La Loca de Chaillot

You have to see this movie twice. The first time I saw it, I was disappointed. With such a fabulous cast you would expect something more than talk-politics-symbolism, but the second time I watched it I discovered I really loved it. Its theme is timeless and the film is of course, full of great performances.

The wonderful Katharine Hepburn carries the burden of this entire fiasco, and under any other actress's supervision, this would simply not have survived. It is not at all an easy thing to make this whole wacky plot stick together, and somehow she does it. If she has trouble at sometimes, it is certainly not her fault. The part is incredibly challenging, even for one of Hollywood's most brilliant actresses. (I'd like to see Meryl Streep try to tackle this one!) Brynnor, Gavin, Kaye and the rest all do good jobs, but the spectator can't help but ask, what are they doing in this movie? Richard Chamberlain is delightful and he and Katharine Hepburn really are the driving forces.

Yes, the themes are overdone, the film is talky, a little confusing, and even boring at times - but it still works and is well worth watching.