Review of Reds (1981) by Walter M — 29 Jun 2007

[font=Century Gothic]Directed by Warren Beatty, "Reds" is a handsomely produced and well-acted epic that starts in 1915 in Portland, Oregon where wannabe artist and journalist Louise Bryant(Diane Keaton) meets journalist John Reed(Warren Beatty) who has returned to his hometown to raise funds for the radical magazine, The Masses, that he writes for.(While he has a knack for being in the right place and time, he is also in danger of crossing the line between journalism and activism.) She is yearning for adventure and a way out of stuffy Portland, so returns to Greenwich Village with him, the center of bohemian and radical activity in New York City(Not so much anymore but Provincetown is still jumping...) at the time when anything seems possible, maybe even a workers' revolution. It is also where she meets anarchist Emma Goldman(Maureen Stapleton) and playwright Eugene O'Neill(Jack Nicholson).[/font].

[font=Century Gothic]I had seen "Reds" once before and that was quite possibly 25 years ago when I was in high school. The reason I was curious to see it again(I remembered some of it, certainly more than is normally the case) was having learned so much about the time, places and people(which are captured so well), especially Emma Goldman, that I think I am much better equipped to relate to the movie now and its themes of personal development.[/font].