Mondo candido

Mondo candido

Year: 1975

Runtime: 107 mins

Language: German

Directors: Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi

AdventureComedy

Voltaire, a 16th‑century author, rages at scholars of a “civilized” society who insist that the senseless violence and chaos of disasters, war, disease and human cruelty are merely components of a larger, benevolent plan. He argues that a perfect God could not logically have created anything less than the best possible universe.

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Timeline – Mondo candido (1975)

Trace every key event in Mondo candido (1975) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Upbringing and forbidden love

Candido is a naïve young man raised by a Westphalian baron in the castle of Thunder-ten-Tronckh. He harbors a secret crush on the baron's daughter Cunegonda. When the baron discovers their intimacy, he punishes Cunegonda and banishes Candido from the court.

18th century Castle of Thunder-ten-Tronckh
2

Expulsion and the start of exile

Cunegonda is punished by her father, and Candido is expelled from the castle, forced to begin a perilous journey. The separation marks the beginning of Candido's long quest for love and meaning.

18th century Castle of Thunder-ten-Tronckh
3

Bulgarian camp and dangerous experiments

While wandering, Candido stumbles upon a camp of Bulgarian soldiers and is deceived into dangerous experiments on human flight. He survives the ordeal by escaping and continuing his journey.

late 18th century Bulgarian soldiers camp
4

Pangloss reveals the castle's fate

On the road he meets Pangloss, who explains that the castle was attacked by motorcycle-riding assailants, killing the Baron and Baroness and leaving Cunegonda traumatized. Candido learns that his beloved has suffered terrible fates while he was exiled.

late 18th century On the road / outside the castle ruins
5

Imprisonment by the Holy Inquisition

Candido and Pangloss are imprisoned by the Holy Inquisition. Pangloss is sentenced to death for his utopian ideas, and Candido endures corporal punishment as the inquisitors seek to break them.

late 18th century Holy Inquisition
6

Cunegonda under the Tribunal's control

Among the high-ranking attendees of the executions, Cunegonda is forced to become the lover of the head of the Tribunal. Candido and Cunegonda are briefly reunited before the proceedings resume.

late 18th century Inquisition court
7

Escape with Cacambo

After the brief reunion, Candido escapes once more, this time aided by Cacambo, a slave who has escaped his master. The two set off together toward a wider world.

late 18th century Inquisition / prison outskirts
8

Voyage to the New World

Candido and Cacambo embark for the New World, chasing the utopian promise that ‘all are equal.’ They leave Europe behind and venture into a world of new possibilities and dangers.

late 18th century On the way to the New World
9

Pangloss in present-day New York

In today’s New York City, Candido finds Pangloss, who has escaped the gallows and reinvented himself as a television director. Together they continue the search for Cunegonda amid a modern, media-saturated landscape.

present-day New York City
10

Journey through Northern Ireland

Candido and Cacambo travel to Northern Ireland, a land devastated by Catholic–Protestant clashes. They confront hostility, sectarian tension, and the moral ambiguity of the worlds they touch.

present-day Northern Ireland
11

Arab–Israeli conflict and Cunegonda's fate

The pair reach a military camp for Israeli female soldiers amid the Arab–Israeli conflict, where Candido learns Cunegonda has fled with a fedayeen. The revelation deepens his quest and tests his idealism.

present-day Israeli military camp
12

Final reunion

After a long odyssey through wars, politics, and shifting loyalties, Candido finally reunites with Cunegonda. Their reunion offers a fragile note of romance within the satire of the world they inhabit.

present-day Various locations (New York, Northern Ireland, Israel)

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:32

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