THE REVOLUTIONARY (1970)

Title: THE REVOLUTIONARY

Year of Release: 1970

Director: Paul Williams

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: A young male student rebels against his university association, believing that strong action has to be taken for reform of their activities.

Within a film history context: Movies about revolutionary figures were quite common in European and world cinema, with various examples found in American film history. The silent screen had several American and Russian pictures with a revolutionist central character, many of which are considered lost. One of the first movies to deal with a revolutionary was Josef von Sternberg's silent THE LAST COMMAND (1928). A Hollywood film director, previously a radical in Imperial Russia, seeks the services of a former Russian general to star in a picture about the Russian Revolution, an event which affected them both heartily. Into the sound era, comedy CRACKED NUTS (1931), directed by Edward Cline, was completely contrary. The machinations of a man who wishes to win a woman's favour, and move closer to her niece, by arranging for the overthrow of a country's king, was an early pre-Code movie. With Reinhold Schunzel's BALALAIKA (1939), an officer in the Russian army falls for a singer, who is in fact a covert revolutionary, but their union is complicated by the backdrop of turmoil during World War I in this romance. TORRID ZONE (1940), directed by William Keighley, spotlighted a plantation owner in South America whose livelihood was threatened by a revolutionary, whose influence on the workers there causes nothing but problems. In Robert Z. Leonard's musical NEW MOON (1940), a nobleman masquerading as an indentured servant leads his cohorts to rebel against their ship's captain. 

WE WERE STRANGERS (1949), directed by John Huston, had as its focus a man, and a woman, who worked together with associates to overthrow the despotic president of Cuba in the early 1930s. Elia Kazan's VIVA ZAPATA! (1952), was the stirring biopic of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, and his efforts to topple corrupt government regimes. With Marlon Brando in the lead, Anthony Quinn and Jean Peters in support, it was a memorable picture. THE ROOTS OF HEAVEN (1958), directed by John Huston, had an ecologist at its fore, whose aim was to protect endangered African elephants from extinction. He attained the assistance of several people, but with detractors from his point of view in this drama. The life and adventures of Scottish sea captain John Paul Jones were dissected in John Farrow's aptly titled JOHN PAUL JONES (1959). From his early life on ships, journey to America, and exploits in Russia defending Empress Catherine the Great, it starred Robert Stack in the eponymous role. In contrast, THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND (1960), directed by John Guillermin, also had characters as revolutionaries in the narrative. At the turn of the twentieth century, several IRA members plan to rob the Bank of England, but the execution of this is not as simple as first envisioned. Basil Dearden's KHARTOUM (1966), followed the efforts of a British general to protect the city from a religious zealot who will do anything to wrest control of it. 

In western VILLA RIDES (1968), directed by Buzz Kulik, Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa teams up with an American aviator to bring about change in the country. The life and times of influential American dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan was the premise for Karel Reisz's ISADORA (1968). With her lack of inhibitions, and commitment to her artistry, she blazed a trail in her time, this deftly conveyed by Vanessa Redgrave in the lead role. On the other hand, Lindsay Anderson's IF... (1968), observed an uprising by students at a boy's boarding school, headed by a number of pupils whose vehemence against the establishment reaches its zenith. 100 RIFLES (1969), directed by Tom Gries, revolved around a Mexican revolutionary seeking to free his people of a dictatorial regime. He joins forces with a Mexican woman, and an American lawman, to fulfil his quest. Richard Fleischer's CHE! (1969), was an account of the life of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Guevera, more commonly known as Che, his involvement with Fidel Castro in Cuba, political problems there, and in Bolivia. THE REVOLUTIONARY was a movie which was dramatic in its orientation, as were the majority of films in this category, but distinguished itself from these in its own way.

Many of the films of this kind were based around characters caught up in political unrest in a respective country, such as THE LAST COMMAND, CRACKED NUTS, WE WERE STRANGERS, VIVA ZAPATA!, KHARTOUM, VILLA RIDES, CHE!, and 100 RIFLES. Generally, it was a strong male character going against corrupt regimes, and in quite a few instances, paying the price for their loyalty with their lives. There was support from other male protagonists, and, in rare instances such as WE WERE STRANGERS and 100 RIFLES, female characters. On this count, a female revolutionist could be found in BALALAIKA and ISADORA, but this was the exception rather than the rule. In comparison to those pictures which spotlighted turmoil in a particular country, the other examples had a less worldly view of events, with character being both revolutionaries, and activists for a cause. In NEW MOON, the lead had a concern for the rights of his fellow ship mates, and in ROOTS OF HEAVEN, the conservation of elephants was the burning issue. Other features of these films in comparison to THE REVOLUTIONARY are worthy of dissection.

