Gian Maria Volonté (9 April 1933 – 6 December 1994) was an Italian

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

, including roles in four

Spaghetti Western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

films: Ramón Rojo in

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...

's ''

A Fistful of Dollars ''A Fistful of Dollars'' ( it, Per un pugno di dollari, lit=For a Fistful of Dollars titled on-screen as ''Fistful of Dollars'') is a 1964 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role, a ...

'' (1964) and El Indio in Leone's '' For a Few Dollars More'' (1965), El Chuncho Munoz in Damiano Damiani's ''

A Bullet for the General ''A Bullet for the General'' ( es, Quién sabe?; original title means "Who knows?", in the Spanish language), also known as ''El Chucho Quién Sabe?'', is a 1966 Italian Zapata Western film directed by Damiano Damiani and starring Gian Maria Vol ...

'' (1966) and Professor Brad Fletcher in Sergio Sollima's '' Face to Face'' (1967). In Italy and much of Europe, he was notable for his roles in high-profile social dramas depicting the political and social stirrings of Italian and European society in the 1960s and 1970s, including four films directed by Elio Petri – '' We Still Kill the Old Way'' (1967), '' Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion'' (1970), ''

The Working Class Goes to Heaven ''The Working Class Goes to Heaven'' (Italian: ''La classe operaia va in paradiso''), released in the US as ''Lulu the Tool'', is a 1971 political drama film directed by Elio Petri. It depicts a factory worker's realisation of his own condition as ...

'' (1971) and '' Todo modo'' (1976). He is also recognized for his performances in Jean-Pierre Melville's '' Le Cercle Rouge'' (1970),

Giuliano Montaldo Giuliano Montaldo (born 22 February 1930) is an Italian film director. Biography While he was still a young student, Montaldo was recruited by the director Carlo Lizzani for the role of leading actor in the film ''Achtung! Banditi!'' (1951). ...

's '' Sacco & Vanzetti'' (1971) and

Francesco Rosi Francesco Rosi (; 15 November 1922 – 10 January 2015) was an Italian film director. His film ''The Mattei Affair'' won the Palme d'Or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. Rosi's films, especially those of the 1960s and 1970s, often appeared to hav ...

's ''

Christ Stopped at Eboli ''Christ Stopped at Eboli'' ( it, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli) is a memoir by Carlo Levi, published in 1945, giving an account of his exile from 1935-1936 to Grassano and Aliano, remote towns in southern Italy, in the region of Lucania whi ...

'' (1979).

Early life

Volonté was born in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

but grew up in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

. His father Mario was a fascist officer from Saronno (

province of Varese The province of Varese ( it, provincia di Varese) is a province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese (population of 80,857 inhabitants), but its largest city is Busto Arsizio. The headquarters of the Agu ...

), who in 1944 was in command of the Brigata Nera of Chivasso, near Turin. His mother, Carolina Bianchi, belonged to a wealthy Milanese industrial family and his younger brother Claudio was an actor as well. He went to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

to train for an acting career at the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico, which he left in 1957. He had a brief career in television and acting in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

and Goldoni plays on the stage, before establishing his film career.

Career

Volonté made his debut in

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

in '' Sotto dieci bandiere'', directed by

Duilio Coletti Duilio Coletti (28 December 1906 – 22 May 1999) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 29 films between 1934 and 1977. Career Born in Penne, Abruzzo, he took a degree in medicine and surgery and practiced the professio ...

. Just four years later, he played "Ramón Rojo" in ''

'' ( 1964), and "El Indio" in '' For a Few Dollars More'' (

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term ...

