Julia (1977)

At the behest of an old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany.

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Lillian Hellman (based upon the story by), Alvin Sargent (screenplay)

Stars:

Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards

Won 3 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Fonda	...	Lillian
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Julia
Jason Robards	...	Hammett
Maximilian Schell	...	Johann
Hal Holbrook	...	Alan
Rosemary Murphy	...	Dottie
Meryl Streep	...	Anne Marie
Dora Doll	...	Woman Passenger
Elisabeth Mortensen	...	Girl Passenger
John Glover	...	Sammy
Lisa Pelikan	...	Young Julia
Susan Jones	...	Young Lillian
Cathleen Nesbitt	...	Grandmother
Maurice Denham	...	Undertaker
Mark Metcalf	...	Pratt

Storyline

From "Pentimento," the memoirs of late playwright Lillian Hellman, JULIA covers those years in the 1930s when Lillian attained fame with the production of her first play "The Childrens' Hour" on Broadway. Not surprisingly, it centers on Lillian's relationship with her lifelong friend, Julia. It is a relationship that goes beyond mere acquaintance and one for which the word "love" seems appropriate. While Julia attends the University in Vienna, studying with such luminaries as Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein, Lillian suffers through revisions of her play with her mentor and sometimes lover Dashiel Hammett at a New England beachhouse. After becoming a celebrated playwright, Lillian is invited to a writers conference in Russia. Julia, having taken up the battle against fascism, enlists Lillian en route to smuggle money through Nazi Germany which will assist in the Anti-Fascist cause. It is a dangerous mission especially for a Jewish intellectual on her way to communist Russia. During a...

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | writer | 1930s | hat | berlin germany | 

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Taglines:

Based on a true story.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German Russian

Release Date:

October 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Júlia

Filming Locations:

Central Station, Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 4,101,519 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the first film that Meryl Streep has appeared in that has the name "Julia" in the title. The second is Julie & Julia in 2009.

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Goofs

June 1934 began on a Friday, not a Monday.

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Quotes

Dottie: Way down deep he's very superficial.

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Connections

Referenced in Searching for Debra Winger (2002)

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Soundtracks

"La Cucaracha"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played as Dance music

User Reviews

Redgrave shines in "Julia," despite controversy

Most remarkable, to me, about "Julia" is the understated acting of Vanessa Redgrave. For the amount of time she's on the screen, one would not assume her to be worthy of an Academy Award nomination, let alone the Oscar itself (1977, Best Supporting Actress). But there is something about that marvelous, tension-filled scene in the Berlin restaurant that comes across as nothing short of superior. Much the same can be said of Jason Robards as Dashiell Hammett, i.e. understated and short, and he, too, got the equivalent Oscar, rightfully outpointing co-star Maximillian Schell. What I had supposed would be a "chick flick" faux-biopic turned out to be a gripping drama on the highest order worth four stars from me.