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19 reviews in total

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18 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
An Excellent Effort with Great Performances, 17 September 1999

Author: Manolis Dounias from Athens, Greece

A greek tragedy is very hard to be made into a movie. In my opinion it is really almost impossible as there are often long monologues that can't be cut or improved in any way. Nevertheless Michael Cacoyannis tried, and succeded in filming the best anti-war work ever written. The film is a bit stagy but that is how it should be. Being the editor of his film too, he manages to create a unique atmosphere that in the beginning seems a bit akward but as the plot develops you understand that it is the ideal. The scenery is excellent. We see only the total destruction of the city and that's all we need to see as the narrations must "draw" the total picture of the inner part of the city in our minds. All the performances are first-rate. Katharine Hepburn is heart-breaking as Hecuba. She cries for her lost sons, husband and city. She loves the city and hates the Greeks who give her, the queen of Troy, as slave.

G.Bujold is also excellent as Cassandra. She seems crazy, but she is fully aware of the fate. She delivers a balanced performance avoiding exagerations. Irene Pappas is stunning. Looking more beautiful than ever, she manages to stand opposite Katharine Hepburn's Hecuba and deliver an excellent and utterly convincing performance. But the great performance of the picture is surely Vanessa Redgrave's. Her Adromache seems strange at the beginning but when her character is fully developed, you understand the genius of her performance. This picture is a must-see not only for the excellent performances delivered but four of the greatest actresses of their generation but also for the importance of Euripides play.

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14 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Simply a superb rendition of Euripides, 10 February 2001
Author: Jorge Rodriguez from Poughkeepsie, NY

This is a great version of Euripides' Trojan women. They got an all-star cast that truly does justice to the original play. The movie is done very much like the play, but this is quite a positive thing, it doesn't end up being some idiotic Keanu Reaves "Much Ado About Nothing".

Katharine Hepburn gives her all as Hecuba, the Queen of the now destroyed Troy, and all of the other actresses give great renditions. Irene Pappas, the national actress of Greece, did a magnificent job as Helen, the woman who started it all. Brian Blessed played the messenger as only he could, and Vanessa Redgrave and Genevieve Bujold truly capture the pain and anguish of these women as they face their inevitable fate.

The music, too, really did set the atmosphere, I could feel a chill up my spine when they played that otherwise simple melody. The costumes are suitably appropriate, and I'd love to know where they found that ancient-looking wall that is meant to represent Troy, it adds a nice touch.

All in all, this is a movie that you have to see at least once in your life, your outlook on the horrors of war will never be the same.

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11 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Classic Tragedy Classically Produced and Performed, 28 October 2006

Author: olarko from United States

You must understand the form of classical tragedy to appreciate truly this film. Then you will see that Cacoyannis does, his four major actresses do, and the rest of his cast do, right down to the boy who plays Redgrave's son.

The four actresses have tragic arias -- there is no better word for it -- that they play magnificently. One always knows what is going on in this film because the text is translated so perfectly; the direction is so clear; and the actors play directly to that text. All are brilliant.

Don't look for special effects; there are none. Greek tragedy needed none. There are no chariot chases, no blowing up of the Parthenon as two smart-assed "detectives" grin and compliment each other, no two heroines outwitting all the police in the district and end up driving their chariot into a handy canyon. Sorry, gang, the play's the thing here -- and what a play and how well it is produced and performed.

If you love classics -- text, acting, and production, don't miss this one for any reason!

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7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Tell Ya 'Bout Them Trojan Women Who Lived In The Olden Days, 9 October 2006

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

It's all over now, the Greeks have taken Troy and have killed every male in the place. The wooden horse idea worked beautifully and now it's to divide up the spoils which in this case is the women of Troy, both high and low born.

Highest born of the lot is Hecuba, widow of the late King Priam and mother of Hector and Paris, both dead now. Imagine Eleanor of Aquitaine if her husband and all those loving sons had been slain in a cataclysm. Then you have some idea of what Katharine Hepburn's performance as Hecuba is all about.

Hepburn is aided and abetted in this film by three other international stars and each of their stories is told in relation to Hecuba. As Cassandra, Hepburn's daughter, Genevieve Bujold takes refuge in madness. The Gods gave her the gift of prophecy with the caveat that no one would believe her prophecies and it's all come too true. Vanessa Redgrave is Andromache, widow of Hector who has her little son killed by order of the Greeks to make the triumph complete before becoming part of the Spartan king's harem.

Then there's the one whose hormones started it all. Fair Helen, older and not terribly wiser, played by Irene Papas. Her scenes with Hepburn have some real bite to them, the best in the film. And Irene Papas is the only Greek in this Greek tragedy.

It's a powerful film, an anti-war film made at the time Vietnam was still a war zone. It only had limited release at the time it was out, it wasn't exactly box office material.

But it's a good film adaption of a classic and nice that one of Euripedes plays is preserved for us by four of the best players around of the female genders.

