Momo (1986 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Momo |
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Theatrical release poster by Renato Casaro
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| Directed by | Johannes Schaaf |
| Produced by | Horst Wendlandt |
| Written by | Johannes Schaaf Rosemarie Fendel Michael Ende Marcello Coscia |
| Music by | Angelo Branduardi |
| Cinematography | Xaver Schwarzenberger |
| Editing by | Amedeo Salfa |
| Studio | Rialto Film |
| Distributed by | Tobis |
| Release date(s) | July 17, 1986 |
| Country | West Germany Italy |
Momo is a 1986 fantasy film that tells a magical story. It was directed by Johannes Schaaf. The movie is based on a popular book called Momo, written by Michael Ende in 1973. This film makes you think about time and how people use it in their lives. It was also the last movie for the famous actor and director John Huston.
The Story of Momo
The movie begins in the ruins of an old amphitheatre near an Italian city. This is where a special little girl named Momo lives. No one knows where she came from, but she has an amazing gift: she can truly listen.
When Momo listens, she helps people in many ways. She helps them solve problems, become friends again, and even think of fun games to play. Everyone in the neighborhood loves her because she makes their lives better just by being there and listening.
But then, strange characters called the Men in Grey arrive. These mysterious men work for something called the Timesavings Bank. They try to convince people to "save" their time. They say you can put your time in the bank and get it back later with extra interest.
However, this is a trick! The more time people try to save, the less time they actually have. The Men in Grey secretly steal and use up all the "saved" time. This makes people's lives dull and rushed. Momo's special ability to listen and help people is a big problem for the Men in Grey. They want to stop her because she makes people happy and helps them use their time wisely.
Who's in the Movie?
Here are some of the main actors and the characters they play in Momo:
- Radost Bokel as Momo, the special girl who can truly listen.
- Leopoldo Trieste as Beppo, one of Momo's wise old friends.
- Bruno Stori as Gigi, another of Momo's friends, who is a storyteller.
- Mario Adorf as Nicola.
- Armin Mueller-Stahl as the leader of the grey men, the main villain.
- John Huston as Meister Hora, a mysterious and powerful character who helps Momo.
- Concetta Russino as Liliana.
- Sylvester Groth as agent BLW/553 X, one of the grey men.
- Ninetto Davoli as Nino.
- Francesco De Rosa as Herr Fusi.
- Elide Melli as Frau Daria.
- Michael Ende as a train passenger.
The Author's Role
Momo was made by companies from both Germany and Italy. The author of the book, Michael Ende, was very involved in making this film. He even played a small part as a passenger on a train!
Michael Ende had been a bit unhappy with how the movie based on his other famous book, The Neverending Story, turned out. He felt that movie didn't quite capture the true spirit of his book. Because of this, he wanted to be more directly involved in making the Momo film. He wanted to make sure it stayed true to his original story and message.
