Teorema (Theorem) (1968)

86% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(3,614 ratings)

Terence Stamp is known only as "The Visitor" in Pier Paolo Pasolini's Teorema. The mysterious stranger insinuates himself into the home of a wealthy Italian family, where he exerts a curious, sensual spirituality over everyone in the household. He then proceeds to seduce everyone in the family (male… More Terence Stamp is known only as "The Visitor" in Pier Paolo Pasolini's Teorema. The mysterious stranger insinuates himself into the home of a wealthy Italian family, where he exerts a curious, sensual spirituality over everyone in the household. He then proceeds to seduce everyone in the family (male and female) including the maid, which gives each person some sort of unique epiphany. Because he reveals so little about his innermost thoughts, "The Visitor" becomes all things to all people. What it boils down to is this: Is the enigmatic visitor Christ, or is he the Devil? Matching Terence Stamp's multi-textured performance every step of the way is Laura Betti as the family's maid; Betti, in fact, won the "Best Actress Award" at the 1968 Venice Film Festival. Director Pasolini adapted the screenplay of Teorema from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Written By: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Sep 7, 1968 Wide
On DVD: Oct 4, 2005
Studio: Continental Motion Pictures

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
The narrative, almost silent in the first half, is unusually clear for a film by Pasolini. Performance by all members of the cast are praiseworthy, though Stamp dominates the first half and Betti, the second.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
The movie itself is the message, a series of cool, beautiful, often enigmatic scenes that flow one into another with the rhythm of blank verse.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
I don't feel ready to write about this mysterious film; perhaps, a week from now, I'll decide it is very bad, a failure. But perhaps it is the most brilliant work yet by that strange director, Pier Paolo Pasolini.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Apart from his final feature, Salo, this is probably Pier Paolo Pasolini's most controversial film, and to my mind one of his very best.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A heavily symbolic and highly intellectual look at the bourgeois milieu and the effect that a mysterious visitor, Stamp, has on one specific family.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
You'll either find it brilliant, or maddening. And neither response would be wrong.
, Time Out
What would be pretentious and strained in the hands of most directors, with Pasolini takes on an intense air of magical revelation.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
A must-see for fans of Terence Stamp and his magical British package. Others beware.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
Highly regarded in some quarters, Pier Paulo Pasolini's Teorema is basically a film about Terence Stamp's crotch.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
earnest experiment, but it's simply too obtuse to be a success, and too undercooked (not to mention sloppily put together) to make much of an impact
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A magical lyrical work about the improbable.
Jon Fortgang, Film4
A fascinating, infuriating, cryptic allegory featuring a performance from Terence Stamp as memorable as his brilliant blue stare.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

Arresting and profound! The film begins with the ending. Stamp acts as an awakener to the pseudo-existence of the bourgeoisie. Stamp's character can be summarized by a Nick Cave lyric: I found god and all of his devils inside h(im). The second half of the film, or upon… More
Arresting and profound! The film begins with the ending. Stamp acts as an awakener to the pseudo-existence of the bourgeoisie. Stamp's character can be summarized by a Nick Cave lyric: I found god and all of his devils inside h(im). The second half of the film, or upon Stamp's departure, is lingeringly complex. Upon initial viewing and at a cursory level, I find each character reacting to their a...wakening or crisis of the spirit, through means of the physical, insanity, art, sexuality, misguided spirituality, or stripped naked of materialism, possibly lost in the horror of recognition. I know there is a statement in this film about society, the spirit, and its relation to the human condition and experience: I just don't know what to think of it yet.
moon r

A very Christian rumination: what is the meaning of life? Pasolini poetically, lyrically offers the Book of Ecclessiates by Solomon (" ... everything is vanity ") for consideration. Made in the Sixties it reflects some of the counter- cultural ideas that were sweeping… More
A very Christian rumination: what is the meaning of life? Pasolini poetically, lyrically offers the Book of Ecclessiates by Solomon (" ... everything is vanity ") for consideration. Made in the Sixties it reflects some of the counter- cultural ideas that were sweeping through the affluent West at that time.
AJ V

