THE NAME OF THE ROSE
1986

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud

Cast
Sean Connery (William of Baskerville) * F. Murray Abraham (Bernardo Gui) * Christian Slater (Adso of Melk)
Elya Baskin (Severinus) * Michael Lonsdale (The Abbot) * Volker Prechtel (Malachia) * Feodor Chaliapin Jr. (Jorge de Burgos)
William Hickey (Ubertino da Casale) * Michael Habeck (Berenger) * Urs Althaus (Venantius) * Valentina Vargas (The Girl)
Ron Perlman (Salvatore) * Leopoldo Trieste (Michele da Cesena) * Franco Valobra (Jerome of Kaffa)
Vernon Dobtcheff (Hugh of Newcastle)

Writing credits:
Umberto Eco (novel). Andrew Birkin (screenplay)

Genre
Drama / Mystery / Thriller / Crime

Filming Locations
Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy (studio)
Kloster Eberbach, Eltville Am Rhein, Hessen, Germany
Rome, Lazio, Italy

Plot Summary

After a mysterious death in a Dominican Abbey, 1347, the monks are convinced that the apocalypse is coming. With the Abbey to play host to a council on the Franciscan's Order's belief that the Church should rid itself of wealth, William of Baskerville, a respected Franciscan monk, is asked to assist in determining the cause of the untimely death. Alas, more deaths occur as the investigation draws closer to uncovering the secret the Abbey wants hidden, and there is finally no stopping the Holy Inquisition from taking an active hand in the process. William and his young novice must race against time to prove the innocence of the unjustly accused, and avoid the wrath of Holy Inquisitor Bernardo Gui.
Summary written by Rick Munoz

Trivia

• William the Baskerville amazes himself when discovering a book in a version commented by a certain "Umberto of Bologna" - a reference to Umberto Eco, who teaches at the University of Bologna and is the author of the book the movie is based on.

• Michael Caine was the first choice to play William of Baskerville.

• Christian Slater was only 15 years old when he did his nude scene in this film with actress Valentina Vargas who was 22 at the time.

• "The Girl" (Valentina Vargas) is the only female character in the film, and she does not speak.

• The character of the Venerable Jorge de Burgos, a Spanish monk, is Umberto Eco's tribute to the Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges, who was also blind, and who wrote "The Library of Babel" which inspired elements of the story.

• In an interview, director Jean-Jacques Annaud said that Albert Finney, Richard Harris and Ian McKellen were also considered for the part of Brother William of Baskerville.

• Jean Jacques Annaud could not find an existing monastery to satisfy his vision for the film. The monastery in the film was a set built just for the movie.

• Sean Connery's career was at such a low point when he read for the role that Columbia pictures refused to finance the film when director Jean Jacques Annaud cast him as William of Baskerville.

ROSE: Talking about actors that are fun, you've also worked with Sean Connery, in 'Name of the Rose,' I understand that he also is sort of a goofy guy, Is that right?

PERLMAN: I don't know if goofy would apply to Sean, but he's a great raconteur. And you know when you have a guy who loves to tell stories, who's worked with the likes of John Huston and Alfred Hitchcock and you name it, who's done some of the most distinguished films in the last thirty years... I'm like a film buff, so anybody who's got stories to tell about the legends---I was his most devoted audience. He's a man's man, I mean he doesn't disappoint you, you think when you meet Sean, (doing impression) you think you're going to get a man's man, and he does not disappoint you. He's such a gifted actor as well.

ROSE: Bouncing off of him, that must be pretty amazing.

PERLMAN: Well, we had a couple of scenes that we were in together, but we had one that was basically one on one. He saw that I was sort of going in a comic direction with it, and all he wanted to do was be Abbott to my Costello. (impression of Sean) "you know, if we do this, Ron, it could be very funny!" Like woe! Man, the guy wants to do cheap bits! That stokes me!

 

Screen Captures