Reds - Warren Beatty

A personal epic
Warren Beatty pulls off a difficult task in "Reds." He's got to juggle
several epic stories, including the rise of the American left in the early 20th century, the Russian Revolution, and a personal story of two romantics in a relationship charged by passion both emotional and political.
Any of these story threads presents a difficult task for a filmmaker and Beatty weaves his multilayered tale together with skill. He pays close attention to detail, gives us a multitude of historical characters and events, and mixes his story telling with the words of real people. Beatty buttresses his scenes with deceptively simple "talking heads." These "witnesses" provide a real background to the John Reed/Louise Bryant story
of "Reds," giving viewers a good grounding in the passions of the era. The
attention to little details (Reed bringing Bryant lilies, the constant
phrase "There's a taxi waiting," etc.) provide a rich portrait of two volatile human beings.
Beyond the personal, Beatty knows how to handle epic screen drama. The
rousing montage that leads up to the overthrow of Russian government is
sumptuous and envigorating. Don't be deceived thought; this is not a "pro
-Bolshevik" film by any great stretch of the imagination. Reed's
dissillusionment with the Soviet system is portrayed in agonizing detail.
Emma Goldman's story, a really great history in and of itself, gives
another point of view to the difficulty passionate people have when taking
on governing authorities and social mores.
The performances are uniformally excellent. Beatty and Keaton are well
matched and there's plenty of gems in the supporting roles. Standouts
include Jack Nicholson as Eugene O'Neil, Maureen Stapelton as Emma
Goldman, Edward Herrmann as Max Eastman, writer Jerzy Kosinski as Soviet
bureaucrat Grigory Zinoviev and Paul Sorvino as Louis Fraina.

I love "Reds." It's one of my favorite films. Be forewarned, however, you
could be lost and confused by the myrad of events in this film if you
don't know much about political history of the radical left in early 20th
Century America or the Bolshevik Revolution and its aftermath. On the
other hand, if you're intrigued by the film you'll find yourself up to
your eyeballs at the library reading about the true events and real people
who inspired this film.