The Trojan Women

This is a great version of Euripides' Trojan women. They got an all-star cast that truly does justice to the original play. The movie is done very much like the play, but this is quite a positive thing, it doesn't end up being some idiotic Keanu Reaves "Much Ado About Nothing".

Katharine Hepburn gives her all as Hecuba, the Queen of the now destroyed Troy, and all of the other actresses give great renditions. Irene Pappas, the national actress of Greece, did a magnificent job as Helen, the woman who started it all. Brian Blessed played the messenger as only he could, and Vanessa Redgrave and Genevieve Bujold truly capture the pain and anguish of these women as they face their inevitable fate.

The music, too, really did set the atmosphere, I could feel a chill up my spine when they played that otherwise simple melody. The costumes are suitably appropriate, and I'd love to know where they found that ancient-looking wall that is meant to represent Troy, it adds a nice touch.

All in all, this is a movie that you have to see at least once in your life, your outlook on the horrors of war will never be the same.

It's all over now, the Greeks have taken Troy and have killed every male in the place. The wooden horse idea worked beautifully and now it's to divide up the spoils which in this case is the women of Troy, both high and low born.

Highest born of the lot is Hecuba, widow of the late King Priam and mother of Hector and Paris, both dead now. Imagine Eleanor of Aquitaine if her husband and all those loving sons had been slain in a cataclysm. Then you have some idea of what Katharine Hepburn's performance as Hecuba is all about.

Hepburn is aided and abetted in this film by three other international stars and each of their stories is told in relation to Hecuba. As Cassandra, Hepburn's daughter, Genevieve Bujold takes refuge in madness. The Gods gave her the gift of prophecy with the caveat that no one would believe her prophecies and it's all come too true. Vanessa Redgrave is Andromache, widow of Hector who has her little son killed by order of the Greeks to make the triumph complete before becoming part of the Spartan king's harem.

Then there's the one whose hormones started it all. Fair Helen, older and not terribly wiser, played by Irene Papas. Her scenes with Hepburn have some real bite to them, the best in the film. And Irene Papas is the only Greek in this Greek tragedy.

It's a powerful film, an anti-war film made at the time Vietnam was still a war zone. It only had limited release at the time it was out, it wasn't exactly box office material.

But it's a good film adaption of a classic and nice that one of Euripedes plays is preserved for us by four of the best players around of the female genders.

In the years labeled BC good woman's parts were actually being written.

Mr. Rodriquez comment "your outlook on the horrors of war will never be the same" is so true. The only movie that explains it best is Trojan Women. As a victim of WWII the movie is the only thing that truly explains the horrible experience. Once you are a victim of War and no one helps, you continue to be a victim. One is left alone without the familiar support system like family, language and ethnic group. Under all the humiliation and tragedies, you keep saying to yourself "this is so unfair cause I did nothing to deserve this, I merely was born. Whoever came up with the idea: All is fair in love and WAR, must have been a sadistic and selfish human being. Please watch Trojan Women because it is a must for ending wars.

You must understand the form of classical tragedy to appreciate truly this film. Then you will see that Cacoyannis does, his four major actresses do, and the rest of his cast do, right down to the boy who plays Redgrave's son.

The four actresses have tragic arias -- there is no better word for it -- that they play magnificently. One always knows what is going on in this film because the text is translated so perfectly; the direction is so clear; and the actors play directly to that text. All are brilliant.

Don't look for special effects; there are none. Greek tragedy needed none. There are no chariot chases, no blowing up of the Parthenon as two smart-assed "detectives" grin and compliment each other, no two heroines outwitting all the police in the district and end up driving their chariot into a handy canyon. Sorry, gang, the play's the thing here -- and what a play and how well it is produced and performed.

If you love classics -- text, acting, and production, don't miss this one for any reason!

This film was shown at my art school in the early 90s to accompany reading the Greek play for class. It is beautifully produced -- the location and the lighting is exquisite, and makes the characters achingly beautiful in the midst of the tattered, gritty, treacherous war being waged around them. This film appears to be timeless...the cinematography is perfect; it does not appear to be an "old" or 'historical' film, and this luminescent quality helps younger viewers focus on the story (rather than struggle with history or epic readings or overlooking outdated film techniques). In fact, the movie is so well made, and the women appear so fresh and real, that as a college student I had no idea this movie was made in the early 70s, until I read a screen bio of Redgrave and was shocked that the movie is several decades "old." The viewer is pulled into the landscape by the profoundly beautiful Mediterranean surroundings, the intense acting, and raw emotionality the actors portray. This production successfully creates the ancient Greek ideal of tragedy, where the viewer experiences some personal transformation along with the characters. Quite memorable, even 15 years after seeing it -- and worth the time investment for a longer film.