Review of Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) by Paul J — 06 Apr 2015
The famous Chekhov play gets adapted by David Mamet, complete with his trademark rhythmic dialogue. The team behind My Dinner With Andre gather together an incredible cast. Not least of all, the radiant Julianne Moore.
In fact, the female parts are the most memorably touching roles here. The history of this experiment dates back to '89 and was designed strictly for small group of live audiences. Malle saw it and insisted that they make it into a film.
It would turn out to be his last. The film is an unusual balance of being theatrical and cinematic (perhaps a per-cursor to Dogville). This extremely self-referential, playful and intimate chamber film is custom-made for lovers of performance and theater.
This review of Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) was written by Paul J on 06 Apr 2015.
Vanya on 42nd Street has generally received positive reviews.
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