Decidedly villainous depictions of revolutionaries were found in TORRID ZONE, IF...and THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND. The people in these caused more mayhem than any real good by their actions. In IF...the bloodshed does not further anything positive, just a rebellion for the sake of one in the school. THE REVOLUTIONARY was along the lines of those radicals, as in the other films, who wanted to see a change for the better. In this case, the revolutionist strived for improvements both in university, and employment arenas, but was not able to achieve this aim. Where THE REVOLUTIONARY diverts from other entries is in its much quieter presentation of events. There is no melodrama in this movie, which marked WE WERE STRANGERS, VIVA ZAPAPA!, and KHARTOUM. Instead of this, the mood is slow and thoughtful, in keeping with the flavour of early 1970s New Hollywood cinema. The use of the main female romantic lead is also interesting, as she does not become caught up in her boyfriend's activities, but is mostly there in support. There is some minor suspense when she is meeting him in secret, but that is the extent of her role in the movie. An uncommon view of a revolutionist, THE REVOLUTIONARY is notable for its take on this type of character.

Overview: Paul Williams is an American director who has made eight motion pictures over a period of thirty-three years. His films consisted of dramas, comedies, and thrillers. Mr Williams' first movie, OUT OF IT (1969), juxtaposed two very different men, and their interactions with women, with one a bookworm, the other, a ladies' man in this comedy. DEALING: OR THE BERKELEY-TO-BOSTON FORTY-BRICK LOST-BAG BLUES (1972) was another comedy. The transportation of drugs from one city to another takes a wrong turn for a university law student, in that his girlfriend is arrested for the second cache, and seeks to get both the stash, and his love, back. With NUNZIO (1978), matters were of an entirely different nature. A grown man with mental issues believes he is Superman, but his life takes unexpected twists and turns in this touching drama. In MISS RIGHT (1985), a central male protagonist is at its center, with a Lothario journalist busily hopping from one woman to the other, but finding difficulty in extricating himself from these liaisons. A move into thrillers for Paul Williams resulted in MIRAGE (1995). Trouble starts when a man enlists a detective to tail his wife, who has emotional troubles, namely a personality disorder, causing the private eye's world to turn upside down. THE REVOLUTIONARY was Paul Williams' second movie, but not a sterling achievement.

Paul Williams has attempted to create a thoughtful motion picture with THE REVOLUTIONARY, but has come up short in its execution. The tribulations of a university student whose dissatisfaction with his college leads him on a quest to change the system, albeit unsuccessfully, it is a dispiriting movie experience. While there are some fleeting scenes which give momentary hope to the spectator that a sense of excitement will prevail, these are in vain. It is a film which does have a certain mood and feel, but it is too slow-paced, and listless, to maintain one's attention span. This happens, that happens, but there is never a sense of urgency, or emotional attachment, which emerges out of this. It is as if THE REVOLUTIONARY is a stylistic exercise which does not unravel as it should. On paper, it might have seemed better, but the reality is opposite to this. The conclusion is also problematic, and the fallout from this makes the viewer feel cheated, as it just ends with a freeze frame. A sincere but misguided attempt at building a portrait of a revolutionary, THE REVOLUTIONARY makes one consider how much better it would have been with surer handling, and a more gripping presentation.

Acting: There is a trio of acting performances which are of note in THE REVOLUTIONARY. As A, the student revolutionary, Jon Voight offers yet another incisive acting interpretation. An actor with a wide portfolio of roles over many years, he had a knack for portraying people on the fringes of society in his younger years, and this part suits him. He is well-paired with the radiant Helen, played with earnestness by Jennifer Salt. With her gracious and lively demeanor, Miss Salt provides an ethereal glow to the movie that alleviates its duller stretches. The final acting of merit in THE REVOLUTIONARY is by Seymour Cassel as Leonard, one of A's friends and accomplices. Mr Cassel always knows how to light up the proceedings, and this is no exception. Leonard's relaxed defiance is a nice contrast to A's more stony-faced reactions to events, making Leonard another memorable character in THE REVOLUTIONARY.

Soundtrack: In terms of its soundtrack, Michael Small has been careful to not overload the movie, despite a heady concentration on its subject matter. Music is most discernible during the opening credits sequence, with its background of photographs depicting revolutionaries, and in the closing segment. The soundtrack appears sporadically throughout THE REVOLUTIONARY, only at the most urgent of moments, which works well for it overall.

Mise-en-scene: In a visual sense, work has gone into THE REVOLUTIONARY to make it a convincing experience for the spectator. Brian Probyn's colour photography is perfect without being overly bright, making sense for an intense movie about revolutionaries, and their harried lives. Both interiors, and exteriors, have been carefully selected, representing the locales of a small town well. The introductory credits are also impressive, utilizing photographs of past revolutionary events, and figures, to place the incidents in the movie into perspective for viewers, by charting their development over time.

Notable Acting Performances: Jon Voight, Jennifer Salt, Seymour Cassel.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, male nudity, female nudity, adult themes.

Overall Grade: D

Link: IMDB Page