Movie Stats:
Released 1981 (USA)
American, in English (several foreign languages, although mostly Russian, mostly translated)
Director - Warren Beatty
Stars - Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton
Plot Summary:
A biopic of socialist journalist couple John “Jack” Reed (Beatty) & Louise Bryant (Keaton), who, having witnessed the Russian Revolution in person, were sympathetic to the Bolshevik cause.
Warnings:
Blue language; minor violence; brief female nudity in the form of a photograph (butt only); sexy times; consensual drug use (marijuana).
Bad Stuff:
It’s way, way too long (the 25th anniversary edition I saw rolled in at approximately 3.5 hours).
After a while it starts to feel very repetitive. People argue a lot, causing me to develop a very dim view of intellectuals.
I didn’t care for Beatty’s performance. I didn’t find him believable.
Good Stuff:
It covers one of my favorite time periods of American history (early 1900s), which often get skipped over in U.S. history class (apart from WWI of course). I particularly liked that it showed the labor strife of that time period & the brief popularity of American socialism.
I enjoyed the interviews with people who were associated with Jack & Louise in real life.
The cinematography & soundtrack are great.
About the Performance:
I thought Keaton was good. Her performance was much better than Beatty’s. I don’t know how true the story was to real life. It seems widely accepted that Jack and Louise had an open relationship, but did they actually struggle with it? There are plenty of polyamorous people who are happy with that lifestyle. I guess, whether it was true to life or not, I was impressed by how easily Keaton conveyed the struggle, with her words, with her delivery of them, and with her facial expressions. Also, I liked that it showed how, even in a progressive movement, a woman’s voice can be drowned out by a man’s. I’ve always enjoyed Keaton as an actress, and she doesn’t disappoint here.
Other performances of Keaton’s I’ve reviewed: Annie Hall; The Godfather: Part II; Sleeper; The Godfather.
The Verdict:
I would’ve liked this film a lot more if it had been at least an hour shorter. It doesn’t have the most interesting story on the planet. Even so, I would have gladly endured it if it didn’t drone on and on and on. So much of it could have been left out entirely! I do think there’s a good movie in there. Keaton isn’t the only one to give an engaging performance. I also really enjoyed Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman. Interviewing Jack & Louise’s friends/family/acquaintances was a nice touch. It’s pretty to look at, and the music is appealing. It wasn’t the worst film I’ve ever seen but I can’t say it was a favorite either.
I give it 2.75 stars.
2 comments:
This was one of those films I was very familiar with growing up, just because it got mentioned whenever someone needed to quantify Warren Beatty. (Warren Beatty, Actor, ladies man, and director of Reds.) I didn't watch it, though, until a summer of unemployment. I watched a lot of movies from the library that summer and this was one.
Oh my gosh, it's so long! It came on two VHS tapes. I may have only watched it in one session because I was unemployed.
I was pleasantly surprised by two things: that it started in Portland (I had no idea Jack Reed was from here, though I've sense read a little more about him) and those really great interviews.
In some ways, the interviews stop the movie dead, but they were so fun, all those old communists. For years I had a t-shirt with a quote by Rebecca West on it, and REBECCA WEST WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED!
I was also annoyed that the movie lasted forever and then they never bothered to tell me how Louise Bryant got out of the USSR after John Reed died.
Maureen Stapleton was also quite memorable. I'm so glad she won an Oscar for that role.
I've just checked back over Keaton's filmography and I can report that of the films I've seen I'm always happy with Diane Keaton in a performance.
I didn't like Keaton in Sleeper, but I hated that movie in general, so I don't really hold it against her. Typically, I'm a fan.
The movie definitely focused more on her in relation to Jack Reed than it did on her as a writer and activist in her own right, which was disappointing.
I'm curious as to what your Rebecca West t-shirt quote was.
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