In the years labeled BC good woman's parts were actually being written.

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8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
This film's statement is strong!, 16 January 2005

Author: happipuppi13 from Phx. Arizona ("Arizona Smells Funny"!- Homer Simpson)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Now,last night (1/15/05),I finally got to see this "hard to find on video" mini-epic. I have not read the play but unlike what some one else stated here,I was not lost,bored or confused by this film. If anything I was incredibly intrigued!

When I watch a film I watch for the storyline (and any film I see had better have one!) Now,I did know going in,that this would be one of those films made at the end of the 60's to early 70s,that of course,look like they didn't have an extensive budget but make up for it (sometimes) with good acting and scripts.

The storyline is very simple,even without reading or seeing the play. The Greek Soldiers have killed all the male soldiers and men in general,they have slaughtered all but one child and all the women are going to be forced on a boat to Greece to serve as slave labor and or concubine.

The "flowery" speeches and other dialogue may sometimes be in "ancient" form but the truly involved viewer need only see the expression of their face and hear the tone of their voice. I was truly caught by surprise when Hector (the boy) was thrown from the cliff. I thought when the soldier wandered off with him that we were to logically assume that he'd been done in already.

When the soldier tousled the boy's hair,I thought he was going to tell him to run away! Katharine Hepburn is no over-actor,she's fascinating to watch in this film as she is in any other of her "Oscar" films.

Maybe it's not Academy level,but it's powerful enough,especially at the end where she lays Hector to rest and then (after the burning of the City Of Troy) and before they're marched off to the awaiting boats,she falls down along with the rest of the women in a vividly moving scene.

From this,I gathered that despite their fate,these women were going to stay strong and never give up hope,even in the face of those who have destroyed everything they hold dear.

It's a 10 star movie in my view!

One thing to remember when you review a film for this kind of forum,stick to the plot and the acting and forget about trivial things like the women all wearing the same thing. Why would they not? They have virtually nothing left! Even if there were a mild difference,their clothes are rags anyway.

To all of you,"really"..and I mean "really" watch this movie. Anyone with a brain can get this movie's point,as long as you have patience and or simply want to see something different. (END)

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4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
beautiful, 16 January 2007
Author: karencalypso-1 from United States

This film was shown at my art school in the early 90s to accompany reading the Greek play for class. It is beautifully produced -- the location and the lighting is exquisite, and makes the characters achingly beautiful in the midst of the tattered, gritty, treacherous war being waged around them. This film appears to be timeless...the cinematography is perfect; it does not appear to be an "old" or 'historical' film, and this luminescent quality helps younger viewers focus on the story (rather than struggle with history or epic readings or overlooking outdated film techniques). In fact, the movie is so well made, and the women appear so fresh and real, that as a college student I had no idea this movie was made in the early 70s, until I read a screen bio of Redgrave and was shocked that the movie is several decades "old." The viewer is pulled into the landscape by the profoundly beautiful Mediterranean surroundings, the intense acting, and raw emotionality the actors portray. This production successfully creates the ancient Greek ideal of tragedy, where the viewer experiences some personal transformation along with the characters. Quite memorable, even 15 years after seeing it -- and worth the time investment for a longer film.

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4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Victims of War go thru hell, thereafter, 5 November 2007
Author: universe999 from United States

Mr. Rodriquez comment "your outlook on the horrors of war will never be the same" is so true. The only movie that explains it best is Trojan Women. As a victim of WWII the movie is the only thing that truly explains the horrible experience. Once you are a victim of War and no one helps, you continue to be a victim. One is left alone without the familiar support system like family, language and ethnic group. Under all the humiliation and tragedies, you keep saying to yourself "this is so unfair cause I did nothing to deserve this, I merely was born. Whoever came up with the idea: All is fair in love and WAR, must have been a sadistic and selfish human being. Please watch Trojan Women because it is a must for ending wars.

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5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Powerful adaptation of the Euripides' tragedy stunningly performed and well directed, 9 June 2009

Author: ma-cortes from Santander Spain

Circa 1196 B.C. , in a decade in which a tribe of Achaeans from Greece commanded by Agamenon engagement war a prosperous and thriving city nearly the mouth of Hellespont , called Ilium of Troy . It was a big city with high walls and four gates , being destroyed by a violent war . The details on this war stayed in legend throughout Dark Ages of Micenic civilization . Four centuries later , they were immortalized by an illustrious Greek poet named Homer on his plays titled ¨Iliad¨ and ¨Odyssey¨. Later on , Euripides wrote powerful tragedies about these events , in which details appealing characters and dramatic happenings , focusing the women who remain after the fall of Troy and regarding the king Agamenon .

