REDS (1981)

[Frayed Knot]

Sprawling epic from Warren Beatty [star, director, co-writer] about American journalist/writer Jack Reed and his (not always) merry band of literary leftists during the era of WWI and the Russian Revolution.
Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Edward Herrman, Maureen Stapleton, Gene Hackman, and Paul Sorvino head a cast of many.

Bring a snack (running time = 3:15)

[Edgy MD]

That winter, the Mets acquired George Foster, and the Yanks acquired Ken Griffey and Dave Collins. The Newsday backpage headline at the start of spring training: "NOW PLAYING IN NEW YORK: REDS."

[Fman99]

A movie I've often meant to seek out and watch and never have.

[Vic Sage]

one of the great films of the last 30 years. an epic with heart, and about something other than itself. with great performances.

[Guest themetfairy]

Maureen Stapleton won best supporting actress for her role in Reds. That year she was the youngest of the Oscar winning actors (along with Henry Fonda, Kate Hepburn and John Gielgud).

[batmagadanleadoff]

That winter, the Mets acquired George Foster, and the Yanks acquired Ken Griffey and Dave Collins. The Newsday backpage headline at the start of spring training: "NOW PLAYING IN NEW YORK: REDS."

[Frayed Knot]

Vic Sage wrote: one of the great films of the last 30 years. an epic with heart, and about something other than itself. with great performances.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with this one too, although for whatever reason it doesn't seem to get the recognition or be in the rotation as often as other historical epics. So I wind up seeking this one out every five years or so and give it a watch (generally in the winter - it seems like a winter movie to me) and did so just recently which is what inspired this post.

Great scenery, great cast (Nicholson's cold, cynical Eugene O'Neil for one) and a terrific script right down to the use of the "witnesses" and their own sometimes fuzzy recollections of the times. Sympathetic to the characters without either being preachy or failing to show the personal and professional flaws and conflicts in their lives.

[RealityChuck]

Too long and rambling. If they cut it down, it would have been a much better film.