Partner (1968 film)

Partner is a 1968 Italian drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Pierre Clémenti and Stefania Sandrelli. The film is loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Double.

The plot revolves around Giacobbe (Clémenti), a radical theater professor in Rome deeply involved in avant-garde political and artistic expression. He is frustrated with the limitations of language and seeks to revolutionize society through his theatrical work. One day, he encounters a man who is his exact double, also named Giacobbe (also played by Clémenti). This doppelganger allows him to explore his radical ideas in a more extreme and unrestrained fashion.

The film explores themes of identity, political extremism, the power of theater, and the potential for revolution. The two Giacobbes represent different aspects of the protagonist's personality and ideology. The double enables him to act on impulses and engage in violent acts that he might otherwise suppress. The relationship between the two Giacobbes becomes increasingly complex and ambiguous, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

The film's style is characterized by its experimental approach, incorporating elements of surrealism and Brechtian theater. Bertolucci uses long takes, unconventional editing, and stylized camerawork to create a disorienting and unsettling atmosphere. The film’s political context is relevant, reflecting the student protests and social unrest of the late 1960s.