'Peer Gynt' is most notable for being the film debut of Charlton Heston, and it was interesting seeing him in such a big and difficult role so young. The play itself is one of Henrik Ibsen's best in my view, and judging from 'Peer Gynt' and 'Hedda Gabler' especially Ibsen is one of the greatest and most influential playwrights of the 19th century. Just love the fantastical folklore-like atmosphere, the rich characters that were very personal for Ibsen and some very memorable scenes.
While 'Peer Gynt' is interesting as a curio for both Heston and to see as many Ibsen adaptations as possible (not just 'Peer Gynt'), it is really not a great representation of either. The play is much more complex in characterisation and storyelling, atmospheric and dramatically compelling than what is shown here. And while Heston came on a long way as an actor not long after, the inexperience is obvious. Can appreciate the film for its ambition, the film didn't have the budget and resources to pull it off well in execution.
There are certainly good things. For a film that didn't have a high budget the film does look good, the sets capture the folklore-like atmosphere very well in the earlier parts of the film and a good deal of skill went into the photography, quite impressive for 16mm. Personally had no problem with the masks. The supporting cast are more than up to the task, the cast is huge (anybody not familiar with the play, which has a lot of characters, may consider it too huge) but they give it a lot without being too broad.
Grieg's music, composed as incidental music at Ibsen's request originally, is the best thing about the film. The music itself is absolutely timeless, with two of the movements ("Morning" and especially "In the Hall of the Mountain King") being iconic. Also the ones that fit the most effectively, the latter being almost demonic. The drama has moments, the encounter with the Troll King is memorable and Solveig is portrayed poignantly.
Heston's performance is brave but also very uneven. He shows a lot of charisma when Peer is younger and captures the spirit of the character well, but he is a lot less effective in the character's older years and once Peer is in Morocco where there is not near enough to Peer as a character because his turmoil is so blandly done. What passes as Morocco is not remotely believable as the real Morocco. While the intertitles are thoughtfully written and intrigue, they don't do much to make the story clearer and bog the film down a bit.
Bradley's direction comes over as rather sluggish and static, a case of his ambition being admirable but not having the experience to pull it off. The story comes over as very messy, it is very dully paced (especially the Acts 4 and 5 action) and comes over as very sprawling and episodic with nowhere near the amount of complexity needed and the drama fails to make sense. Ibsen's play and stage directions broke conventions at the time, the drama comes over as too conventional and static and 'Peer Gynt' would have benefitted from being at least 20 minutes longer to give depth to any of the characters.
Despite in actuality there being a lot going on in the play and having a lot of characters, there is almost a feeling of feeling bloated and having too many characters in film translation. The atmosphere comes over as bland, especially later on, with little grandeur or tension and it also comes over as strange from doing too little with the conscious and unconscious time and space aspect that makes the play unique.
The film also doesn't do a very good job at making Peer likeable or rootable, Peer is a complex character that grows a lot throughout the play (or at least Acts 4 and 5) but one doesn't get that in the film. He comes over as too much of the younger years braggart lothario persona he is in Acts 1 and 2 throughout, and it doesn't help that older Peer is played so blandly.
Overall, interesting curio but not really that successful. 4/10.