), both for cash reasons as he did not consider either role serious. Both films were directed by the then-unknown

, and Volonté's roles in them would bring him his greatest recognition from American audiences. He played

Carlo Levi Carlo Levi () (29 November 1902 – 4 January 1975) was an Italian painter, writer, activist, communist, and doctor. He is best known for his book '' Cristo si è fermato a Eboli'' (''Christ Stopped at Eboli''), published in 1945, a memoir of ...

in ''

'' (1979), which was based on Levi's autobiographical account of his years in internal-exile in Aliano, Southern Italy, in the 1930s. Volonté played the memorable role of the Bandito-turned-guerrilla, El Chuncho, in ''

'' (1966). Volonté's performances as memorable but neurotic characters, or as a gifted leader of brigands or revolutionaries, together with the unexpected, worldwide success of the films, gave him international fame. Volonté had already played comedies, including '' A cavallo della tigre'' (

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

), by Luigi Comencini, and confirmed his versatility in '' L'armata Brancaleone'' (1966). However, he found his main dimension in dramatic roles for ''

Banditi a Milano ''Bandits in Milan'' ( it, Banditi a Milano; also known as ''The Violent Four'') is a 1968 Italian crime film directed by Carlo Lizzani. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events ...

'' (

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

), by Carlo Lizzani, '' Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina'' (1972) by Marco Bellocchio, ''

La Classe operaia va in paradiso ''The Working Class Goes to Heaven'' (Italian: ''La classe operaia va in paradiso''), released in the US as ''Lulu the Tool'', is a 1971 political drama film directed by Elio Petri. It depicts a factory worker's realisation of his own condition as ...

'' (1972) by his friend Elio Petri and '' Il sospetto'' (

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

) by Francesco Maselli. Gian Maria Volonte

In 1968, Volonté won a Silver Ribbon as best actor for '' A ciascuno il suo'', also directed by Elio Petri. Volonté received the same award for two other performances: Petri's '' Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto'' (

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses ( February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events J ...

, winner of an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

as best foreign film), considered by many to be his finest; and in ''

The Abyss ''The Abyss'' is a 1989 American science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery tea ...

'' (

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...

). In

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...

he won the award for

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...

at the

1983 Cannes Film Festival The 36th Cannes Film Festival was held from 7 to 19 May 1983. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Narayama Bushiko'' by Shōhei Imamura. In 1983, the new building for the main events of the festival, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, was inaug ...

for '' La Mort de Mario Ricci''. Four years later, at the

37th Berlin International Film Festival The 37th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 20 February to 3 March 1987. The Golden Bear was awarded to the Soviet Union film ''Tema'' directed by Gleb Panfilov. The retrospective was in honour of Armenian-American film and ...

, he won the

Silver Bear for Best Actor The Silver Bear for Best Actor (german: Silberner Bär/Bester Darsteller) was an award presented at the Berlin International Film Festival from 1956 to 2020. It was given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance and was chosen by ...

for '' Il caso Moro''. 1988 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection, remarkable play as a Renaissance physician in ''

'' by

André Delvaux André Albert Auguste Delvaux (; 21 March 1926 – 4 October 2002) was a Belgian film director. He co-founded the film school INSAS in 1962 and is regarded as the founder of the Belgian national cinema. Adapting works by writers such as Johan ...

from

Marguerite Yourcenar Marguerite Yourcenar (, , ; born Marguerite Antoinette Jeanne Marie Ghislaine Cleenewerck de Crayencour; 8 June 1903 – 17 December 1987) was a Belgian-born French novelist and essayist, who became a US citizen in 1947. Winner of the ''Prix Fem ...

's famous novel. In

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...

, Volonté was named Best European Actor for ''

Porte aperte ''Open Doors'' ( it, Porte aperte) is a 1990 Italian film directed by Gianni Amelio. Set in Palermo in the 1930s, a judge who is morally against the death penalty is confronted with the case of a man who has murdered his wife and two colleagues in ...

''. In

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...

, at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

, he won a

Golden Lion The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguis ...

for his career as a whole. Volonté played numerous roles outside Italy.

Personal life

Volonté was a strong

political activist A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...

and known for his pro-

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...

leanings. In 1981, he helped

Oreste Scalzone Oreste Scalzone (born 26 January 1947) is an Italian Marxist intellectual and one of the founders of the communist organization Potere Operaio. Scalzone was born in Terni, Umbria. In 1968 he came to know Franco Piperno, and on 1 March that year ...

to flee from capture in Italy to

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. He was the partner of Italian actress

Carla Gravina Carla Gravina (born 5 August 1941) is an Italian actress and politician. She received a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her role in '' La terrazza'' (1980). Her other notable roles were in '' Love and Chatter'' (1957), ''Esterina ...

for almost 10 years after they met when they played ''Romeo and Juliet'' in a theatre production in 1960. The two had a daughter Giovanna, born in the early 1960s. Actress

Angelica Ippolito Angelica Ippolito (born 8 September 1944) is an Italian stage, film and television actress. Life and career Born in Naples to geologist Felice Ippolito and writer and playwright Isabella Quarantotti. Her mother married thirdly to actor and pla ...

was his companion from 1977 until his death in 1994.

