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:

The story of two women whose friendship suddenly became a matter of life and death.

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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

Barbra Streisand turned down the role of Lillian Hellman.

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Goofs

During a sailing shot, as the boat containing Julia and Lilian tracks away from the camera, the gunnel of the boat containing the camera crew is clearly visible for an instant in the lower left of the frame.

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Quotes

Dashiell Hammett: [after reading Lillian's play] You better tear this up. It's not that it's bad, it's just not good enough, not for you.

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Connections

Referenced in Gilmore Girls: A-Tisket, A-Tasket (2002)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

A masterpiece

After viewing this movie, I was in awe. What a brilliant movie! I could watch it another 10 times. Jane Fonda is beautiful in her role. She plays it as if it were her life story. The late Jason Robards is wonderful as her grouchy companion. I'm surprised he won any awards, let alone an oscar for his rather small role. However, as good as Fonda and Robards are, the breathtaking Vanessa Redgrave shines over everyone else. Just looking into those bright eyes can mesmerize you. She has the face of an angel: the bright curly hair, the thin lips, and the eyes, too. She,too, had a rather small role, and this was her only oscar winning performance (believe it or not). The girl who portrayed her as a girl has the same face, and she, too is magnificent. The writing is great, but the movie moves a little slow at times.

8/10