Movie of the Week: The Name of the Rose (1986) - A Masterpiece of Medieval Mysteries
"The Name of the Rose," a 1986 film, is a fascinating adaptation of the eponymous novel by Umberto Eco. Set in a remote Italian monastery in the 14th century, this film is a captivating blend of historical drama, mystery, and philosophical reflection. In this article, we'll explore the film's background story, the cast, and some interesting trivia.
Background Story
"The Name of the Rose" tells the story of William of Baskerville, a Franciscan monk who is called to a monastery to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. The film is a profound exploration of themes such as faith, knowledge, and power, embedded in an exciting detective story.
The film is based on the eponymous novel by Umberto Eco, an Italian writer and semiotician known for his detailed historical novels. Eco taught at the University of Bologna, and there's a charming reference to him in the film when William of Baskerville comes across a book by "Umberto of Bologna."
The Cast
"The Name of the Rose" boasts an impressive cast, led by Sean Connery in the role of William of Baskerville. Interestingly, Connery's career was at such a low point when he auditioned for the role that Columbia Pictures initially refused to finance the film when director Jean-Jacques Annaud cast him.
Other notable members of the cast include Christian Slater, who plays the young novice Adso in one of his first film roles, and Ron Perlman, who took on the role of Salvatore, a character who speaks "six languages at once."
Historical Figures in the Film
Some of the characters in "The Name of the Rose" are indeed historical figures. Bernardo Gui, Ubertino da Casale, Michele da Cesena, and Cardinal Bertrand (Bertrando del Poggetto) are all historical characters, although their fate in the film does not necessarily reflect what happened to them in real life.
Trivia
There are many interesting facts about "The Name of the Rose." For example, director Jean-Jacques Annaud had purposely not written a lot of dialogue for the film in order to more easily secure funding. However, when they started filming, he wanted Perlman to talk in all his scenes. Since Salvatore was described as a character who speaks "six languages at once" (among them Latin, Italian, German, English, and French), Perlman got copies of the book in all those languages. He then composed mixed-language sentences by combining words from Salvatore's sentences from each book.
"The Name of the Rose" is a fascinating film that offers a profound exploration of themes such as faith, knowledge, and power, embedded in an exciting detective story. It is a film that is appreciated both for its gripping plot and its profound philosophical reflection.
