Some spoilers ahead.
Warren Beatty scored big with this gem of a film. This movie is a great retelling of the life of American communist John Reed and his girlfriend, played respectively by Beatty and Diane Keaton. The love story between the two seems a little forced and uninteresting, and that is why I rated this movie a seven instead of an eight. It is also a very long movie, and probably will take most people two days to watch. For those with a passion for obscure history, especially that relating to American socialism, this movie is a must-see. Beatty plays Reed credibly, and he also wonderfully recreates the world of leftist bohemians during the late 1910s and early 1920s. Maureen Stapleton deservedly won that Oscar for her portrayal of anarchist Emma Goldman. Her dialogue with Reed about the failures of the new Soviet Union must be seen to be believed. This film is somewhat of a tragedy, in part because we see the dissolution of the socialist dream that Reed had hoped for. We also see the difficulties is maintaining a romantic relationship while also trying to work as a journalist touting the socialist cause. All in all, this is good stuff.
Another great feature of the movie are the brief interludes featuring testimony from real socialists from the era portrayed in the movie. These people were well into their eighties and nineties when they were filmed, but their minds were still full of vivid memories, and their commentary adds a real life human dimension to this movie.
Warren Beatty scored big with this gem of a film. This movie is a great retelling of the life of American communist John Reed and his girlfriend, played respectively by Beatty and Diane Keaton. The love story between the two seems a little forced and uninteresting, and that is why I rated this movie a seven instead of an eight. It is also a very long movie, and probably will take most people two days to watch. For those with a passion for obscure history, especially that relating to American socialism, this movie is a must-see. Beatty plays Reed credibly, and he also wonderfully recreates the world of leftist bohemians during the late 1910s and early 1920s. Maureen Stapleton deservedly won that Oscar for her portrayal of anarchist Emma Goldman. Her dialogue with Reed about the failures of the new Soviet Union must be seen to be believed. This film is somewhat of a tragedy, in part because we see the dissolution of the socialist dream that Reed had hoped for. We also see the difficulties is maintaining a romantic relationship while also trying to work as a journalist touting the socialist cause. All in all, this is good stuff.
Another great feature of the movie are the brief interludes featuring testimony from real socialists from the era portrayed in the movie. These people were well into their eighties and nineties when they were filmed, but their minds were still full of vivid memories, and their commentary adds a real life human dimension to this movie.