheincreaseintheamountifItalianfamilieswhoownedatelevision,which
increasedfrom12percentin1958to65percentin1965.19However,urbanization
resultingfromeconomicgrowthdidbringasenseofisolationtoformerlycollective
mindedItaliancommunities.Familiesbecamemoreinsular,andurbanizationfor
southernemigrantsresultedintheabsenceofcollectivefestivals,ofthepiazzaasa
meetingpoint,ofstreetliving,andofinterfamilyvisits.20Thistypeofindividualist
communityisexactlythetypeofsocietythatPasoliniclaimedtocritiqueinSalo.
Bertolucciwaslessfocusedonconsumerism,andmorefocusedontheevaluationof
16Witcombe,154.
17RichardBrody,PasolinisTheorem,TheNewYorker,December29,2011,
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richardbrody/pasolinistheorem/.
18Ginsborg,213.
19Ibid,239.
20Ibid,243.

socialnorms.HisemotionlessprotagonistMarcellohasastrangeexperienceasachild,
whereachauffeurpickshimupasayoungchildandattemptstotakeadvantageofhim.
Thechauffeurletshimplaywithhisgun,andMarcelloshootsitacoupleoftimes,and
ultimatelybelievesthathehaskilledthechauffeur(thoughattheendofthefilm,he
realizesthatthechauffeuris,infact,alive).Thisexperiencehauntshim,bothbecausehe
thinkshemighthavekilledaman,butalsobecausethehomosexualexperiencemakes
himfeelguilty.Inconfession,thepriestfindsthehomosexualexperiencemoreupsetting
thanthepossiblehomicide,whichfurtherjustifiesMarcellosguilt.Thus,inanattemptto
distancehimselffromthisexperience,hesearchesfornormalcyandacceptance,whichhe
findsinthefascistmovement.Thecinematographyofeverysceneisimbuedwithasense
ofstrictorder,whichiswhatMarcellofindsappealing.Hesacrificeshisindependence
foranormallifestyle,duetotheculturalstigmatizationofhishomosexualexperience,as
wellasthepersonalguilthecarried.Inthefilm,BertoluccialsomakesclearthatClerici
isfromawelltodofamily.Thus,perhapslikeGiuliaaswell,heisusedtoacertain
elevatedstandardofliving.R.T.WitcombeclaimsthatathemeofBertoluccisfilmsis
thedifficultyinthechoicebetweenpoliticalconscienceandtheweightofonesown
culturalupbringing,21athemethatiscertainlyprevalentinTheConformist.Whywould
Marcellodenouncefascismifitwouldntbepersonallybeneficialforhim?Attheendof
thefilm,thefascistregimehasfallen,andMarcellomeetswithhisfascistblindfriend.
Allofasudden,hepointstohimandloudlyshouts,Fascist!ashisfriendbegshimto
stop.Marcelloisanopportunistandanindividualist.Bertoluccisclaimsabout
normalizingfascistviolencecouldjustaswellbeaboutnormalizingoppressionofthe
21Witcombe,87.

poorinacapitalistsociety.Inoneofhisotherfilms,acharacterdeclaresthatThereisno
escapeforthechildrenofthebourgeoisie,sincethosewholivecomfortablyhavelittle
reasontoexaminetheirconscience.22Perhapsthisistrue,anditleaveslittlehopeforthe
improvementofanindividualistsociety.
BothBernardoBertolucciandPierPaoloPasolinicritiquedthefascistregimewithout
shyingawayfromtheflawsofmodernsociety.Pasoliniwasmurdered,runoverbyhis
owncar,shortlyafterthereleaseofSaloin1975,andtothisdayhisdeathremainsa
mystery,astheboywhoclaimstohavemurderedhimafterherefusedPasolinis
unwantedadvancesrecantedhisconfession.OnewouldwonderwhatPasoliniwouldsay
abouttodayshyperconsumeristculture,exacerbatedbymoderntechnology,whereone
cannotgoabouttheirdaywithoutfeelingtheeffectsoflivinginahighlycapitalistic
society.

22Witcombe,86.

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