Death

Volonté died from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

at the age of 61 in 1994 at

Florina Florina ( el, Φλώρινα, ''Flórina''; known also by some alternative names) is a town and municipality in the mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. The town of Florina is the capital of the F ...

, Greece, during the filming of ''

Ulysses' Gaze ''Ulysses' Gaze'' (, translit. ''To Vlemma tou Odyssea'') is a 1995 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos and starring Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern, and Erland Josephson. The film was selected as the Greek entry for the Best Foreign L ...

'', directed by

Theo Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; ; 27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely re ...

. Actor

Erland Josephson Erland Josephson (; 15 June 1923 – 25 February 2012) was a Swedish actor and author. He was best known by international audiences for his work in films directed by Ingmar Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky and Theodoros Angelopoulos. Life and career ...

replaced him in the role. Volonté's grave is in a small cemetery on the

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...

n island of

La Maddalena La Maddalena (Gallurese: ''Madalena'' or ''La Madalena'', sc, Sa Madalena) is a town and '' comune'' located on the islands of the Maddalena archipelago in the province of Sassari, northern Sardinia, Italy. The main town of the same name is lo ...

, according to his wishes.

Selected filmography

* ''

Under Ten Flags ''Under Ten Flags'' ( it, Sotto dieci bandiere) is a 1960 Italian-American war film directed by Duilio Coletti and starring Van Heflin, Charles Laughton, and Mylène Demongeot. It was entered into the 10th Berlin International Film Festival. Pl ...

'' (1960, directed by

) as Samuel Braunstein * ''

Girl with a Suitcase ''Girl with a Suitcase'' ( it, La ragazza con la valigia) is a 1961 Italian romantic drama film by Valerio Zurlini starring Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938) is an Italian actress. She has st ...

'' (1961, directed by

Valerio Zurlini Valerio Zurlini (19 March 1926 – 26 October 1982) was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter. Biography During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlin ...

) as Piero Benotti * ''

Journey Beneath the Desert ''Journey Beneath the Desert'' ( it, Antinea, l'amante della città sepolta) is a 1961 adventure film based on the novel '' Atlantida'' by Pierre Benoit. Cast * Jean-Louis Trintignant - Pierre * Haya Harareet - Queen Antinea * Georges Rivièr ...

'' (1961, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer) as Tarath * ''

Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis ''Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis'' ( it, Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, lit=Hercules at the Conquest of Atlantis) is a 1961 film directed by Vittorio Cottafavi and starring Reg Park in his film debut as Ercole/Hercules. It was origin ...

'' (1961, directed by

Vittorio Cottafavi Vittorio Cottafavi (30 January 1914 – 14 December 1998) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1943 and 1985. His film '' Il diavolo sulle colline'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at t ...

) as Re di Sparta * '' On the Tiger's Back'' (1961, Luigi Comencini) as Papaleo * '' A Man for Burning'' (1962, directed by

Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Paolo Taviani (; born 8 November 1931) and Vittorio Taviani (; 20 September 1929 – 15 April 2018), collectively referred to as the Taviani brothers, were Italian film directors and screenwriters who collaborated on film productions. At the C ...

and Valentino Orsini) as Salvatore * '' The Four Days of Naples'' (1962, directed by

Nanni Loy Nanni Loy (born Giovanni Loi; 23 October 1925 – 21 August 1995) was an Italian film, theatre and TV director. Specifically, Nanni Loy was Sardinian, and one of several notable Sardinian film makers, including Franco Solinas. Biography Lo ...

