Galileo DVD

The American Film Theatre Collection is an exceptional series of feature films based on some of the most celebrated plays of the 20th Century. Brainchild of Hollywood producer Ely Landau, the aim was to combine the excitement of live theatre with the accessibility and visual possibilities of film.

Featuring towering performances, outstanding direction and exceptional writing, this collection is a superb archive of contemporary drama masterfully transferred to the silver screen and largely unseen for 30 years.

Bertolt Brecht's play Galileo is a unique look at the nature of creation. It examines the responsibilities of both the creator and the authorities contrasting that with one man's battle against conventional wisdom.

Galileo Galilei was a brilliant Italian mathematician and scientist born in Pisa in the 16th century, who made important scientific contributions to many disciplines. Brecht concentrates on the period of Galileo's life when his pronouncements about the solar system fell foul of ecclesiastical authorities.

In one of his finest performances as the eponymous scientist, Topol (Fiddler on the Roof, For Your Eyes Only) leads a stunning cast including John Gielgud, Patrick Magee, Edward Fox, Tom Conti and Richard O'Callaghan.

Director Joseph Losey (The Servant, The Go-Between) who staged the original production in Los Angeles in 1947 had a close personal connection to the material, after years of exile from the USA following the McCarthy witch-hunts.

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