The Legend of 1900

The Legend of 1900
Italian theatrical film poster
Directed byGiuseppe Tornatore
Screenplay byGiuseppe Tornatore
Based onNovecento
by Alessandro Baricco
Produced byFrancesco Tornatore
Starring
CinematographyLajos Koltai
Edited byMassimo Quaglia
Music byEnnio Morricone
Production
companies
Sciarlò
Medusa Film
Distributed byMedusa Film (Italy)
Fine Line Features (International)
Release date
  • 28 October 1998 (1998-10-28) (Italy)
Running time
165 minutes (original cut)
125 minutes (US cut)
CountryItaly
LanguagesEnglish
French
Italian
Budget$9 million
Box office$4 million (Italy) $20.6 million (2019 re-release)

The Legend of 1900 (Italian: La leggenda del pianista sull'oceano, lit.'The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean') is a 1998 English-language Italian musical historical drama film written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, and starring Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Mélanie Thierry. Based on Alessandro Baricco's monologue Novecento, the film follows a foundling aboard an ocean liner in the first years of the 20th century, who grows up to be a musical prodigy without ever setting foot on land. The score was composed by Ennio Morricone.

The film was Tornatore's first English-language production. It premiered in Italy on October 28, 1998. It received several national and international awards, including six David di Donatello Awards and six Nastro d'Argento Awards. Morricone's soundtrack received multiple accolades, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.