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Drama

The Belly of an Architect (1987): Cast & Plot

The Belly of an Architect (1987) movie poster

The Belly of an Architect is a 1987 drama directed by Peter Greenaway, starring Brian Dennehy as Stourley Kracklite, Chloe Webb and Lambert Wilson. It runs 1 hour 58 minutes.

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The Belly of an Architect (1987) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 58m (118 min)
Director
Peter Greenaway
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Belly of an Architect About?

The premise of The Belly of an Architect without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Art becomes sustenance for madness as the American architect Kracklite travels to Italy to oversee an exhibition dedicated to the French visionary Boullée, renowned for his oval designs. Immersed in the work, Kracklite’s relentless devotion leads his marriage to unravel and his health to decline.

The Belly of an Architect Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • male nudity
  • male rear nudity
  • italy
  • downward spiral
  • fig
  • voice over letter
  • train trip
  • body lands on a car
  • architect
  • stomach
  • british renaissance
  • looking through keyhole
+38 more
  • cheating wife
  • art exhibition
  • grotesque
  • illness
  • fountain
  • sculpture
  • photography
  • art
  • embezzlement
  • drinking
  • misdiagnosis
  • husband wife relationship
  • doctor
  • long take
  • stray dog
  • paranoia
  • pantheon
  • american abroad
  • british pound
  • sex on a train
  • depression
  • cheating on husband
  • disorderly conduct
  • party crashing
  • unsubtitled foreign language
  • unhappy marriage
  • sex
  • punched in the face
  • melancholy
  • cake
  • train
  • rome italy
  • roman history
  • infidelity
  • surrealism
  • tragedy
  • insanity
  • nude pregnant woman
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Cast & crew

The Belly of an Architect Cast & Characters

Brian Dennehy leads the cast as Stourley Kracklite, with Chloe Webb as Louisa Kracklite and Lambert Wilson as Caspasian Speckler. Directed by Peter Greenaway; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Belly of an Architect

· 6 more
Plot

The Belly of an Architect Plot Summary

What happens in The Belly of an Architect from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Stourley Kracklite is an American architect who is commissioned to assemble an exhibition in Rome about the 18th‑century French designer Étienne-Louis Boullée, a figure who remained largely unknown until recent scholarship. In the eyes of Kracklite’s Italian colleagues, Boullée belongs more to theory than to craft; they point out that only a handful of his buildings were ever realized and note that Boullée’s influence even helped shape Adolf Hitler’s architect, Albert Speer. As Kracklite immerses himself in the project, his marriage frays and his health falters, setting a private tremor against the public showcase.

Full summary

The whole story of The Belly of an Architect, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Belly of an Architect?

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

What is the profession of Stourley Kracklite?

Cars

Cars in The Belly of an Architect

7 cars on screen, including the 1980 Mercedes-Benz W123 and the 1973 Fiat 126.

All 7 cars
  • 1980 Mercedes-Benz W123 in The Belly of an Architect 1980 Mercedes-Benz W123 Minor role
  • 1973 Fiat 126 in The Belly of an Architect 1973 Fiat 126 Background role
  • 1978 Fiat 127 in The Belly of an Architect 1978 Fiat 127 Background role
  • 1980 Fiat 127 5p in The Belly of an Architect 1980 Fiat 127 5p Background role
Details

The Belly of an Architect Also Known As

17 alternative titles, including “Le ventre de l'architecte” and “云雨断肠时”.

Also known as
  • Le ventre de l'architecte
  • 云雨断肠时
  • Arkitektens mage
  • Der Bauch des Architekten
  • Il ventre dell'architetto
  • Живот архитектора
  • El vientre de un arquitecto
  • Η Κοιλιά του Αρχιτέκτονα
  • Az építész hasa
  • A Barriga de Um Arquitecto
  • A Barriga do Arquiteto
  • 건축가의 배
+5 more
  • 建筑师之腹
  • Architektovo břicho
  • Brzuch architekta
  • Bir Mimarın Göbeği
  • El ventre d’un arquitecte

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FAQ

The Belly of an Architect FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Belly of an Architect, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Belly of an Architect?

The Belly of an Architect runs 1 hour 58 minutes (118 minutes).

When was The Belly of an Architect released?

The Belly of an Architect was released on September 12, 1987.

Who directed The Belly of an Architect?

The Belly of an Architect was directed by Peter Greenaway.

More films by Peter Greenaway

Who is in the cast of The Belly of an Architect?

The Belly of an Architect stars Brian Dennehy as Stourley Kracklite, Chloe Webb as Louisa Kracklite and Lambert Wilson as Caspasian Speckler, among 10 credited actors.

Does The Belly of an Architect have a post-credit scene?

No. The Belly of an Architect has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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