) as Stimolo (uncredited) * ''Noche de verano'' (1963, directed by Jorge Grau) as Alberto Suárez * '' Il terrorista'' (1963, directed by

Gianfranco De Bosio Gianfranco De Bosio (16 September 1924 – 2 May 2022) was an Italian film and theatre director. Filmography Cinema *'' The Terrorist'' (1963) *''In Love, Every Pleasure Has Its Pain ''In Love, Every Pleasure Has Its Pain'' ( it, La Betìa ovv ...

) as Braschi, l'ingeniere * ''

'' (credited as "Johnny Wels") (1964, directed by

) as Ramón Rojo * '' The Magnificent Cuckold'' (1965, directed by

Antonio Pietrangeli Antonio Pietrangeli (19 January 191912 July 1968) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He was a major practitioner of the Commedia all'italiana genre. Biography Pietrangeli was born in Rome. He started in the film industry by writing m ...

) as The Councillor * '' For a Few Dollars More'' (1965, directed by

) as El Indio * ''

Seasons of Our Love ''Seasons of Our Love'' ( it, Le stagioni del nostro amore) is a 1966 Italian drama film directed by Florestano Vancini. It was entered into the 16th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast *Enrico Maria Salerno ... Vittorio Borghi *Anouk Aim� ...

'' (1966, directed by Florestano Vancini) as Leonardo Varzi * ''

Wake Up and Die ''Wake Up and Die'' (Italian: ''Svegliati e uccidi''), also known as ''Wake Up and Kill'' and ''I Kill for Kicks'', is a 1966 Italian crime drama film directed by Carlo Lizzani, based on the real life of Luciano Lutring, an Italian criminal known ...

'' (1966, directed by Carlo Lizzani) as Inspector Moroni * '' L'armata Brancaleone'' (1966, directed by

Mario Monicelli Mario Alberto Ettore Monicelli (; 16 May 1915 – 29 November 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the '' Commedia all'Italiana'' (Comedy Italian style). He was nominated six times for an Oscar, and was a ...

) as Teofilatto dei Leonzi * ''

La strega in amore ''La strega in amore'' (also known as ''The Witch'', ''The Witch in Love'' and ''Strange Obsession'') is a 1966 Italian drama- horror film directed by Damiano Damiani. It is based on the novel ''Aura'' by Carlos Fuentes. Cast * Richard Johnso ...

'' (1966, directed by Damiano Damiani) as Fabrizio * '' A Gangstergirl'' (1966, directed by

Frans Weisz Frans Weisz (born 23 July 1938) is a Dutch film director. He has directed more than 30 films since 1964. His 1975 film '' Red Sien'' was entered into the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. His film '' Havinck'' was screened in the Un Certai ...

) * ''

'' (1967, directed by Damiano Damiani) as El Chuncho Munoz * '' We Still Kill the Old Way'' (1967, directed by Elio Petri) as Prof. Paolo Laurana * ''

Faccia a faccia ''Face to Face'' ( it, Faccia a faccia; es, Cara a cara) is a 1967 Spaghetti Western film co-written and directed by Sergio Sollima and produced by Alberto Grimaldi. The film stars Gian Maria Volonté, Tomas Milian and William Berger, and featu ...

'' (1967, directed by Sergio Sollima) as Professor Brad Fletcher * ''

The Seven Cervi Brothers '' The Seven Cervi Brothers'' ( it, I sette fratelli Cervi) is a 1968 Italian drama film directed by Gianni Puccini. The film recounts the last days of life during the resistance of the anti-fascist Cervi Brothers. The director Puccini died a f ...

'' (1968, directed by

Gianni Puccini Gianni Puccini (9 November 1914 – 3 December 1968) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for 32 films between 1940 and 1967. He also directed 18 films between 1951 and 1968. Selected filmography * '' Ossessione'' (1943) * ...

) * ''

Bandits in Milan ''Bandits in Milan'' ( it, Banditi a Milano; also known as ''The Violent Four'') is a 1968 Italian crime film directed by Carlo Lizzani. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events ...

'' (1968, directed by Carlo Lizzani) as Pietro 'Piero' Cavallero * ' (1968, directed by ) * ''

The Bandit A bandit is a person who engages in banditry. Bandit, The Bandit or Bandits may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * '' A Bandit'', a 1913 short film starring Fatty Arbuckle * ''The Bandit'' (1946 film), an Italian drama ...

