Reds (1981)

Director:

Warren Beatty

Writers:

Warren Beatty (written by) &
Trevor Griffiths (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

4 December 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

Not since Gone With The Wind has there been a great romantic epic like it!

Plot:

A radical American journalist becomes involved with the Communist revolution in Russia and hopes to bring its spirit and idealism to the United States.

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Interview | Mother Son Relationship | Death Of Protagonist | Directed By Star

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 27 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Warren Beatty	...	John Reed
Diane Keaton	...	Louise Bryant
Edward Herrmann	...	Max Eastman
Jerzy Kosinski	...	Grigory Zinoviev
Jack Nicholson	...	Eugene O'Neill
Paul Sorvino	...	Louis Fraina
Maureen Stapleton	...	Emma Goldman
Nicolas Coster	...	Paul Trullinger
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Speaker - Liberal Club
Ian Wolfe	...	Mr. Partlow
Bessie Love	...	Mrs. Partlow
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Carl Walters
Pat Starr	...	Helen Walters
Eleanor D. Wilson	...	Mrs. Reed
Max Wright	...	Floyd Dell
George Plimpton	...	Horace Whigham
Harry Ditson	...	Maurice Becker
Leigh Curran	...	Ida Rauh
Kathryn Grody	...	Crystal Eastman
Brenda Currin	...	Marjorie Jones
Nancy Duiguid	...	Jane Heap
Norman Chancer	...	Barney
Dolph Sweet	...	Big Bill Haywood
Ramon Bieri	...	Police Chief
Jack O'Leary	...	Pinkerton Guard
Gene Hackman	...	Pete Van Wherry
Gerald Hiken	...	Dr. Lorber
William Daniels	...	Julius Gerber
Dave King	...	Allan Benson
Joseph Buloff	...	Joe Volski
Stefan Gryff	...	Alex Gomberg
Denis Pekarev	...	Interpreter in Factory
Roger Sloman	...	V.I. Lenin
Stuart Richman	...	Leon Trotsky
Oleg Kerensky	...	A. Kerensky / Himself
Nikko Seppala	...	Young Bolshevik Soldier
John J. Hooker	...	Senator Overman
Shane Rimmer	...	MacAlpine
Jerry Hardin	...	Harry
Jack Kehoe	...	Eddie
Christopher Malcolm	...	C.L.P. Party Member
Tony Sibbald	...	C.L.P. Party Member
R.G. Armstrong	...	Government Agent
Josef Sommer	...	State Department Official
Jan Tríska	...	Karl Radek
Åke Lindman	...	Scandinavian Escort (as Ake Lindman)
Pertti Weckström	...	Finnish Doctor (as Pertti Weckstrom)
Nina Macarova	...	Russian Nurse
Jose De Fillippo	...	Russian Doctor
Andreas La Casa	...	Little Boy
Roger Baldwin	...	Himself
Henry Miller	...	Himself
Adela Rogers St. Johns	...	Herself
Dora Russell	...	Herself
Scott Nearing	...	Himself
Tess Davis	...	Herself
Heaton Vorse	...	Himself
Hamilton Fish	...	Himself
Isaac Don Levine	...	Himself
Rebecca West	...	Herself
Will Durant	...	Himself
Will Weinstone	...	Herself
Emmanuel Herbert	...	Himself
Arne Swabeck	...	Himself
Adele Gutman Nathan	...	Herself (as Adele Nathan)
George Seldes	...	Himself
Kenneth Chamberlain	...	Himself
Blanche Hays Fagen	...	Herself
Galina von Meck	...	Herself (as Galina Von Meck)
Art Shields	...	Himself
Andrew Dasburg	...	Himself
Hugo Gellert	...	Himself
Dorothy Frooks	...	Herself
George Jessel	...	Himself
Jacob Bailin	...	Himself
John Ballato	...	Himself
Lucita Williams	...	Herself
Bernadine Szold-Fritz	...	Herself
Jessica Smith	...	Herself
Harry Carlisle	...	Himself
Arthur Mayer	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dwayne Brenna	...	Extra (uncredited)
Frank Cockrell	...	Chicago Policeman (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Russian (uncredited)
Anthony Forrest	...	Harry Reed (uncredited)
Janet Henfrey	...	Emma Goldman's jail guard (uncredited)
Barrie Holland	...	WW1 American Officer (uncredited)
Simon Jones	...	Louise Bryant's colleague in France (uncredited)
Richard LeParmentier	...	Man drinking with Pete Van Wherry (uncredited)
Miriam Margolyes	...	Woman writing in notebook (uncredited)
John Ratzenberger	...	Communist Leader (uncredited)
John Herman Shaner	...	Socialist Prisoner (uncredited)

