Review of Reds (1981) by L.c. C — 11 Dec 2007
Just re-watched this epic love story after not seeing it for many years. It holds up beautifully. It was made in 1981 and I feel it's Warren Beatty's masterpiece.
The film is the biography of Jack Reed, a well-known US journalist involved in socialist politics. According to the movie, Reed was the only US citizen to be buried in the Kremlin. After watching the movie, you wonder how that happened. Reed's political and spiritual transformations weren't always along the party lines.
Jack Nicholson's portrayal of author Eugene O'Neill is riveting and Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman is powerful and convincing.
I love how the movie begins with and is punctuated by the accounts of Reed's contemporaries ~ by this time they were all quite elderly. It's a bit like the captivating "Ballet Russes" with the elders talking about the events of their youth. It really gives the film a strong feeling of our shared humanity.
What the movie really is, however, is an epic love story. Diane Keaton is at her finest as Reed's true love. She completely gives herself to this performance. I've never seen her repeat the intensity she brought to this film.
For me, "Reds" is up there with "Gone with the Wind" and "Dr. Zhivago" as one of the all time great historically based love stories.
It's recently come out on DVD, and is a good one to watch at home because it's over three hours long.
Bambi.
This review of Reds (1981) was written by L.c. C on 11 Dec 2007.
Reds has generally received very positive reviews.
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