'' (1969, directed by Carlo Lizzani) as Gramigna * '' Under the Sign of Scorpio'' (1969, directed by

) as Renno * '' Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion'' (

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...

, directed by Elio Petri) as "Il Dottore", the Police Inspector * '' Wind from the East'' (1970, directed by

Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran ...

and the

Dziga Vertov Group The Dziga Vertov Group (french: Groupe Dziga Vertov) was formed around 1969 by politically active filmmakers including Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin. Their films are defined primarily for Brechtian forms, Marxist ideology, and a lack of p ...

) as Le ranger nordiste * ''

Many Wars Ago ''Many Wars Ago'' ( it, Uomini contro, lit=Men Against) is a 1970 anti-war film set on the Alpine Front of the First World War. Directed, produced, and co-written by Francesco Rosi, the film is based on Emilio Lussu's memoir ''Un anno sull'altip ...

'' (1970, directed by

) as Lt. Ottolenghi * '' Le Cercle Rouge'' (1970, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville) as Vogel * '' Sacco e Vanzetti'' (1971, directed by

) as Bartolomeo Vanzetti * ''

'' (1977, directed by Elio Petri) as Lulù Massa * ''

The Mattei Affair ''The Mattei Affair'' ( it, Il Caso Mattei) is a 1972 film directed by Francesco Rosi. It depicts the life and mysterious death of Enrico Mattei, an Italian businessman who in the aftermath of World War II managed to avoid the sale of the nascent ...

'' (1972, directed by

) as Enrico Mattei * '' Plot'' (1972, directed by

Yves Boisset Yves may refer to: * Yves, Charente-Maritime, a commune of the Charente-Maritime department in France * Yves (given name), including a list of people with the name * ''Yves'' (single album), a single album by Loona * ''Yves'' (film), a 2019 Fre ...

) as Sadiel – un leader progresste maghrebin * '' Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina'' (1972, directed by Marco Bellocchio) as Bizanti * ''

Lucky Luciano Charles "Lucky" Luciano (, ; born Salvatore Lucania ; November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an Italian-born gangster who operated mainly in the United States. Luciano started his criminal career in the Five Points gang and was instrumen ...

'' (1973, directed by

) as Charles 'Lucky' Luciano * ''

Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno (; ; la, Iordanus Brunus Nolanus; born Filippo Bruno, January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, mathematician, poet, cosmological theorist, and Hermetic occultist. He is known for his cosmolog ...

'' (1973, directed by

) as Giordano Bruno * '' The Suspect'' (1975, directed by Francesco Maselli) as Emilio * ''

Letters from Marusia ''Letters from Marusia'' ( es, Actas de Marusia) is a 1975 Mexican film directed by Chilean filmmaker Miguel Littín. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also entered into the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. The ...

'' (1976, directed by

Miguel Littín Miguel Ernesto Littin Cucumides (born 9 August 1942) is a Chilean film director, screenwriter, film producer and novelist. He was born to a Palestinian people, Palestinian father, Hernán Littin and a Greeks, Greek mother, Cristina Cucumides. C ...

) as Gregorio * '' Todo modo'' (1976, directed by Elio Petri) as M. * '' Io ho paura'' (1977, directed by Damiano Damiani) as Brigadiere Ludovico Graziano * ''

'' (1979, directed by

) as Carlo Levi * ''

Ogro ''Operación Ogro'' is a 1979 Spanish and Italian drama film written and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. The film is based on true events in Spain during the early 1970s and is based on the eponymous book by Julen Agirre (pseudonym of Eva Fores ...

'' (1979, directed by

Gillo Pontecorvo Gilberto Pontecorvo (; 19 November 1919 – 12 October 2006) was an Italian filmmaker associated with the political cinema movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for directing the landmark war docudrama ''The Battle of Algiers'' (19 ...

) as Izarra * ''Stark System'' (1980, directed by Armenia Balducci) as Stark * '' The Lady of the Camellias'' (1981, directed by Mauro Bolognini) as Plessis * ' (1982, TV miniseries, directed by Mauro Bolognini) as Count Mosca * '' La Mort de Mario Ricci'' (1983, directed by

Claude Goretta Claude Goretta (23 June 1929 – 20 February 2019) was a Swiss television producer and film director. Life and Career His 1973 film '' L'Invitation'' was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His 1981 film '' La prov ...

