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Julia |
Product Guide |
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Julia  Rating: Rating:  - Lillian and JuliaShadow Watcher Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake JULIA (1977) is a great movie, beautifully adapted from Lillian Hellman's story by Alvin Sargent, exquisitely directed by Fred Zinnemann and boasting a cast of fine actors, including Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Maximilian Schell, Rosemary Murphy and, in her film debut, Meryl Streep. The picture earned eleven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Redgrave, Robards and Sargent won their statuettes. Fonda plays Hellman, who in the early 1930s was an angry, struggling wannabe playwright, living with mystery writer Dashiell Hammett (Robards). With success still eluding her, she travels to Europe, hoping to find a better atmosphere in which to write, and also to visit with her oldest and dearest friend, Julia (Redgrave), daughter of a very wealthy family, who is studying medicine in Vienna. Julia is also involved in an anti-Fascist/anti-Nazi movement, which has resulted in her being badly injured. In fact, after Hellman visits her in the hospital, she disappears. Years later, after she has become a Broadway success, Lillian is asked by Julia, via a political acquaintance (Schell), to undertake a dangerous clandestine mission against the Nazis. Though much of it may be fiction, JULIA is a gripping, moving, often suspenseful drama that stays with viewers long after it has ended. It's one of this writer's very favorite films. © Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008) Rating:  - Not too datedLushly photographed, you can watch this just for the gorgeous scenes in pre-war Paris and Berlin. Supposedly about two strong women, Jane Fonda's role as Hellman makes her out to be a bit of a klutz. Vanessa Redgrave's brief appearances mark the stronger of the two. Made in 1977 when WW2 was closer in time than Vietnam is now, the movie is a bit of a relic, but still worth watching. Jason Robards as Dashiell Hammett is a hoot. Fonda needed acting lessons then, just like now. Too much emoting for my taste. Rating:  - I don't understand all the hype over thisAnother case of when I side with the minority. I didn't get through it. Decided I had much better ways to spend my time. The only thing I really enjoyed was Meryl Streep's bit. I don't whether she resurfaced later in the film but I guess I'll never know now. Rating: - Amazing motion picture!Julia is simply a perfect movie. Jane Fonda's performance is one of her very best. And Fred Zinnemann's direction is flawless. Alvin Sargent's screenplay movements between past and present and from present to future are so smooth and fascinating. Just a brilliant movie all around. Beth |
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