Doesnt Cut The Mustard

Rating: Null/10 (25 September 2002)

One of the few 'huge' films of my parents generation that just doesnt do it for me. There's a cog missing in the machine, which i cant quite isolate. The performances are incredible, and the scenery costumes and cinematography, forget about it. Maybe its just the story is too whacky, and it just doesnt compute. Could be a culture mishap? Could be a poor adaptation of what might have been a great book? Cant say. But you just dont really give a darn about any of it. Julie Christie is gorgeous, and you should want to feel the need to save and protect her like Zhivago seeks to, but you dont. Almost like you dont get the chance, because the film takes another crazy turn just as you start getting into the setup. Its overload too with the entire mess of the Soviet Revolution and the havoc it rained down on all of those poor people. But even that is skimmed, and is more of a distraction, a competitor to the storyline. Again, its not a disaster, but you will be hard pressed to have considered the 4 hours or whatever it is, as time well spent. Too bad. Bolt and Lean, even they were human.