) as Bernard Fontana * '' Il caso Moro'' (1986, directed by

Giuseppe Ferrara Giuseppe Ferrara (15 July 1932 – 25 June 2016) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.

) as Aldo Moro * ''

Chronicle of a Death Foretold ''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'' ( es, Crónica de una muerte anunciada) is a novella by Gabriel García Márquez, published in 1981. It tells, in the form of a pseudo- journalistic reconstruction, the story of the murder of Santiago Nasar by ...

'' (1987, directed by

) as Dr. Cristo Bedoya * '' Un ragazzo di Calabria'' (1987, directed by Luigi Comencini) as Felice * ''

'' (1988, directed by

) as Zénon * ''

Pestalozzi's Mountain ''Pestalozzi's Mountain'' (german: Pestalozzis Berg) is a 1989 East German–Swiss drama film directed by Peter von Gunten. The film is a biopic about the life of Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. It was entered into the 39th Berlin I ...

'' (1989, directed by Peter von Gunten) as Pestalozzi * ''

Tre colonne in cronaca ''Tre colonne in cronaca'' (''Three columns in the news'') is a 1990 Italian drama film directed by Carlo Vanzina. It is loosely based on the novel with the same name written by Corrado Augias and Daniela Pasti. For his performance Sergio Caste ...

'' (1990, directed by

Carlo Vanzina Carlo Vanzina (13 March 1951 – 8 July 2018) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. Vanzina was born in Rome, the son of Maria Teresa Nati and film director Stefano Vanzina and brother of Enrico Vanzina. In English-speakin ...

) as Alberto Landolfi * '' Open Doors'' (1990, directed by

Gianni Amelio Gianni Amelio (born 20 January 1945) is an Italian film director. Early life Amelio was born in San Pietro di Magisano, province of Catanzaro, Calabria. His father moved to Argentina soon after his birth. He spent his youth and adolescence with h ...

) as Judge Vito Di Francesco * '' Una storia semplice'' (1991, directed by

Emidio Greco Emidio Greco (20 October 1938 – 22 December 2012) was an Italian film director and screenwriter, best known for the 1974 film '' Morel's Invention''. Life and career Born in Leporano, in the province of Taranto, Greco moved in Turin as ...

) as Carmelo Franzò * ''

Funes, a Great Love ''Funes, a Great Love'' ( es, Funes, un gran amor) is a 1993 Argentine musical film, musical drama film directed by Raúl de la Torre and starring Graciela Borges, Gian Maria Volonté, Pepe Soriano, Moria Casán and Andrea Del Boca. It is based on ...

'' (1993, directed by

Raúl de la Torre Raúl de la Torre (19 February 1938, in Zárate, Buenos Aires, Zárate – 19 March 2010, in Buenos Aires) was an cinema of Argentina, Argentine film director screenwriter and film producer. He was nominated for a Palme d'Or at the 1986 Cannes Fil ...

) as Bergama * ''

Banderas, the Tyrant ''Banderas, the Tyrant'' ( es, Tirano Banderas, links=no) is a 1993 internationally co-produced film directed by José Luis García Sánchez. It is an adaptation of the 1926 novel ''Tirano Banderas'' by Ramón María del Valle-Inclán. It was pro ...

'' (1993, directed by

José Luis García Sánchez José Luis García Sánchez (born 22 September 1941) is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. He has directed 30 films since 1968. He wrote for the 1973 film '' Habla, mudita'', which was entered into the 23rd Berlin International ...

) as Santos Banderas (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Giovanni Savastano: "Gian Maria Volonté. Recito dunque sono" Edizioni Clichy, 2018
{{DEFAULTSORT:Volonte, Gianmaria 1933 births 1994 deaths 20th-century Italian male actors Italian male film actors Male actors from Milan Male Spaghetti Western actors Male Western (genre) film actors Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico alumni Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners European Film Awards winners (people) David di Donatello winners Nastro d'Argento winners Silver Bear for Best Actor winners Italian communists