Скорбное бесчувствие (1987): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1987, Скорбное бесчувствие is a drama film directed by Aleksandr Sokurov, running about 110 minutes.

What it’s about. The action in this lavishly produced film takes place at an oddly ark-shaped mansion during World War I, and in spirit (although not in story) it reflects the play which inspired it, the ferociously antiwar Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw. A large group of family and friends have gathered at this country house to dance, drink, and converse. Their conversation, in particular, is adorned with erudite literary references and quotations. Despite their apparent refinement, their preoccupations are simple: sex and violence. Disquieting images break the tranquility of the vacationers' inappropriate idyll: some of these include documentary footage of starving African children, images (both real and re-enacted) of George Bernard Shaw going about his daily life, and a corpse coming to life on an autopsy table, only to cheapen that miracle by scolding a group of women. The music used in the film ironically points to its disturbing message and is uniformly anachronistic.

Who’s in it. Скорбное бесчувствие stars Ramaz Chkhikvadze as Shotover, Alla Osipenko as Ariadne, Tatiana Egorova as Hesione and Dmitry Bryantsev as Hector, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.1/10, Скорбное бесчувствие has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Скорбное бесчувствие page.

If you liked it. Fans of Скорбное бесчувствие tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.