Product: Julia (1971)
Rating: 4.0
Pentimento:when an artist changes his mind,and recants...
A very artfully made adaption of a 'true story' from a collection of stories entitled 'Pentimento' by the playwright Lillian Hellman based on her travels in europe before the war.It tells of a friendship between two women played by Jane Fonda & Vanessa Redgrave and the total loyalty and love that binds them together even when thousands of miles apart.The story starts with them growing up in the opulent surroundings of one of Julias many family homes to camping and yachting excursions and then to Julias studies in europe where her increasing social conscience comes to fruition in the slums of Vienna and the spectre of Adolf Hitler on the horizon.Enough said.Both actresses give wonderful performances here as does Jason Robards as Lillians worldly wise but weary lover,Dashiell Hammet.Meryl Streep also pops up unexpectedly but you dont realise its her till later.Here she gives us a small taste of her acting craftsmanship.In fact the whole cast impressed me so much I felt compelled to look up their bios' later.I was also impressed by the dialogue and script even though doubts have now been raised on the authenticity of the Julia character.But no matter,were it fiction it would still be an interesting tale.But why damage a stories reputation with such claims?.Perhaps only Hellman herself could answer that...