Famed composer Gustav Mahler reflects on the tragedies of his life and failing marriage while traveling by train.
Direction
Russell's hallucinatory set pieces that would make Fellini nervous.
Acting
Robert Powell's thousand-yard stare of creative torment.
Production
The Così fan tutte flashback — pure operatic madness.
Director
Ken Russell
Robert Powell
Gustav Mahler
Georgina Hale
Alma Mahler
Lee Montague
Bernhard Mahler
Miriam Karlin
Aunt Rosa
Rosalie Crutchley
Marie Mahler
Richard Morant
Max
Angela Down
Justine Mahler
Ronald Pickup
Nick
Peter Eyre
Otto Mahler
Dana Gillespie
Anna von Mildenburg
David Collings
Hugo Wolfe
Kenneth Colley
Krenek
Oliver Reed
Train Conductor
Andrew Faulds
Doctor on Train
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Russell originally wanted Mick Jagger as Mahler. The mind reels.
Part of Russell's unofficial 'composer destruction' trilogy alongside The Music Lovers and Lisztomania — the 70s were WILD for classical music cinema.
GB
