 |  | great film during Pacino's younger career |  |
I read that this was one of Pacino's personal favorites, so I decided to see for myself. It is NOT in any way a "typical" Pacino film, but he develops a character throughout the film that becomes a loving, vunerable man which is a rarity in his films, at least from my point of view. The other fantastic aspect of the film is the wonderful photography of central Europe. The lake district in northern Italy is particularly artfully filmed. I've spent much time there, and the cinematography really captures the essence of that part of the world. NOT an action film, may be too slow for some. I love it. LMSmith
July 31, 2008I have seen this movie several years ago on cable and have been in love with it ever since. I have been waiting for years for it to come out in DVD. This movie is fantastically produced and very well directed. I love the era this movies was made in and can only recommend it very very higly. A true Classic. Pollack never received the credit he deserved for this movie.
June 2, 2008One of my favorite Pacino movies ---beautiful music, scenery and a sweet story about a man who had his life changed when he learned to love a woman who was dying ---Marthe Keller is great in this movie - quirky and interesting, and Al is in a very untypical role for him. Wish he had done more movies like this one. I would recommend it to any fan of Al's.
April 8, 2008| | | Beautiful work by Pacino, Keller, and Pollack | |
I wonder if most people even know or remember this film. I saw it in the theatres and have loved it since. I am so glad to see that it is finally being released onto DVD. Very Europeanan style (especially the score),the film follows the beautiful and tragic love affair between Pacino and Keller (they became a real life couple during the filming). Based on the Erich Maria Remarque novel, "Heaven has no favorites", director Sydney Pollack knows how to create a beautifully romantic tapestry with the touch of tragedy always hovering overhead. Even though it isn't too hard to figure out how the film will end once introduced to Kellers character, Lidea Morelli, you don't care as you want to saver every moment the couple have together, just as they do. The main theme running throughout the film (as in all of Remarque's work) is death, from Deerfield's brush with it everytime he races, to Keller's character dying from TB, but you get caught up with quest she has to live each day as an adventure and find the gift that it has to offer you. Lidea's gift to Bobby is to discover himself behind the dark glasses that he wears all the time, so that no one will be able to recognize and know who he is. It's in her dying that brings life to Bobby. My favorite scene is during an afternoon picinc in the countryside and Bobby is frustrated over the enigmatic nature of her character. He wants to know who Carlos Montenegro is, whose land they are having the picinic on and has invited her for a hot air balloon ride the next day. He keeps repeating "Who's that man, who's Carlos Montenegro?" and she finally turns to him and quietly asks, "Who's Bobby Deerfield?". Great film making. I've read some dissapointing reviews about this film as it wasn't well received at the time it came out but I think it just got lost as gems often do when they're not mega blockbusters. Check it out, you may be surprised.
February 7, 2008I saw this in the theater in NYC back when it was released, and I loved it. For me, it emphasized one of Al Pacino's best qualities: that ability to be tough when he needed to be and sensitive when he needed to be. This was a real "chick flick" back in the 70's but I think that guys can appreciate the race-car driver aspect of it.
July 2, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(17 reviews)