Warren Beatty’s Reds is a wildly ambitious film, trying to cram a history lesson spanning multiple years, different relationships, political parties, and settings amongst others into a bit over three hours. It’s an exhausting ride to board with Jack Reed (Beatty), Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton), Eugene O’Neill (Jack Nicholson) and a wide range of other real-life people. On top of that, people who were there during these events were also interviewed about various topics. One must appreciate the ambition that Beatty had. So much is covered in the film that you might have to run to your local library and check out a book dedicated to the Russian Revolution to piece together exactly what is going on. Is the film perfect? Not at all, but it does manage to put the viewer into the Revolution and Communist party that the film focuses on.

There are only two types of scenes in the movie: scenes with Jack and Louise (sometimes Eugene) either arguing or having a nice talk, and scenes that people are shouting about politics. There is not much else. The two types balance each other out; one doesn’t outweigh the other. The political scenes are a lot to digest. It doesn’t help that many people are shouting, but it is politics and the only way they know how to speak is through volume. One thing that is striking is that a good handful of those scenes are in small groups. An idea begins so small with only a few voices. As you let it grow, it becomes much more powerful. These Communist groups that meet in private grow throughout the film as the Communist ideals that Mr. Reed proclaims infects the earworm of many people. By the end of Act One, he is speaking towards hundreds of people. At some point, one starts to think about the impact that words, primarily about radical ideas have on an individual. I can only suspect that Beatty wanted to convey a man who had the knowledge, charisma, vocabulary, and determination, but could never lift these people to great heights. It’s odd to cheer on someone in a movie like this with very different ideas. You cheer because his resilience is vast, and he just does not give up, even when he is told that he is incredibly sick.

The other type of scenes (relationships scenes) are welcomed when there is so much being shouted at you during the meetings. The drama between Reed and Bryant is an interesting one, and it wasn’t until about halfway through the film that I started to connect the dots. As one can tell you, these two were not made to be with each other. I’m curious as to how close the film is in representing their relationship, but if it is anything like how it is presented here, then I stand by what I say. When I realized it, some stuff started to click. First, these two have two different minds; one is about changing the world, and the other is to create art. These two “artists” have different objectives as to what they want to do, and they are both passionate about it. Reed’s constant need to gather amongst comrades to discuss ideas and politics overbears Bryant’s desire to just work on what she wants to do with a man she really cares about. They conflict each other’s desires. I wouldn’t say that their relationship is toxic because Reed never tells, nor implies, Bryant to ever stop what she is doing. She just cannot find the motivation or effort to continue her work while a revolutionary is on her shoulders. You cannot blame her. She is a very strong character, and I loved Keaton’s performance. When she fights for what she believes in or calls out Reed for just being too much talk and no action is excellent. These two cannot be together because their passions are far greater than the love they could possibly ever have for another individual. That is the struggle with a revolutionary and an artist.

I am not crazy about Reds for a few reasons, but I think it is worth seeing. I didn’t learn a whole lot from the film, mainly because most of the conversations are loud, fast, and dense. One struggles to grasp onto the ambitious dialogue. I recommend the film for its cinematography, character development, and for those who enjoy three-hour movies with so much to take in.

Reds
1981
dir. Warren Beatty
195 min.

Screens Monday, 10/23, 7:00pm @ Harvard Film Archive