The Conformist Budget
Drama1h 48mUpdated
Synopsis
A weak-willed Italian man becomes a fascist flunky who goes abroad to arrange the assassination of his old teacher, now a political dissident.
What is the budget of The Conformist?
"The Conformist," a drama released in 1971, was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and stars Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli. The production budget was $750,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of the 1970s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
- Production: The Conformist was filmed in locations throughout Rome and Paris.
What were the major cost factors in The Conformist?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Conformist."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does The Conformist's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $750,000, The Conformist sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- The General (1926): Budget $750,000, Worldwide Gross $1,000,000
- Meet the Feebles (1989): Budget $750,000, Worldwide Gross $80,000
- The Night of the Hunter (1955): Budget $795,000
- The Battle of Algiers (1966): Budget $800,000, Worldwide Gross $964,028
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940): Budget $800,000, Worldwide Gross $1,591,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Conformist Box Office Performance
"The Conformist" earned $238,792 domestically and $233,493 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $750,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "The Conformist," that break-even threshold was roughly $1,500,000. With worldwide earnings of $233,493, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $750,000
- Worldwide Gross: $233,493
- Net Return: −$516,507
- ROI: approximately -68.9%
At -68.9%, "The Conformist" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
The Conformist Production History
The soundtrack composed by Georges Delerue was originally released on LP in Italy in February 1971 by Cinevox. On 5 February 2013, Music Box Records released a limited edition of the soundtrack on CD, containing 15 previously unreleased songs.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 10 wins & 8 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Conformist (1971)?
The production budget was $750,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $375,000 - $600,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $1,125,000 - $1,350,000.
How much did The Conformist (1971) earn at the box office?
The Conformist grossed $238,792 domestic, $-5,299 international, totaling $233,493 worldwide.
Was The Conformist (1971) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $233,493 against an estimated $1,875,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Conformist?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Gastone Moschin); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Germany, France, Italy.
How does The Conformist's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $750,000, The Conformist is classified as a ultra-low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: The General (1926, $750,000); Meet the Feebles (1989, $750,000); The Night of the Hunter (1955, $795,000).
Did The Conformist (1971) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for The Conformist?
The theatrical ROI was -68.9%, calculated as ($233,493 − $750,000) ÷ $750,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Conformist (1971) win?
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 10 wins & 8 nominations total.
Who directed The Conformist and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, written by Bernardo Bertolucci, shot by Vittorio Storaro, with music by Georges Delerue, edited by Franco Arcalli.
Where was The Conformist filmed?
The Conformist was filmed in Germany, France, Italy. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Conformist
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