Danton (1983)
“For the benefit of the country, we need to be wicked; we can’t afford to be just.”
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
Review: … and know things are headed for nowhere good (sorry, I had to get that pun out of the way right away). Absolutely nothing is sugar-coated here — not the despair of the starving peasants: … nor the compromises required of those like print-shop owner Camille Desmoulins (Patrice Chéreau) who must choose between loyalty to their cause and the safety of their family: … nor the intensity of the rampant paranoia that has inevitably cropped up in the midst of such a bloody historical transition. When we first meet Robespierre, we see that he is weak and living a relatively austere life, but willing and ready to get dressed up for his very-serious work as the architect of the Reign of Terror. He is at first reluctant to order the execution of Danton, given that he’s seen as a hero by many; the primary plot elements for the remainder of the film center on who is involved in which potential coup against who, and which faction will act first. Because this is an historical drama, we know how things will end — which doesn’t make it any less grueling to see such mass violence, betrayal, and corruption of power playing out. Indeed, it’s hard not to despair while watching this movie — which speaks to its enduring power. Note: Interestingly, all actors in this international co-production who played supporters of Danton were French, while those in support of Robespierre were Polish — an unsubtle choice that did not go unnoticed. According to the IMDb’s trivia section:
Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:
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2 thoughts on “Danton (1983)”
Absolutely bloody superb film! One of my favourites from the ’80s and Depardieu may be a despicable human being but he is a formidable actor and gives one of the very best performances I’ve seen. The sequences where he has to fight for his life and is speaking to the court are mesmerising. A significant film in Wajda’s career for the reasons you mention above. Definitely a must for FFs.
I was very pleasantly surprised by revisiting this one! I remember first watching part of it in my high school World History class and being appropriately horrified. (Our teacher liked to show snippets of relevant films but always forewarned us we’d have to rent the movie to see the full thing — I sure did in most cases!)