It's set in various parts of the world from 1916 to 1920. It is a romance about the relationship of radical journalist John Reed and Louise Bryant, a feminist and a journalist. It's set against the radical politics of the day in which both Reed and Bryant were deeply involved. It's 3.25 hours in length.
John "Jack" Reed (Warren Beatty) is already a seasoned journalist with socialist leanings when he meets Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. She is an unfulfilled writer and artist married to a dentist. After meeting Reed, she follows him to Greenwich Village in New York City, trying to launch a writing career. However, Reed's apartment is a socialist meeting place, and Reed continues to move further and further leftward in his politics.
Reed and Bryant escape to the coast of Massachusetts, where many of their New York friends visit, including Eugene O'Neill (Jack Nicholson), with whom Bryant has an affair while Reed is away. Finally, however, Reed and Bryant marry and move to the northern suburbs of New York City. Unhappiness returns, however, and Bryant leaves for Europe to write, feeling she needs distance from Reed. In 1917 Reed follows her and persuades her to come along to Petrograd, Russia, where the Kerensky government seems to be in trouble, and the Bolshevists are in ascendance. They are present for the October Revolution, and both experience great satisfaction in their journalistic efforts, and Reeds becomes a convinced Bolshevist.
When they return to the U. S., Reed becomes very engaged in forming Communist parties and ultimately returns to the USSR for an International Congress. While there, he gets into increased conflict with Grigory Zinoviev (Jerzy Kosinski), a leader close to Lenin (Roger Sloman). Eventually, Bryant follows Reed to Russia, where he dies of typhus in 1920.
One of the treasures of this film are the many "witnesses" who comment from time to time. These are people who knew John Reed and Louise Bryant and are commented on what they remember about the couple 60 years later. It's a fascinating technique that is very well integrated. The storyline for me was gripping from end to end, partly because each time I've seen the film, I've felt a strong emotional identification with John Reed, including his passion and nascent delusion towards the end.
As most "based on" films do, the film takes liberties with the facts. Their relationship was not as fraught as depicted. Reed did not meet Bryant in France. Reed did not have serious health issues in Russia until Bryant reached him there. He knew where she was coming to Russia while he was in Baku, and while dramatic events took place in the last months, they did not approach what is depicted in the film. But the story is excellent as shown, and I'm a sucker for romance.
John "Jack" Reed (Warren Beatty) is already a seasoned journalist with socialist leanings when he meets Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. She is an unfulfilled writer and artist married to a dentist. After meeting Reed, she follows him to Greenwich Village in New York City, trying to launch a writing career. However, Reed's apartment is a socialist meeting place, and Reed continues to move further and further leftward in his politics.
Reed and Bryant escape to the coast of Massachusetts, where many of their New York friends visit, including Eugene O'Neill (Jack Nicholson), with whom Bryant has an affair while Reed is away. Finally, however, Reed and Bryant marry and move to the northern suburbs of New York City. Unhappiness returns, however, and Bryant leaves for Europe to write, feeling she needs distance from Reed. In 1917 Reed follows her and persuades her to come along to Petrograd, Russia, where the Kerensky government seems to be in trouble, and the Bolshevists are in ascendance. They are present for the October Revolution, and both experience great satisfaction in their journalistic efforts, and Reeds becomes a convinced Bolshevist.
When they return to the U. S., Reed becomes very engaged in forming Communist parties and ultimately returns to the USSR for an International Congress. While there, he gets into increased conflict with Grigory Zinoviev (Jerzy Kosinski), a leader close to Lenin (Roger Sloman). Eventually, Bryant follows Reed to Russia, where he dies of typhus in 1920.
One of the treasures of this film are the many "witnesses" who comment from time to time. These are people who knew John Reed and Louise Bryant and are commented on what they remember about the couple 60 years later. It's a fascinating technique that is very well integrated. The storyline for me was gripping from end to end, partly because each time I've seen the film, I've felt a strong emotional identification with John Reed, including his passion and nascent delusion towards the end.
As most "based on" films do, the film takes liberties with the facts. Their relationship was not as fraught as depicted. Reed did not meet Bryant in France. Reed did not have serious health issues in Russia until Bryant reached him there. He knew where she was coming to Russia while he was in Baku, and while dramatic events took place in the last months, they did not approach what is depicted in the film. But the story is excellent as shown, and I'm a sucker for romance.