TĂNASE SCATIU (1976) – drama film online

Directed by: Dan Pița
Script: Mircea Gheorghiu, after „Tănase Scatiu” by Duiliu Zamfirescu
Cast: Victor Rebengiuc, Eliza Petrăchescu, Vasile Nițulescu, Andrei Pintilie, András Csiky, Dan Nuțu, Christina Nuțu, Rodica Tapalagă, Carmen Galin, Aristide Teica, Victor Strengaru, Corina Constantinescu, Ioana Ciomârtan, Ada D’Albon Azimioara, Costel Constantin, Mitică Popescu, Ferenc Bencze, Zoltán Vadász, Ovidiu Schumacher, Dorel Vișan, Constantin Sassu, Boris Petroff, Adrian Georgescu, Cătălina Pintilie, Corneliu Revent, Ileana Iordache, Valer Dellakeza, Cristina Hofman, Florin Zamfirescu, Carmen Galin, Mircea Diaconu
Producer: Corina Leu
Cinematography by: Nicolae Mărgineanu
Edited by: Cristina Ionescu
Sound: Bujor Suru, Vasile Rădulescu
Music: Adrian Enescu
Year: 1976
Category: Feature film
Genre: Drama
Duration: 120 minutes

45,717 – Cinepub viewers

PLOT SUMMARY

Screenization of the novel of the same name by Duiliu Zamfirescu. Drowned in debts, the landlord Murguleț agrees to wed his daughter, Tincuța, to the upstart Tănase Scatiu. The young man seizes the landlord’s property, which facilitates his climb up the social hierarchy. But the marriage fails miserably, and the newly rich man, who has meanwhile become a Member of Parliament, has to face the peasants’ revolt.

AWARDS:

• 1976 – ACIN – Director Award (Dan Pița)
• 1976 – ACIN – Image Award (Nicolae Mărgineanu)
• 1976 – ACIN – Award for Best Actress (Rodica Tapalagă)
• 1976 – ACIN – Award for Best Male Performance (Victor Rebengiuc)
• 1976 – ACIN – Costume Design Award (Lidia Luludis)

CRITICAL REVIEWS:

“Victor Rebengiuc has the exact intuition of the moral, temperamental and cultural structure of Tănase Scatiu, to whom he also gives an exceptional cinematographic form. The interpreter presents himself with an explosive and at the same time restrained deployment of his own repertoire of means and procedures, extended from the faithful notation of the banal, familiar gesture to the revealing outbursts of a «satanic» nature (…)” (Florian Potra, “Profession: the movie”, 1979).

TRIVIA:

• The movie was filmed in the commune of Coțofenii din Față, Dolj, 20 km from Craiova. A 200-year-old boyar manor house, declared a historical monument in 2004, was used in the film.
• Some locals acted in the movie for three months, each day being paid 50 lei.
• The character Tănase Scatiu was invented by writer Duliu Zamfirescu, inspired by a real person, a relative by marriage, the boyar Dumitru Simionescu Râmniceanu.

LINES:

“It’s better this way in court. I’m not cheating you, you’re not cheating me.” – Tănase Scatiu (Victor Rebengiuc)
“The peasant has become smarter than the nobleman!” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)
“This year I’ll make a lot of wheat. I’ll pay your debt.” – Dinu Murguleț (Vasile Nițulescu)
“Cognac is good for you only as long as you smell it!” – Profira (Eliza Petrăchescu)
“Too much book is bad. I put my Tănase to work as a child.” – Profira (Eliza Petrăchescu)
“Put the peasants to work, sir, that’s their job! Can’t you see you’re impoverishing me?” – Matei (Andrei Csiky)
“Man is an adaptable animal.” – Matei (Andrei Csiky)
“Don’t you teach me the trade, you filth!” – Profira (Eliza Petrăchescu)
“Your only thought is for brandy!” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)
“I tried to do business with him. To get out of debt. But I sunk even deeper. And he’s getting rich.” – Dinu Murguleț (Vasile Nițulescu)
“These peasants are ready to revolt!” – Dinu Murguleț (Vasile Nițulescu)
“Stop drinking, mom! People will see you!” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)
“The girl is good. Tăsică will take care of her.” – Profira (Eliza Petrăchescu)
“Forget it, father-in-law, she’ll be fine! You have gotten rid of your debt to me and I am left with the care of your estate. But I’m not sorry. Don’t you be sorry either.” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)
“It’s the end of the world, sir.” – Dinu Murguleț (Vasile Nițulescu)
“Tincuța has changed. The death of mother Sofica, then her father’s illness… and finally the baby. On top of that, Mr. Sotirescu’s snobbishness, which remained unchanged.” – Sașa (Cătălina Pintilie)
“Sofica! Come here! Don’t you want to stay with Dad? Come on! Go away! You ugly!” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)
“You may be great, you may have relatives who live near the King, but I’m in charge here. I run the land. I make the money. If it weren’t for me…” – Tănase (Victor Rebengiuc)

ARTICLES:

• The mansion where “Tănase Scatiu” was filmed lies in ruins and anonymity. Why director Dan Pița was fascinated by the superb heritage building – adevarul.ro
• Romanian movies on TVR I: “Tănase Scatiu” and “A Man in Loden” – tvr.ro
• The mansion in “Tănase Scatiu” is a ruin – adevarul.ro

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