Down the Ancient Stairs (1975)

Dante's Inferno is Alive and Well

Down the Ancient Stairs (1975) poster

A mental hospital somewhere in Tuscany during the thirties. Far away from fascism, this closed world is rules over by Dr. Bonaccorsi, a passionate benevolent psychiatrist whose dream is to isolate the germ of madness. He is also a very active ladies'man and makes three women benefit from his sexual itch: Francesca the hospital manager's wife, Bianca, his devoted nurse and Carla, a nymphomaniac doctor's wife. His well-ordered universe starts being challenged with the coming of Anna, a trainee psychiatrist, who disapproves of his theory on the origin of madness. Worse, she resists his advances. As Bonaccorsi is more insecure than he looks, what will become of him?

Director: Mauro Bolognini
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 110 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Ennio Morricone
Cinematography: Ennio Guarnieri
Country: Italy
Language: Italiano
Original Language: it
More Films by Director: Mauro Bolognini
More Films in Genre: Drama

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Down the Ancient Stairs about?
A mental hospital somewhere in Tuscany during the thirties. Far away from fascism, this closed world is rules over by Dr. Bonaccorsi, a passionate benevolent psychiatrist whose dream is to isolate the germ of madness. He is also a very active ladies'man and makes three women benefit from his sexual itch: Francesca the hospital manager's wife, Bianca, his devoted nurse and Carla, a nymphomaniac doctor's wife. His well-ordered universe starts being challenged with the coming of Anna, a trainee psychiatrist, who disapproves of his theory on the origin of madness. Worse, she resists his advances. As Bonaccorsi is more insecure than he looks, what will become of him?
Who directed Down the Ancient Stairs?
Down the Ancient Stairs was directed by Mauro Bolognini.
Who stars in Down the Ancient Stairs?
Down the Ancient Stairs stars Marcello Mastroianni, Barbara Bouchet, Françoise Fabian, Silvano Tranquilli, Marthe Keller, Lucia Bosè.
How long is Down the Ancient Stairs?
Down the Ancient Stairs has a runtime of 1h 50m (110 minutes).
What genre is Down the Ancient Stairs?
Down the Ancient Stairs is a Drama film.
Where was Down the Ancient Stairs produced?
Down the Ancient Stairs was produced in Italy.