Surviving Picasso (1996)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

James Ivory

Writers (WGA):

Arianna Huffington (book)
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Only his passion for women could rival his passion for painting.

Plot:

The passionate Merchant-Ivory drama tells the story of Francoise Gilot, the only lover of Pablo Picasso who was strong enough to withstand his ferocious cruelty and move on with her life.

Plot Keywords:

Pablo Picasso | Lover | Mistress | Painting | Painter

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Pablo Picasso
Natascha McElhone	...	Françoise Gilot
Julianne Moore	...	Dora Maar
Joss Ackland	...	Henri Matisse
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Kootz
Peter Eyre	...	Sabartes
Peter Gerety	...	Marcel
Susannah Harker	...	Marie-Thérèse
Jane Lapotaire	...	Olga Picasso
Joseph Maher	...	Kahnweiler
Bob Peck	...	Françoise's Father
Diane Venora	...	Jacqueline
Dominic West	...	Paulo Picasso
Joan Plowright	...	Françoise's Grandmother
Laura Aikman	...	Maya

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of nudity and brief sex-related language.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Merchant Ivory Productions

Trivia:

Reproductions of Picasso's art work were not allowed to be used in the film; however, the estates of Henri Matisse and Georges Braque allowed their work to be represented.

Quotes:

Dora Maar: Perhaps she thinks you'll immortalize her. Don't raise her hopes, Picassos may prove to be no more immortal than the skeleton of some extinct bird of prey.

Domination-Submission

Magnificently crafted exploration of the question, how does a seeming despot generate such passion and devotion from the women around him. The high points are many but what makes the greatest mark is the flawless timing, throughout; then, of course, Hopkins completely lives the lead while McElhone preserves the central conundrum, the impossibility of the relationship(s). Forget the Picasso figure - apart from forming a setting and contributing the element of fame (I almost added "genius" but that's absolutely irrelevant, too), any similar figure would do, quite irrelevant to the point of the story which is to amplify the tension to be found in varying degrees in every one of our relationships. Extremely stimulating and provoking - not a must-see for 80s feminists.