Marco Polo (1982)

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Movie
German title Marco Polo
Original title Marco Polo
Country of production Italy , USA , People's Republic of China
original language English
Publishing year 1982
length 504 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Giuliano Montaldo
script David Butler
Vincenzo Labella
Giuliano Montaldo
production Vincenzo Labella
music Ennio Morricone
camera Pasqualino De Santis
cut John A. Martinelli
occupation

Marco Polo is the title of a four-part miniseries produced in 1982 in which Ken Marshall plays the lead role. It tells the true story of the adventures of the Venetian merchant's son Marco Polo .

It was the first collaboration of its kind between a Western and a Chinese television broadcaster.

action

The plot is told retrospectively and chronologically from the moment Marco Polo was arrested in Genoa by the church and they began to examine Rustichello's writings according to the allegations made against him.

Marco Polo grew up in Venice and was raised by his uncle Zane and his aunt Flora, cloth merchants by trade. His mother dies when he is still a child; He never met his father, who is on a long business trip in Asia beyond Persia , which is said to be only alive with beasts and evil spirits. However, with his friends, he dreams of having a great adventure in distant lands, and therefore even builds his own ship.

At this moment Marco's father Niccolò and his uncle Matteo Polo arrive in Venice. The first meeting between father and son takes place. He learns from them that they have been sent by the great Kublai Khan to find Christian scholars to accompany them in his kingdom. The Khan, open to other religions, also asks for consecrated oil from Jesus' Church of the Holy Sepulcher . He also wants trade with Venice and Europe.

However, the request can only be fulfilled by the Pope. However, since the conclave has been meeting for four years , the Polos are sent to Akko ( Israel ) by the Doge of Venice, who also wants trade with the Khan, to present the request of the papal legate, Teobaldo Visconti, not knowing that he will be elected Pope Gregory X in a few months . Marco is only allowed to accompany his father and uncle east at the request of the Pope.

Exertions and hardships mark the way. Eventually the group arrives in Mongolia . Here he befriends Chinkin, Kublai Khan's son , who suffers from epilepsy , and is highly valued by Kublai for his skills. Thanks to his skill, Marco managed to be promoted to Prefect of the Khan and as such to visit all of China, where he also had to experience how Kublai failed in his attempt to conquer Japan , which weakened his empire. He also witnesses how the corrupt regent Achmet intrigues against him and tries to kill him and how he finally falls victim to his own corruption and how internal conspiracies cause the Mongol ruler to wage a war against his brother Nayan, which Kublai Khan ultimately wins, which to secure his power, however, his empire is additionally weakened internally.

He also witnessed his friend Chinkin die of his illness. Finally, Marco decides to return to Venice with his family when his father wants to return because of his age. A Kublai, who is already dying of old age, allows her to bring a Mongol princess to the Khan of Persia so that she can marry him, which should lead to the strengthening of his empire. You agree and, with a heavy heart, Kublai says goodbye to him.

Years later, when Marco Polo returned to Venice as a rich man and soon had to go to war against Genoa together with Venice , he was injured and captured by the Genoese during the war. He spent nine months in prison and, waiting for his possible death, he confided his experiences to the scribe Rustichello, who wrote them down. When the Church in Genoa learns of these writings, he is arrested by her. He is accused of lying in the scriptures, of worshiping pagan gods and of trying to bring heretical influence to Italy.

In the winter of 1299, Marco Polo, who had meanwhile recovered, was tried in a court of law and acquitted thanks to Rustichello's defense, who had noticed during the trial that Marco Polo had not lied in his travelogue because of his iron resolve to defend his report as true and through the partial confirmation of his report by other sources, whereby he also realized that through his actions he had eliminated many prejudices about the world beyond Persia and thus opened a new world for the people of Europe. He then returned to Venice as a free man and stayed there until his death in 1324 .

Background information

Marco Polo was filmed in locations in Italy , Morocco , Nepal and China . For the title role played by the then 32-year-old newcomer Ken Marshall , Peter Firth , Michael Ontkean and Mandy Patinkin , among others, came into consideration, but they declined.

Voice actor

The voice actors for the German version:

criticism

“This television series from 1982 tries to do justice to the life of the world traveler with elaborate settings and a highly decorated star line-up. Great attention is paid to his exciting travels, from his beginnings in Venice, across the Far East to China, and an appropriate cinematic memorial is set for the man who spent many years in China and supported the Great Khan. "

Awards

The film was at the Emmy nominated in eight categories in 1982 and won two Emmy Awards.

Award

  • Best costume design in a television series
  • Best miniseries

Nominations

  • Best sound editing of a miniseries
  • Best hair styling
  • Best art direction / set decoration
  • Best camera
  • Best cut
  • Best creative performance

In addition, film editor John A. Martinelli was nominated in 1983 for the Eddie Award in the category Best Editing of a Miniseries .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. synchronkartei.de: Marco Polo. Retrieved January 6, 2015 .
  2. Marco Polo Kino.de . Retrieved March 22, 2018.