REDS

US, 1981, 192 minutes, Colour.
Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Maureen Stapleton, Gene Hackman, Jerzy Kosinski, Edward Herrman. Paul Sorvino, Ian Wolfe, Nicholas Coster, M.Emmett Walsh, William Daniels, George Plimpton.
Directed by Warren Beatty.

Reds was an epic film, with notable direction by Warren Beatty, who won the Oscar for best director of 1981 (although Chariots of Fire won the Oscar for Best Film). It runs for over three hours, goes back to scenes of the October 1917 Russian Revolution but shows the aftermath for some of the American Reds, especially journalist John Reed and his memories of Ten Days that Shook the World (along with his activities in Mexico in the years previous), and his relationship with Louise Bryant (Beatty and Diane Keaton).

There is an interesting portrait of playwright Eugene O’ Neill by Jack Nicholson, his continued advice to John and Louise, intimations of his writing career with performances of Anna Christie. The leading Communist agitator, Emma Goldman, Maureen Stapleton in a performance that won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, is shown in various protests, in Chicago in 1919, and in hearings about the Communist Party. To this extent, the film indicates some origins of the Red Scare. Also in the leading cast is Gene Hackman.

Audiences are taken back into the second and third decades of the 20th century, into American politics and culture, into the atmosphere of the Russian Revolution and its effect, into the role of American communists in the 1920s.

But the film is also something of a love story, between John Reed and Louise Bryant, and the more permissive circles in which they moved.

Of great interest is the range of “witnesses” who appear throughout the film, historical and literary characters in older age who reminisce and comment about the times and the issues.

There is a great deal going on in Reds which means that it continues to be a film resource for understanding aspects of the period, the characters, the issues.

1. Acclaim? Awards? Oscars? And 1980s perspective on 1915 to 1919?

2. A Warren Beatty project: writing, its scope, directing, performance, his cast? The length? Locations? A piece of American socialist history?

3. The American locations, Oregon, New York City, Massachusetts, the Atlantic Coast? Russia, Finland? Petrograd? The musical score, the songs, especially, ‘I don’t want to play in your yard’?

4. The introduction of the witnesses, the range, men and women, 1980, their age, memories, commentary? On Jack, Louise, their relationship, Emma Goldman, President Wilson, the war, conscription, the Russian revolution? The comments inserted throughout the film?

5. The brief opening, Jack Reed in Mexico, his sense of adventure? Visiting his family in Oregon, the dinner and his answer, ‘profit’? People’s response, talking with Louise, meeting her at his family’s house, the discussions, her folio, talking all night, drinking coffee, the issues? The relationship with Louise? Sex and free love? The invitation for her to come to New York?

6. The opening portrait of Louise, and the exhibition, her dentist-husband, the nude picture, society and reactions, her writings, the response to Jack, the social night, talking, sexual attitudes, going to New York?

7. Her arrival, his absence, his return with Emma, their discussions? The love for each other? The film as a romance? The ups and downs of their relationship, the clashes, separations, jealousies, exasperations? Yet the growing commitment? The deeper love?

8. Emma Goldman, strong character, her critique of Louise, not being serious, Louise upset, frantic, wanting to get out of New York? The beach house, the walks on the beach, the introduction to Eugene O’Neill?, the performance of Anna Christie? The group and their sharing? Sense of freedom? Jack, his absences, the union meetings, socialist parties, the police attack, prison, returning with the lilies?

9. The publisher, friendship with Jack, joking, the attraction to Louise, the dinner date, looking at her folio, but really wanting sexual favors?

10. Eugene O’ Neill, his character, romantic, his love for Louise, the affair and the mutual consent, the music? Jack’s return, glimpsing them, his not saying anything? His proposal to the Wes? Her accepting, the secret wedding? O’Neill? and his advance, Louise telling him the truth?

11. Emma Goldman, Max Eastman, the group, the issues of Wilson and America not entering the war? The style of pre-revolution communism?

12. 1916, moving house, Eugene O’Neill? and his poem and Jack finding it later, the witnesses and the rumour of the ménage a trois?