Directed by
Warren Beatty

Writing credits
Warren Beatty		(written by) &
Trevor Griffiths		(written by)
Peter S. Feibleman		uncredited
Elaine May		uncredited
Jeremy Pikser		uncredited

Produced by
Dede Allen	....	executive producer
Warren Beatty	....	producer
David Leigh MacLeod	....	associate producer (as David L. MacLeod)
Simon Relph	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stephen Sondheim

Cinematography by
Vittorio Storaro

Film Editing by
Dede Allen
Craig McKay

Casting by
Noel Davis
Patsy Pollock

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Simon Holland

Costume Design by
Shirley Russell

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist: New York/Washington
Joan Carpenter	....	hair stylist
Carolyn Elias	....	hair stylist: California
Paul Engelen	....	makeup artist
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist
Phil Naso	....	hair stylist: New York/Washington
Barry Richardson	....	hair stylist
William Turner	....	makeup artist: California (as Bill Turner)
Paquita Trench	....	makeup artist: Spain (uncredited)

Production Management
Vicente Escrivá hijo	....	production manager: Spain (as Vicente Escriva Jr.)
A. Kitman Ho	....	production manager: New York/Washington (as Alex Ho)
Kaj Holmberg	....	production manager: Finland
Toivo Lehmusvirta	....	unit manager: Finland
Jack Terry	....	production manager: California
Nigel Wooll	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Craig R. Baxley	....	second unit director: Spain
Robert Birnbaum	....	first assistant director: California
Enrique Gabriel	....	second assistant director: Spain
Michael Green	....	second assistant director
Alan Hopkins	....	first assistant director: New York/Washington
Joseph J. Kontra	....	second assistant director: California unit (as Joseph Kontra)
Kuki López Rodero	....	first assistant director: Spain (as Kuki Lopez Rodero)
Carl Mesterton	....	assistant director: Finland
James Quinn	....	first assistant director: California (as James J. Quinn)
Simon Relph	....	assistant director
B. Thomas Seidman	....	second assistant director: California (as Thomas Seidman)
Lauri Törhönen	....	second assistant director: Finland (as Lauri Torhonen)
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director
Robert E. Warren	....	second assistant director: New York/Washington (as Bobby Warren)
Michael Zimbrich	....	third assistant director

Art Department
George Ball	....	property master
Richard Brown	....	chargehand carpenter (as Dick Brown)
Ron Burkett	....	supervising painter
Roy Carnon	....	sketch artist
Jack Carter	....	construction manager
Sean Casey	....	drapes
Lance Chapman	....	lettering artist
Nobby Clark	....	chargehand rigger
Eddie Francis	....	chargehand props
Fernando Gonzalez	....	art director: Spain
Paul Hefferan	....	set decorator: New York/Washington (as Paul Heffernan)
Denis Hopperton	....	chargehand dressing props
John King	....	draughtsman
Bert Long	....	chargehand carpenter
Mickey Pugh	....	chargehand props (as Micky Pugh)
Jill Quertier	....	production buyer
Thomas L. Roysden	....	set decorator: California unit (as Thomas Roysden)
Michael Seirton	....	set dresser
Ros Shingleton	....	assistant art director
Mickey Spence	....	chargehand plasterer (as Micky Spence)
Bob Spencer	....	scenic artist
Buzz Stephens	....	draughtsman
Vesa Tapola	....	art director: Finland
Peter Verard	....	chargehand carpenter (as Pete Verard)
Celia Barnett	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
John Chisholm	....	prop man (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Allen	....	sound engineer
Bruce Bisenz	....	sound mixer: California
Stan Bochner	....	sound editor
Louis Cerborino	....	sound editor (as Lou Cerborino)
Richard P. Cirincione	....	supervising sound editor (as Richard Cirincione)
Laura Civiello	....	apprentice sound editor
Randall Coleman	....	assistant sound editor
Marjorie Deutsch	....	sound editor
Jay Dranch	....	sound editor
Des Edwards	....	sound technician
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter C. Frank	....	sound editor
David Gelfand	....	apprentice sound editor
Marshall Grupp	....	assistant sound editor
Thomas A. Gulino	....	assistant sound editor (as Thomas Gulino)
Darrell Hanzalik	....	assistant sound editor
Kate Hirson	....	sound editor
Simon Kaye	....	sound mixer
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	assistant sound editor
Susan Lazarus	....	apprentice sound editor
Hal Levinsohn	....	sound editor (as Harold Levinsohn)
Dan Lieberstein	....	sound editor
Jane McCulley	....	assistant sound editor
Al Mian	....	sound mixer: New York/Washington
Yvette Nabel	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Odabashian	....	associate sound editor
Harry Peck Bolles	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Rathaus	....	apprentice sound editor
David Ray	....	sound editor
Fred Rosenberg	....	assistant sound editor (as Fredric Rosenberg)
Maurice Schell	....	sound editor
David Siegel	....	apprentice sound editor
David Stephenson	....	boom operator
Jeffrey Stern	....	assistant sound editor
Mary Sweeney	....	apprentice sound editor
Brunilda Torres	....	assistant sound editor (as Bruni Torres)
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Fitzstephens	....	audio tape librarian (uncredited)
Bob Olari	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Douglas J. Schulman	....	cable person: reshoot (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bob Dawson	....	special effects
Antonio Parra	....	special effects: spanish unit
Ian Wingrove	....	special effects
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Sam Fine	....	visual effects editor

