Julia (1977) Reviews

• Two Girls

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  Friendships and love. Memory and longing. A film that lets you dwell without forcing you to. The story, a true account, told by Lillian Hellman in "Pentimento" was debased by one of Hellman's fans that became her assistant. Imagine. Trying to destroy your mentor. Real or imaginary the story lived in Hellman's heart and mind. Fred Zinnemann created a world for the story to acquire a true human dimension. A triumph. Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave are extraordinary as the inseparable childhood friends, Lilli and Julia. Jason Robards, is utterly wonderful as Dashiell Hammett. The film is also the first for Meryl Streep in a short, very short but memorable character. The script by Alvin Sargent, magnificent. Highly recommended.

• Julia Forty Years Later

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  To rediscover Julia in 2017 is an absolute thrill. It was thrilling the first time round but, as it happens, nine times out of ten, thrills don't travel well. Here is the exception. Time, through Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave has added an extra coat of guts and truth. They were magnificent then and they are magnificent now. As actresses, as women. The friendship of Lilli and Julia is a landmark of historical, artistic and human proportions. Fred Zinnemann, the director, clearly knew what he was dealing with, brilliantly. Julia also counts with the extraordinary Jason Robards as Dashiel Hammett and, my goodness, Meryl Streep! in a small but memorable part, making her film debut. I believe this is one of those rare films that will be relevant for ever.

• Jane Fonda's Greatest Role: Jane As Lillian Hellman

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  Julia (1977): Starring Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards, Maximilian Schell, Rosemary Murphy, Meryl Streep, Lisa Pelikan, Susan Jones, Cathleen Nesbitt, Hal Holbrook, Dora Doll, Elisabeth Mortensen, Mark Metcalf, Maurice Denham, Stefan Gryff, Molly Urquhart, Jacques David, Phillip Siegel, Anthony Carrick, Ann Quensberry, Jacqueline Staup, Hans Verner, Edmond Bernard, Christian De Tilliere, Francis Lemaire, Jacques Disses, Lambert Wilson, Dick Marr, Don Koll....Director Fred Zinnemann, Screenplay Alvin Sargent. Released in 1977, audiences who had read American playwright and screenwriter Lillian Hellman's autobiographical novel "Pentimento", were thrilled to watch this tale unfold with fine performances by Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Robards. Director Fred Zinneman (From Here To Eternity, The Nun's Story) recreates a time in Lillian Hellman's life with vivid intensity and powerful emotional impact. Jane Fonda as Lillian is possibly her greatest performance. She captures the spirit of the Louisiana-born playwright quite well and Hellman herself must have been impressed. Hellman was still alive at this time (born 1905 died 1984). Among Miss Hellman's finest works include "The Children's Hour", "The Little Foxes", "The North Star", "The Dark Angel" and "Toys In The Attick" . The film follows the life of Hellman and covers areas that are well-known, such as her long-term relationship with mystery writer Dashiel Hemmett, played by Jason Robards, her professional relationship with author Dorothy Parker (portrayed by Rosemary Murphy), and her love of the city of Paris. But the film focuses on her little-known relationship with a childhood friend Julia (Vanessa Redgrave in a magnificent performance). Julia studies medicine in Vienna but World War II breaks out. Julia becomes a socialist and political activist who zealously opposes Nazism and Fascism. She goes as far as to rescue the lives of Jews and other victims of Hitler's regime. As such, she is always in mortal danger. She maintains contact with Lillian through letters and eventually asks for her help on a mission. Lillian travels to Moscow via Berlin, the heart of danger at this time. Will Lillian reunite with Julia ? Will the mission be accomplished ? Will things ever be the same now that WWII has begun ? While the film is long, bittersweet and somewhat scary in its powerful account, it's a well-written film and Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, two noted stars, do their roles justice. Look for a brief cameo by Meryl Streep, not yet a big star, as Julia's care-free friend Ann Marie. Lillian Helman is finally vindicated in this fine tribute to her as Hollywood of the late 70's was far more forgiving and liberal than the old Hollywood of the 40's and 50's which had blacklisted Hellman as communist and kept her from writing plays or film scripts. With somewhat "stern" cinematography by veteran film-maker Douglas Slocombe and haunting music by Georges Delerue, this is an emotionally charged film that will move you and stir your soul. It's a beautiful, tragic tale of two friends, full of the power of human love.