Another strange movie from Pasolini, about a strange visitor and the strange things he does like having everyone fall in love with him! Interesting concept, but the end falls flat, and it's not clear at all.
Robert C

My first Pasolini film and I have to say I was both impressed and a little disapointed at the same time. A film that (when taken at face value) could be simply labled as abstract and hypersexual and mistakenly dismissed as JUST that. But for those who enjoy really deconstructing and… More
My first Pasolini film and I have to say I was both impressed and a little disapointed at the same time. A film that (when taken at face value) could be simply labled as abstract and hypersexual and mistakenly dismissed as JUST that. But for those who enjoy really deconstructing and putting a little thought into their analysis, will find layers of thought provoking symbolism and (sometimes) uncomfortable realism. The cast is amazing. Stamp in particular bringing both deeply knowing, yet totally illusive appeal to his character.
Emily A

Few movies can inspire the spontaneous loss of consciousness like this one. It's just an ugly, badly dubbed and badly acted film that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The moral of the story sppears to be that sex with Terence Stamp will severely mess up your life.
Eric B

Soaked in symbolism and mystery, "Teorema" is one of those films where even the most basic plot elements could launch a debate. What really happened here? Loosely similar to "Six Degrees of Separation" in theme, "Teorema" is set in a large mansion… More
Soaked in symbolism and mystery, "Teorema" is one of those films where even the most basic plot elements could launch a debate. What really happened here? Loosely similar to "Six Degrees of Separation" in theme, "Teorema" is set in a large mansion populated by a middle-aged couple, their daughter Odetta, their son Pietro and a few servants. After an incoming telegram announces "ARRIVING TOMORROW," the family casually accepts the extended stay of an intense, handsome lad with piercing blue eyes (a young, wiry Terence Stamp). We have no idea about his previous connection to the others, if there is one. When he first appears onscreen, Odetta blankly identifies him as "a boy." Stamp's smoldering magnetism proceeds to seduce everyone who sees his flaunted trouser bulges. The maid, son, mother and daughter soon offer themselves to him, almost as if hypnotized. The father takes a more indirect route, and instead re-channels his desire into brutish sex with his wife. Their virile guest's motives remain unclear. Stamp seems more concerned with psychological domination than lust, and his words are no help because the script's dialogue is eerily sparse. And the others don't get much time to probe him, because he leaves shortly after completing his conquests. But the film is only halfway through. And here is where the tale leaves behind realism and turns much more interesting. The characters whom Stamp has touched discover new abilities and feelings within themselves, and change in ways which shouldn't be spoiled in a review. None of our lingering questions are answered, and we're only left to speculate why Stamp affected these people so deeply. Is he God? The Devil? Director Pier Paolo Pasolini isn't telling.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Teorema" is a strange and difficult movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. There is very little dialogue(one sequence is filmed similar to a silent movie with no sound and faded color) and it is very hard to tell exactly what is happening… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Teorema" is a strange and difficult movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. There is very little dialogue(one sequence is filmed similar to a silent movie with no sound and faded color) and it is very hard to tell exactly what is happening early in the movie.(There are occasional unexplained shots of a mysterious desert.) Terence Stamp plays an outsider staying with a wealthy family who has sex with everything that moves with some very weird aftereffects.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]I am not sure what Pasolini's intentions were. Maybe the film was meant as a commentary on class conflict, considering that it starts out with an industrialist giving his factory to his workers.[/font]
Joey N

what. the. hell.

Read all 8 featured audience ratings

Cast

Silvana Mangano
as Mother
Terence Stamp
as Visitor
Massimo Girotti
as Father

Anne Wiazemsky
as Daughter
Laura Betti
as Maid
Ninetto Davoli
as Messenger

See full cast