The motion picture revolves around the Trojan survivor women , one time army is vanquished and relies heavily on four declamatory monologues starred by four greatest and unquestionable actresses . Awesome Katharine Hepburn as Queen Hecuba , widow of Priamo , King of Troy ; their daughter the virginal-nutty Cassandra , a prophetess-princess , well played by Genevieve Bujold who arises emotion of the tale ; magnificent Vanessa Redgrave as Andromaca , Hector's wife , who carries the armor dressed by her deceased husband ; and extraordinary Irene Papas as Helen , continuously asking her pardon and innocence on the facts who caused the oldest story of love and war . Besides , minor performances by Brian Blessed as a Greek messenger and Patrick McGee as Menelaus . The sacked city was filmed in Spain on the Sierra of Atienza , Guadalajara with not many scenarios.

The film belongs to a trilogy faithfully based on playwright Euripides , a fine rendering directed by Michael Cacoyannis , including the musician Mikis Theodorakis and starred by Irene Papas , the grandest Greek actress . As ¨Ifginea¨ concerning the sacrifice by Agamenon of his daughter Ifginea because the winds to sail to Troy refuse to blow ; as ¨Elektra¨ in which Clymnestra and her lover Aesgisthes kill her husband Agamenon after his return from Troy and confrontation between mother Clymnestra , her daughter Elektra and brother Orestes . Rating : Notable, well worth watching for the acting of the four female actresses.

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5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
a voice from the past, a lesson for the present, 3 January 2007

Author: tsf-1962 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It's hard to get excited about Greek tragedy. People in stylized masks and costumes wearing over-sized boots, declaiming verse in front of curtains and pillars . . . Bad Greek tragedy can be worse than bad Shakespeare. But Michael Cacoyannis ("Zorba the Greek") took Euripides out of the library and put him back in the real world in this raw, savage adaptation of perhaps the greatest anti-war play ever written. Euripides was the most popular poet of the ancient world, although his leftist ideology has made him a whipping boy for elitist critics from Aristotle to Nietzsche, who prefer the more patrician Aeschylus and Sophocles. "The Trojan Women" is a stirring indictment of imperialist aggression at a time when democratic Athens was involved in a protracted war with totalitarian Sparta (the inspiration for Plato's Republic). The good-guy Athenians were the aggressors, invading islands that didn't tow the line, exterminating the men, enslaving the women--and in the process alienating the Greek-speaking world and losing the war as the brutal Spartans came off as the good guys by comparison. The parallels with today's world situation need hardly be mentioned, but suffice it to say that when they're threatened democracies can be as brutal as dictatorships. Cacoyannis has fashioned a stark, uncompromising rendition of Euripides' play with a dream cast--Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Genevieve Bujold (Clint Eastwood's love interest in "Tightrope") and Irene Papas. Brian Blessed ("I, Claudius," "The Black Adder") has the only significant male role. A movie well worth seeking out.

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4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Tough to stay with, but a worthwhile experience, 26 October 2003
Author: El Cine from Southeastern Massachusetts

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It's true that "The Trojan Women" is *very* demanding of our attention and focus. It has minimal sets and costumes, it's low on action, and consists almost entirely of actors reciting flowery monologues. The subject matter and the expert delivery of the actors are moving, but as another commenter suggested, most people may only get the gist of what is going on. But there's worthwhile stuff here for those patient and interested enough to give it a shot.

As I mentioned, the look of the film is minimal, and it's mostly talk, but the filmmakers use some nifty, artistic camera work effectively. Mikis Theodorakis' musical score is atmospheric and intriguing. And some unrealistic theatrical effects -- e.g. the townswomen are all dressed in heavy black robes and occasionally sing in unison -- add novelty. Along with the dramatic recitals are a few "action" scenes of great tension -- when Tathybius tries to seize Andromache's son from her arms; a fall from a cliff that is gore-free but still stomach-turning in more ways than one; the fury that the thirsty and suffering peasant women, denied water by their Greek captors, express when Helen of Troy (the woman who brought on their destruction) is given a tub of water to bathe herself indulgently.

All the actors, even the bit players, turn in respectable performances. Vanessa Redgrave achieves a convincing portrayal of a proud young aristocrat and mother whom events reduce to utter emotional desolation and violation. Brian Blessed does well too. (Patrick Magee also shows up for a small role). And I disagree with some other commenters' criticism of Katharine Hepburn for "overacting." She is on top of her game. She doesn't overact at all; most of the time she bears her great burden of defeat and desolation with subdued animosity. Then near the beginning, when her anger suddenly bursts out in one scene, it makes you sit up with full attention. ***Mild Spoiler*** And in the scene where she receives an executed relative and reflects over the body, her gestures and recitation really convey how much this hits home for her character. ***End of spoiler***

This film may not be well-known, but I think Hepburn's performance is in fact one of the highlights of her later career. Her two Oscar-winning, higher-profile roles from a few years before (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Lion in Winter) were overrated roles, and her performances weren't bad or anything but not what I'd put up there with her highest accomplishments. Here in "The Trojan Women," at the age of 64, she does classical tragedy and plays an interesting role that pretty much has to carry a film.

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