Stunts
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunt coordinator
Jim Burk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Humphreys	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Medearis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto Alberti	....	focus puller
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Camillo Bazzoni	....	camera operator: second unit
Filippo Cafolla	....	supervising electrician (as Fillipo Cafolla)
Tony Cridlin	....	camera grip
Martin Evans	....	best boy
Jeremy Gee	....	clapper loader
Alfredo Marchetti	....	camera grip
Mario Marchetti	....	grip: second unit
Mauro Marchetti	....	assistant camera: second unit
Laurie Shane	....	supervising electrician
Enrico Umetelli	....	camera operator
Giorgio Urbinelli	....	assistant camera: second unit
David Watkins	....	clapper loader: second unit
Paul Borg	....	electrician (uncredited)
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Clive Coote	....	still photographer (uncredited)
John Rogers	....	best boy (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marion Dougherty	....	casting: USA
Nancy Foy	....	casting: California
Jane Jenkins	....	casting: California
Carl Joy	....	extras casting: California
Beverley Keogh	....	crowd casting assistant
Gretchen Rennell	....	casting: USA
Kathy Talbert	....	casting: USA
Maurice Schell	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rebecca Breed	....	wardrobe mistress
Linda Burtenshaw	....	assistant to costume designer
Martín Díaz Porras	....	wardrobe master: Spain (as Martina Diaz Porras)
Nic Ede	....	wardrobe assistant (as Nicolas Ede)
Catherine Halloran	....	wardrobe assistant (as Cath Halloran)
Richard La Motte	....	costume supervisor: California (as Richard Lamotte)
William Loger	....	wardrobe: New York/Washington (as Bill Loger)
Richard Pointing	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrobe: New York/Washington
Sharmagne Leland-St. John	....	wardrobe assistant: Spain (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Debra Bard	....	apprentice film editor
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Eric L. Beason	....	assistant film editor
Sherri Taffel Brown	....	post-production coordinator (as Sherri Taffel)
Angelo Corrao	....	associate film editor
Leslie Gaulin	....	assistant film editor
Gerald B. Greenberg	....	additional film editor (as Gerald Greenberg)
John Hill	....	apprentice film editor (as John A. Hill)
Richard Hiscott	....	additional film editor
Ray Hubley	....	assistant film editor
Cindy Kaplan Rooney	....	first assistant film editor (as Cindy Kaplan)
Alan Killick	....	additional assistant film editor: UK
William Kruzykowski	....	apprentice film editor
Marty Levenstein	....	assistant film editor (as Martin Levenstein)
Richard Marden	....	additional film editor
Joan Metzger	....	assistant film editor
Brian Peachey	....	associate film editor
David Reibman	....	editing video technician
David Rogow	....	apprentice film editor
Phil Sanderson	....	additional assistant film editor: UK (as Philip Sanderson)
Jill Savitt	....	assistant film editor
William S. Scharf	....	assistant film editor (as William Scharf)
Judy Silberstein	....	apprentice film editor
Claire Simpson	....	assistant film editor
Stuart Stanley	....	apprentice film editor
Karen I. Stern	....	assistant film editor (as Karen Stern)
Sandy Varga	....	post-production administrator
William Webb	....	additional assistant film editor: UK
Katherine Wenning	....	film editor: special sequences
Neil Farrell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Paul Gemignani	....	conductor
Paul Gemignani	....	music supervisor
Dave Grusin	....	composer: additional music
Frank Kulaga	....	music recordist
Gina Roose	....	assistant music editor
Michael Tronick	....	music editor
Jonathan Tunick	....	orchestrator
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)
Phil Ramone	....	music producer (uncredited)
Leslie Whitfield	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tommy Lee	....	transportation
Doug Lister	....	transportation
Bill Turner	....	transportation