13. 1917, the war, America entering? Journalists and the need to go to Russia? For socialists to go? The witnesses and their comments about Russia? America at war, the speeches, protests, the police, imprisonment? Jack and his health, blood in his urine, the kidney problem, the socialist party meeting, doctor consultations?

14. Jack and his jealousy, the arguments about the affair, his own relationship with women? Louise and her emotion, packing, her talkling of his wanting to shots in the limelight every day, her leaving?

15. Louise in Paris, 1917, Jack and his having the kidney operation? Her sending the articles? The friendship with Peter Wheeler, his earlier encounters with Louise, drinking, in discussions with Jack, the argument about the Bolsheviks? His telling Jack that Louise had been fired?

16. Jack going to France, the glimpses of the war, encountering Louise? Her work during the war, nursing, reporting? The discussions about going to Russia? Her statements of independence? Her joining him on the train? The Chicago man and the discussions about Russia, Jack learning Russian? Arriving at the border, seeing the wounded?

17. Petrograd, the demonstrations? The speeches? Lenin, Trotsky, Kerensky? Jack and his interviewing the key personnel? Jack and the meeting, invited onstage, talking about the New York experiences, enthusing the crowd, rallying them? Jack and Louise distributing leaflets in the streets? The
musical of the Internationale?

18. The revolution itself, the people, 10 days that shook the world, the meetings, the parliament, the role of Lenin, Trotsky? Jack and Louise witnessing this?

19. The return to New York, 1918, Max at the wharf, the police confiscating Jack’s notes for his book? Jack and Louise enthusiasm about Russia?

20. The hearings, Louise and the question about God, Christianity and decency? Her strong stances? The origins of the Red scare? The fear of the unions, fear of radicalism, stances against the Russian revolution?

21. Emma Goldman, deported, going to Russia, Jack and his gifts, the scarfe from Louise, and Emma’s later gratitude? Emma highlighting Jack as leader, articulate, speeches and writing?

22. The comic touches with Jack trying to cook, Louise and the meal, the success of his book?

23. The socialist party, the executive expelling the left wing, Louis and his Italian background, the alliance with Jack, breaking with him? The role of Eddie, to make the contact with Levine, his wife’s illness and his being late? Jack hard on Eddie? Jack and his health, the pills, talking with Max, talking with Louise? Socialism becoming a religion for Jack?

24. Chicago in 1919, the socialist convention? The Bolsheviks sympathisers? The fight with Louise? The parting of the ways, two American communist labor parties? The decision to send Jack to Russia for recognition? Louise watching, her dismay, sewing the curtains? Jack and his decision to go?

25. Louise, her outburst, the validity of her criticisms of Jack and his activism? Jack going? Louise and her being followed by the authorities’? Going to Eugene O’ Neill, his taunting her, communism as the new Irish Catholicism in the US? His comments about the different dreams of Louise and Jack? The authorities coming to the house, wanting to arrest Jack for sedition? His going to Russian without passport?

26. The difficulties for Americans to get into Russia, Jack going through the snow, getting in, the surrounding armies? Jack and his experience of the factions, the interviews, lectures about loyalty? The bureaucrats and his reaction? No affirmation of the American party? His escape through the snow and by rail? Trying to send information to Louise? Louise going to Washington, getting no help? Jack imprisoned in Finland? The dire conditions, health, scurvy?

27. Louise, going to Eugene O’ Neill for help, his warning against her going to Russia, his offering to go? Her decision, in the ship, in the snow, the long journey? Jack and his telegrams, released and going back to Petrograd? Meeting up with Emma, the discussions in the apartment, her reflection on Russia, the bureaucracy, it not working, the few in control, not the people? Her ideals and their not working?

28. Jack, the parliament, told to go to the Middle East, the rallies and speeches, the bad translations, his speeches being altered, his outburst against the bureaucrats on the train?

29. Louise and her being found by Emma, the reconciliation? Louise going to the station, hoping for Jack’s return, thinking he had not, their seeing each other? His illness, hospital, his death?

30. Jack and his achievement, being buried in the Kremlin? The re-appraisal of his life and work by Warren Beatty? Acceptable in 1981?