{"id":27076,"date":"2012-09-05T11:17:38","date_gmt":"2012-09-05T18:17:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27076"},"modified":"2021-02-04T16:46:35","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T23:46:35","slug":"julia-1977","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27076","title":{"rendered":"Julia (1977)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I assure you, I would never try to be heroic.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Poster-202x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-27085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Poster-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Poster-86x128.jpg 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Poster.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nShortly after receiving accolades for her first play, writer Lillian Hellman (Jane Fonda) is asked to carry out a dangerous mission to Nazi Germany on behalf of her lifelong friend, Julia (Vanessa Redgrave).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Fred Zinnemann Films<\/li>\n<li>Friendship<\/li>\n<li>Jane Fonda Films<\/li>\n<li>Jason Robards Films<\/li>\n<li>Maximilian Schell Films<\/li>\n<li>Resistance Fighters<\/li>\n<li>Vanessa Redgrave Films<\/li>\n<li>World War Two<\/li>\n<li>Writers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary argues that this &#8220;superb adaptation of Lillian Hellman&#8217;s beautiful, suspenseful story, contained in her memoir <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pentimento_%28book%29\"><em>Pentimento<\/em><\/a>,&#8221; is &#8220;truly a well-made film, with provocative characters and relationships, a unique view of Europe in the 30s and great performances from the three leads&#8221;. Interestingly, he seems either unaware of &#8212; or unconcerned with &#8212; the swirl of debate concerning the veracity of Hellman&#8217;s story: a woman named <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Muriel_Gardiner\">Muriel Gardiner<\/a>, who employed the same lawyer as Hellman but never knew her, claimed to have been the very woman Hellman referred to as &#8220;Julia&#8221;, and wrote a memoir in 1985 detailing her experiences. However, while I find it strange that Peary doesn&#8217;t even mention this notorious controversy in his review, I agree with him that <em>Julia<\/em> remains a powerful, finely acted film, one that is &#8220;now too easily forgotten&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>Peary points out that this movie allowed Fonda &#8220;another chance to play a woman who becomes politicized and who has a special bond with another woman&#8221;; he notes that you can &#8220;see the love these women have for each other&#8221;, and argues that &#8220;the most interesting point of the film&#8221; &#8212; given that &#8220;it breaks with movie stereotyping&#8221; &#8212; is how &#8220;being a leftist has not deprived Julia of her warmth, her humility, and her concern for people like Lillian who are not as politically dedicated as she is&#8221;. Regarding their special relationship, some have taken issue with the fact that the theme of lesbianism in the play (<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Children%27s_Hour_%28play%29\"><em>The Children&#8217;s Hour<\/em><\/a>) Hellman is seen slaving over in her Cape Cod beach house &#8212; where she&#8217;s mentored by her older lover, Dashiell Hammett (Jason Robards) &#8212; is never openly discussed. While there is a later scene in which a character (John Glover) mentions the &#8220;gossip&#8221; surrounding the play, some critics believe a chance is missed to more concretely connect the play&#8217;s theme of strong female friendship and accused lesbianism with Lillian and Julia&#8217;s own story of intense love and devotion. <\/p>\n<p>However, while those familiar with Hellman&#8217;s work may find deeper meaning in these earlier scenes, those viewing the film without such literary insight will still appreciate the fact that Fonda&#8217;s character is not only being asked to risk her life to help Julia&#8217;s cause, but to leave behind a clearly defined world of newfound fame and fortune &#8212; thus highlighting the magnitude of her &#8220;sacrifice&#8221;. Oscar-winning screenwriter Alvin Sargent incorporates just enough flashback scenes from Lillian and Julia&#8217;s youth to help us understand why Lillian would feel such intense loyalty for her friend; and while some complain that the title character (Redgrave won an Oscar for her supporting work) is on screen far too little, I believe this merely adds to one&#8217;s sense of her commitment to a world far, far removed from the comforts of Hellman&#8217;s existence. The climactic train journey into Berlin is especially well-handled, nicely highlighting the magnitude of the dangers Fonda is exposing herself to &#8212; and while it may or may not have happened to Hellman herself, it certainly makes for good storytelling. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jane Fonda as Lillian Hellman (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Fonda.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Fonda.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Fonda.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Fonda-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Fonda-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Vanessa Redgrave as Julia<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Redgrave.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Redgrave.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Redgrave.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Redgrave-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Redgrave-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jason Robards as Dashiell Hammett<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Robards.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Robards.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Robards.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Robards-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Robards-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Maximilian Schell as Johann<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Schell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Schell.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Schell.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Schell-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Schell-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Douglas Slocombe&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Cinematography.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Cinematography-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Cinematography-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>Fine attention to period detail<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Period-Detail.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Period-Detail.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Period-Detail.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Period-Detail-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Julia-Period-Detail-300x186.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a powerfully acted and scripted memory drama. Nominated by Peary as one of the Best Films of the Year in <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0076245\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/reviews\/20360\/julia\/\">DVD Talk Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1977\/10\/03\/archives\/julia-tries-to-define-friendshipjane-fonda-stars-with-vanessa.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jigsawlounge.co.uk\/film\/reviews\/v-07-pt3-archive-features-killer-of-sheep-1977-the-working-girls-74-julia-77-etc\/\">Jigsaw Lounge Review (scroll down)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/film\/reviews\/77325\/julia.html\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I assure you, I would never try to be heroic.&#8221; Synopsis: Shortly after receiving accolades for her first play, writer Lillian Hellman (Jane Fonda) is asked to carry out a dangerous mission to Nazi Germany on behalf of her lifelong friend, Julia (Vanessa Redgrave). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Flashback Films Fred Zinnemann Films Friendship Jane Fonda Films Jason Robards Films Maximilian Schell Films Resistance Fighters Vanessa Redgrave Films World War Two Writers Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary argues that&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27076\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27076"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68720,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27076\/revisions\/68720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}