Product: The Odyssey [VHS] (1997)
Rating: 3.0
The Women of the Odyssey
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca who, on the very day of his son's birth is called away to the Trojan War. Forced to leave his son, his kingdom and his beloved wife Penelope behind, Odysseus fights the ten year siege of Troy, which finally ends when he comes up with the idea of the Trojan Horse, which gets him and his men inside the citadel.With Troy finally defeated, Odysseus is free to sail home, but mistakenly insults the god of the sea - Poseidon, who vows he'll never return home. For the next ten years, Odysseus and his men voyage home, but come face to face with many dangers on the way. As you may have guessed - it's a very long movie, and since it drags a bit through some parts, it may be best not to try and watch it in one big go.However, it does have it's merits - good scenery, costumes, special effects and acting, but standing out for me are the preformances of all the women, and their individual relationships with Odysseus (adequately played by Armand Assante) There is the goddess of wisdom Athene (Isabella Rossellini) who appoints herself as Odysseus's protecter, Anticlea (Irene Papas) Odysseus's fierce mother, Eurycleia (Geraldine Chaplin) Odyssues's nurse who cares for his son and is loyal to both of them, the witch Circe (Bernadette Peters) who uses potions, charms and magic to bend Odysseus to her will, and Calypso (Vannessa Williams) the nymph who claims Odysseus for her own when he lands on her island. But standing out even more is Penelope (Greta Scacchi) Odysseus's devoted wife who manages the kingdom, raises their son and keeps the many suitors who come seeking her hand at bay in her husband's absence. She is an inspiring woman, who maintains her dignity and strength throughout, and trying never to give up hope that her husband maay still be alive. The most powerful scenes of the entire show do not centre around Odysseus at all, but Penelope, helplessly trapped in her own home as the suitors take over. Watch out especially for the scene in which she tries to stop her mother-in-law from committing suicide, and when the leader of the suitors Eurymachus (Eric Robert) attempts to seduce her. "They will have none of Odysseus's things," she says. "Not his kingdom and *not* his wife."I watch this movie, not as much for Odysseus's adventures, but for the strength of the female characters around him.