Ein Mann kämpft für Gerechtigkeit (1981)

Ein Mann kämpft für Gerechtigkeit: Directed by Warren Beatty. With Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski. A radical American journalist becomes involved with the Communist revolution in Russia, and hopes to bring its spirit and idealism to the United States.

“u0026#39;Redsu0026#39; is one of the finest American films ever made- it is the film that Beatty worked towards from u0026#39;Bonnie u0026amp; Clydeu0026#39;; tellingly he would not make another film until the excerable u0026#39;Ishtaru0026#39; (which was probably more fun to make than watch).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis film feels like a cross between David Lean (u0026#39;Dr Zhivagou0026#39; u0026amp; u0026#39;Lawrence of Arabiau0026#39; from his oeuvre) and Oliver Stone (in u0026#39;Nixonu0026#39; mode). As with u0026#39;Bonnie u0026amp; Clydeu0026#39; the right music has been picked for the soundtrack- u0026#39;The Internationaleu0026#39; u0026amp; Keatonu0026#39;s take of u0026#39;…In my Yardu0026#39; standout (though the score is taken from Sondheim, with contributions by u0026#39;Graduateu0026#39;-composer Dave Gruisin). The film is brilliantly shot by the great Vittorio Storaro- who uses the same huge talent as he did on Bertolucciu0026#39;s u0026#39;Il Conformistau0026#39; u0026amp; Coppolau0026#39;s u0026#39;Apocalypse Now Reduxu0026#39;. Trevor Griffiths co-wrote this film- though there were contributions from a variety of historians- most notably Robert Rosenstone.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFans of the film should consult Rosenstoneu0026#39;s biography of John Reed (u0026#39;Romantic Revolutionaryu0026#39;) and his chapter on his involvement with and objections to elements in u0026#39;Redsu0026#39; in the book u0026#39;Visions of the Pastu0026#39;. This Biopic is an interpretation of a life- as with films like u0026#39;Pattonu0026#39; it takes a rather small period of the protaganists total life experience- running from roughly 1914 to Reedu0026#39;s death from typhus in 1920. The film charts Reedu0026#39;s major experiences- his coverage of the First World War and the Mexican War of 1916 is shown- though the major achievments are his ventures into the complexities of American Socialism and American-Communism and his eventual experience in Russia/Soviet Union. The main aspect, the stalwart element throughout the film is his love affair with Louise Bryant- which is where the film begins and ends. Rosenstone believes this may have been a concession to Hollywood audience- but I think it puts the human and greater-backdrop into context.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026#39;Visions of the Pastu0026#39; censures much of Beattyu0026#39;s u0026quot;twists of truthu0026quot; and the filmic conventions of compression and dramatic-symbolistic interpretation. This is not a documentary and this is not the actual John Reed. This is a biopic film, starring Warren Beatty playing u0026#39;John Reedu0026#39;. If you want to read about the real thing- try u0026#39;Romantic Revolutionaryu0026#39; and Reedu0026#39;s masterpiece u0026#39;Ten Days That Shook the Worldu0026#39; (which, ironically, came in for criticism regarding Reedu0026#39;s fictionalisation of the events of the Russian Revolution!- see the introduction to the Penguin edition by AJP Taylor). Remember historians have a vested interest in their interpretation- which by placing into lineal order in a history (non-fiction) book they are placing into a narrative form.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBeatty and Keaton are great in this film- with brilliant support from Gene Hackman,Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino u0026amp; Maureen Stapleton. We see the John Reed on-screen move from Jack Reed journalist to John Reed idealist- the only American to be buried within the walls of the Kremlin.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eVarious anti-commies have objected to this film as it depicts Communism- well, at the time, this development from Marx/Engels 1848 Manifesto seemed liberating. Many intellectuals pondered on a new collective, non-Capitalist world- which was sadly a utopia that was unattainable. The Russian experiment failed- Beatty alludes to the flaws and Stalinism in the speech which the Party retranslate towards their own ends towards the end of the film. The Russian Revolution was an ideal- the workers of the world uniting- which considering the treatement meted out by the likes of Henry Ford was a good thing. This message is still relevant- as u0026#39;free market Capitalismu0026#39; means market dominance for Superpowers, poverty for others- the persistence of a constant underclass and the eradication of Union Rights. There are as many flawed ethics to Capitalism as Communism- the arms trade (Reagan/Bush to Hussain, the US-sponsored coup in Chile-Cambodia-El Salvador- a policy which continues up to the failed one last week in Venezuala). Beatty takes the socialist ideals which u0026#39;Shampoou0026#39; alluded to and which he continued in the satirical u0026#39;Bulworthu0026#39;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUnlike Attenboroughu0026#39;s u0026#39;Gandhiu0026#39;, this is not a biopic that is too reverent to its focus- many times Reed is shown to be a clown and it is Bryantu0026#39;s character who undergoes the vaster change- giving this film a strong feminist element. The other stroke of genius is the use of the witnesses- who provide a commentary on the film that sometimes contradict each other- alluding to a multiplicity of truths that overlap (as with Stoneu0026#39;s alternate scenarios in u0026#39;JFKu0026#39; u0026amp; u0026#39;Nixonu0026#39;- they themselves are not true but point out that the truth is relative and the accepted historist take may not be any more u0026quot;realu0026quot;).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Oscar people exhibited their usual poor taste again- choosing the yawnworthy u0026#39;Chariots of Fireu0026#39; over this for best picture (well, the year before they chose u0026#39;Ordinary Peopleu0026#39; over u0026#39;Raging Bullu0026#39;- and to this day mediocrity wins that coveted award: u0026#39;Forrest Gumpu0026#39;, u0026#39;Schindleru0026#39;s Listu0026#39;, u0026#39;Gladiatoru0026#39;, u0026#39;Braveheartu0026#39;, u0026#39;Titanicu0026#39;). This film has an epic scope- that the worthy Oscar winner u0026#39;The English Patientu0026#39; also exhibited- though both show influence from David Lean. This was a time when Hollywood had ambition and made some great films that may not have set the box-office on fire a la u0026#39;Jawsu0026#39; or u0026#39;Star Warsu0026#39; but made some great works for posterity: u0026#39;The Deer Hunteru0026#39;, u0026#39;New York New Yorku0026#39;, u0026#39;Raging Bullu0026#39;, u0026#39;Heavens Gateu0026#39; and this. u0026#39;Redsu0026#39; is a masterpiece that should be seen by everyone and desrves to take its place alongside classic works by directors such as John Ford, Howard Hawks and Orson Welles.”