Other crew
Paco Ardura	....	wrangler: Spain
Jennifer Augé	....	apprentice: UK
Zelda Barron	....	script supervisor
Zelda Barron	....	special consultant
Simon Bosanquet	....	location manager
Vicki Deason	....	production assistant (as Vicki Manning)
Judith Evans	....	post-production researcher
Helen L. Feibelmann	....	special assistant: California (as Helen Feibelmann)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Gail Geibel	....	production office coordinator: New York/Washington
Gillian Gregory	....	choreographer
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor: California (as Karen Wookey)
Barbara Huger	....	secretary to producer
Alan John	....	assistant production accountant
Dave King	....	additional researcher
Jak King	....	production accountant
Rosalie King	....	assistant production accountant
Åke Lindman	....	production consultant: Finland (as Ake Lindman)
Anneli Merilä	....	accountant: Finland (as Anneli Merila)
Anneli Merilä	....	production secretary: Finland (as Anneli Merila)
Lillian Michelson	....	additional researcher
Redmond Morris	....	supervising location manager
Jeremy Pikser	....	special consultant
Juan Clemente Prosper	....	location manager: Spain (as Juan Clemente)
Asad Qureshi	....	runner
Robert Rosenstone	....	historical consultant (as Robert A. Rosenstone)
Phillip Schopper	....	photo color treatments
David Sharlein	....	video apprentice
Elizabeth Spender	....	researcher: Russian graphics
Sandy Varga	....	post-production accountant
Zina Voynow	....	post-production language consultant
Dan Weaks	....	photographic illustrator
Stefan Wenta	....	choreographer
Edward Joseph	....	representative: Paramount (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Thanks
Julie Christie	....	dedicatee (as Jules)

Production Companies

• Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance
• JRS Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Central Casting  extras casting: California
• Collection of the New York Historical Society  photographs courtesy of
• Culver Pictures  photographs courtesy of
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Museum of the City of New York  photographs courtesy of
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

194 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian | German | French | Finnish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #26524) (re-rating after appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | Australia:M | UK:15 (cut) | Singapore:M18 | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

1 Great George Street, Westminster, London, England, UK

Company:

Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance

Trivia:

While filming on location in Finland, Warren Beatty encountered several problems with the local authorities. It turned out that Finnish authorities had been asked by the Soviet Union to make shooting this film as difficult as possible, which, in order to keep good relations with their much larger neighbor, they agreed to do.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the tram ride in Petrograd there is a modern traffic sign visible (a yellow line on red background: forbidden driving direction).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Witness 1:[voiceover] Was that in 1913 or 17? I can't remember now. Uh, I'm, uh, beginning to forget all the people that I used to know, see?
Witness 2:[voiceover] Do I remember Louise Bryant? Why, of course, I couldn't forget her if I tried.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Intimate Portrait: Diane Keaton" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Country Club - Ragtime Two-Step

Great piece of political discussion and drama

Warren Beatty makes himself the only director to get Oscar nominations in Best Producer (picture), director, actor and writer twice (Heaven Can Wait is the other one), and he won his only Oscar (besides his honorary Thalberg award in 2000) for direction here. And it is well deserved. Mainly because this is the best film about communism and other political issues ever made.

Here, Beatty portrays journalist and idealist John Reed to maximum potential. He also comes of great with Diane Keaton as his love. Long, yet immensly entertaining and interesting, which was one of the few political films (besides maybe South Park) that got me thinking about communism. By the way, this film also won best conematography (Vittoro Storatto) and Best Supporting Actress (Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman), though I think it should've also won Oscars for Nicholson and Beatty. One of the better films (top 20) of the decade. A+