Epic biog of John Reed and Louise Bryant, who covered the Russian Revolution, written by Beatty and Trevor Griffiths (and, uncredited, Elaine May, who we heard was so much involved she might as well have been co-director too), with interpolations from surviving witnesses. Once these real life characters start coming in as voiceovers, it puts a whole different spin on the proceedings.
The politics is not of great interest but the way of writing a personal love story across international events is very nicely done. The key scenes are perhaps Maureen Stapleton's warning to Beatty that the Revolution isn't working, and never will, and Beatty to the Bolsheviks:
"A man can be an individual and true to the collective, or speak for his own country and the international at the same time, or love his wife and still be faithful to the revolution - you don't have a self to give."
Diane Keaton gives a terrific performance (moments where she erupts, defending herself to the attorney general), maybe her career best - she was Oscar nominated, as were Beatty and Nicholson - she lost to Kate Hepburn in On Golden Pond. Maureen Stapleton won. With Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski, Paul Sorvino, Nicolas Coster, M Emmet Walsh, Gene Hackman, William Daniels and - believe it or not - Nuts In May's Roger Sloman as Lenin!
Dede Allen, who also co-produced - took on Craig McKay to help her cut the million feet of (printed) film, Beatty largely left them to it, in London. It sounded like he over-covered as they had so many takes of scenes. ("I like to do a lot of takes" he's quoted as saying on the extras, "because it's a new experience each time." Though this reportedly infuriated many of the actors.) Jerry Greenberg and Claire Simpson among the many editorial assistants.
Vittorio Storaro's photography is wonderful. It was the first film on which ENR was used to enrich the blacks.
But obviously great cinematography is not just about stunning landscapes - the whole film is beautifully lit, e.g.
Richard Cirincione is credited as supervising sound editor, and there's Dede's son Tom Fleischman as re-recording mixer. There are a staggering number of people in the sound department. Loved the sound sequence of the Jack and Louise's filing of news reports cut very close together over a typewriter, the chaos of the Far East meeting where everyone's shouting at once.
Helsinki stood in for Moscow, other locations included Lapland and Spain, and England (the cottage). Great music by Stephen Sondheim.
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