• Friendship tested by the rise of fascism

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  Julia is a story of friendship and courage between two women whose relationship is tested by the rise of fascism prior to World War II. The story centers around Lillian who is a struggling writer working on a play as she recalls memories of her childhood friend, Julia, who rebelled against her wealthy family to become a progressive radical. Over the years, as Julia became politically active, the friends see a lot less of each other. Lillian always keeps Julia in her thoughts, and they meet when they can, but the rise of fascism pulls them apart, but also brings them closer together. Lillian never fully understands Julia's political ideology or why she risks so much to fight for her ideals, but when she is called to aid in an effort to resist the Nazis by smuggling funds into Germany on Julia's behalf, she rises to the challenge. Julia is a charismatic figure, and despite only appearing on screen for a few minutes, Vanessa Redgrave's performance is inspiring, making us want to see more of her, just as Lillian wishes to. Jane Fonda plays Lillian in this beautifully crafted film by Fred Zinnemann about the power of friendship to help us rise above our fears and to do more than we think we are capable in the face of great danger.

• An Intimate And Painful Portion Of Her Life

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  The story of Julia is taken from Pentimento the second of three volumes of memoirs by American playwright Lillian Hellman. Hellman who was still alive at the time this film was made surely must have been flattered by what Jane Fonda and the rest of the cast did with an intimate and painful portion of her life. Lillian Hellman was a radical and unorthodox character in her life and times. She was the first major American writer to bring a lesbian theme to the stage in The Children's Hour. What she gives us in Julia is a look at her life and how she was able to create the characters of Karen and Martha the schoolteachers from The Children's Hour. In this story Karen and Martha are Jane Fonda as Lillian Hellman and Vanessa Redgrave as her most intimate friend Julia. Both are Jewish, but Redgrave is British and Hellman is American. Their destinies seeming to be fated for togetherness are driven apart as Julia decides to go to university in Vienna to study under Sigmund Freud. But while Hellman struggles to create a play under the tutelage of lover and mentor Dashiell Hammett as played by Jason Robards, Jr., Julia gets herself involved in the anti-fascist activities in an Austria already preparing for Anschluss. While Hellman is visiting Julia sustains some very serious injuries during a Nazi inspired riot. As the story continues Hellman meets great acclaim with her first major hit which turns out to be The Children's Hour, but her communications from Julia become more and more infrequent and somewhat bizarre. Then she's asked on another trip to smuggle money into the Third Reich to aid Julia and others fleeing Hitler's tyranny. Director Fred Zinneman who was also a refugee from the Anschluss of Austria knew his subject well. He successfully transfers his memories and visions of a frightened people with good reason to be frightened. Fonda's American experience doesn't prepare her for this, but as Hellman she adapts to the environment well for her survival. Her budding celebrity no doubt helps insure her survival. But the one you will remember is Vanessa Redgrave who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Julia. The last scene of her and Fonda together at a Berlin train stop café is no doubt what won her the Oscar. It will haunt you long after you've seen the film. Julia won two other Oscars, one for Best Screenplay adapted from another source and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Robards, Jr. as Dashiell Hammett. Sharing sex, literature, and politics wasn't enough for the Hammett/Hellman duo, Robards as Hammett knows well that he runs second as will anyone else in Fonda's life to her lost Julia. But he's secure enough to realize it and enjoy what he has. Maximilian Schell was also up for Best Supporting Actor in a small, but vital role as an anti-Nazi German who gives cryptic guiding instructions to Fonda on her last visit to Julia. It's through him that the fright of the opposition is seen mostly. Meryl Streep made her screen debut as an upper class snob of a friend that Fonda has and Strepp has a brother in John Glover. Glover specializes in portrayals of truly hateful people on the big and small screen. He confesses a breaking a major taboo to Fonda while drunk and then snickers at her relationship with Redgrave. Jane handles him appropriately. Julia was also up for a flock of other Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Fred Zinneman and Best Actress for Jane Fonda. It's a beautiful and haunting film about Lillian Hellman writing from the heart about a lost love.