Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Warren Beatty | ... | ||
Diane Keaton | ... | ||
Edward Herrmann | ... | ||
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Jerzy Kosinski | ... |
Grigory Zinoviev
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Jack Nicholson | ... | ||
Paul Sorvino | ... |
Louis Fraina
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Maureen Stapleton | ... | ||
Nicolas Coster | ... |
Paul Trullinger
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M. Emmet Walsh | ... |
Speaker - Liberal Club
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Ian Wolfe | ... |
Mr. Partlow
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Bessie Love | ... |
Mrs. Partlow
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MacIntyre Dixon | ... |
Carl Walters
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Pat Starr | ... |
Helen Walters
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Eleanor D. Wilson | ... |
Mrs. Reed
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Max Wright | ... |
Floyd Dell
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American journalist John Reed journeys to Russia to document the Bolshevik Revolution and returns a revolutionary. His fervor for left-wing politics leads him to Louise Bryant, then married, who will become a feminist icon and activist. Politics at home become more complicated as the rift grows between reality and Reed's ideals. Bryant takes up with a cynical playwright, and Reed returns to Russia, where his health declines. Written by Jwelch5742
Warren Beatty makes himself the only director to get Oscar nominations in Best Producer (picture), director, actor and writer twice (Heaven Can Wait is the other one), and he won his only Oscar (besides his honorary Thalberg award in 2000) for direction here. And it is well deserved. Mainly because this is the best film about communism and other political issues ever made.
Here, Beatty portrays journalist and idealist John Reed to maximum potential. He also comes of great with Diane Keaton as his love. Long, yet immensly entertaining and interesting, which was one of the few political films (besides maybe South Park) that got me thinking about communism. By the way, this film also won best conematography (Vittoro Storatto) and Best Supporting Actress (Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman), though I think it should've also won Oscars for Nicholson and Beatty. One of the better films (top 20) of the decade. A+