Isadora (1968)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Karel Reisz

Writers:

Melvyn Bragg (adaptation)
Melvyn Bragg (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 August 1969 (Finland)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The Life and Many Loves of the Most Exciting Woman of Our Time

Plot:

A biography of the dancer Isadora Duncan, the 1920s dancer who forever changed people's ideas of ballet...

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | 1920s | Free Thinker | Based On Book

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Isadora Duncan
John Fraser	...	Roger
James Fox	...	Gordon Craig
Jason Robards	...	Singer
Zvonimir Crnko	...	Essenin (as Ivan Tchenko)
Vladimir Leskovar	...	Bugatti
Cynthia Harris	...	Mary Desti
Bessie Love	...	Mrs. Duncan
Tony Vogel	...	Raymond Duncan
Libby Glenn	...	Elizabeth Duncan
Ronnie Gilbert	...	Miss Chase
Wallas Eaton	...	Archer
Nicholas Pennell	...	Bedford
John Quentin	...	Pim
Christian Duvaleix	...	Armand

Also Known As:

The Loves of Isadora (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

131 min | 153 min (director's cut) | 168 min (original release) | Canada:144 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

British Museum, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, England, UK

Company:

Hakim

Trivia:

Vanessa Redgrave trained for six months in order to imitate Isadora Duncan's dancing style in the film.

Quotes:

Isadora Duncan: I'm not after my fortune. I'm after my destiny.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Harry and Tonto (1974)

Soundtrack:

La Belle Est en ce Jardin D'Amour

Isadora Dancin'

ISADORA is one of those exquisitely produced big studio films of the late 60s that had a major release for 3 months and then vanished off the face of the earth forever. Some other titles this seemed to have happen to are; YOUNG WINSTON, NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA, MONTECARLO OR BUST (the other "Great Race" movie), STAR!, MAROONED, FINIANS RAINBOW, ON A CLEAR DAY, DARLING LILI....all presented in 70mm as souvenir ticket presentations in luxury cinemas of the time and then.....rarely revived or screened but also never forgotten, because so many people apparently saw them and remember them from this one major release. ISADORA may have been more financially successful than some mentioned above and it did have a huge impact on the beautiful Art Nouveau decor revival of the 60s (Art Deco ate the 70s..or vice versa). The look for the film was a sensation and the impact on teenage girls and their mothers was undeniable, all having a huge impact on free form ballet classes (nymphs and Grecian urns and veils) so hilariously satirized in THE BOYFRIEND in 1972. Vanessa Redgrave is synonymous with this role and one yearns for a cinema presentation of this extraordinary 20s icon now in 2005. I don't remember the film being overly criticized in 1968, it was a hit and respected for its tragic story and superb art direction. Several docos appeared on TV (one even being directed by Ken Russell) and there was quite a celebration of all things ISADORA and Vanessa in that year. But none since.