Les Troyennes

This is a remarkably ineffectual filming of Euripides' magnificent examination of the effects of war on women. Euripides embarrassed Athens with his realism and blatant theatricality, neither of which is on view here. The four-star cast intone their limes reverently, as if reading holy scripture, never becoming real women watching their city burn and awaiting slavery and rape. The staging is stiff and posey,farther distancing a viewer from emotional involvement. The translation is stiff and respectful. One might say that this great play is here respected to death. In short, the film shows astonishingly little invention or imagination. And how is it that all the women of Troy managed to dress in identical matching rags? This is the only film of this immortal play. Someone with feeling and passion, film it again, please.

Circa 1196 B.C. , in a decade in which a tribe of Achaeans from Greece commanded by Agamenon engagement war a prosperous and thriving city nearly the mouth of Hellespont , called Ilium of Troy . It was a big city with high walls and four gates , being destroyed by a violent war . The details on this war stayed in legend throughout Dark Ages of Micenic civilization . Four centuries later , they were immortalized by an illustrious Greek poet named Homer on his plays titled ¨Iliad¨ and ¨Odyssey¨. Later on , Euripides wrote powerful tragedies about these events , in which details appealing characters and dramatic happenings , focusing the women who remain after the fall of Troy and regarding the king Agamenon .

The motion picture revolves around the Trojan survivor women , one time army is vanquished and relies heavily on four declamatory monologues starred by four greatest and unquestionable actresses . Awesome Katharine Hepburn as Queen Hecuba , widow of Priamo , King of Troy ; their daughter the virginal-nutty Cassandra , a prophetess-princess , well played by Genevieve Bujold who arises emotion of the tale ; magnificent Vanessa Redgrave as Andromaca , Hector's wife , who carries the armor dressed by her deceased husband ; and extraordinary Irene Papas as Helen , continuously asking her pardon and innocence on the facts who caused the oldest story of love and war . Besides , minor performances by Brian Blessed as a Greek messenger and Patrick McGee as Menelaus . The sacked city was filmed in Spain on the Sierra of Atienza , Guadalajara with not many scenarios.

The film belongs to a trilogy faithfully based on playwright Euripides , a fine rendering directed by Michael Cacoyannis , including the musician Mikis Theodorakis and starred by Irene Papas , the grandest Greek actress . As ¨Ifginea¨ concerning the sacrifice by Agamenon of his daughter Ifginea because the winds to sail to Troy refuse to blow ; as ¨Elektra¨ in which Clymnestra and her lover Aesgisthes kill her husband Agamenon after his return from Troy and confrontation between mother Clymnestra , her daughter Elektra and brother Orestes . Rating : Notable, well worth watching for the acting of the four female actresses.

Euripides has always been regarded as the most 'modern' of Greek dramatists and although, for a man of his time, he took little part in either politics or war, it is surely no coincidence that his Trojan War trilogy was written during the protracted war between the Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues which would eventually subjugate Athens and bring its Golden Age to an inglorious end.

As a pacifist, director Michael Cacoyannis felt a deep affinity with 'The Trojan Women', the first play in the trilogy and had staged it in the 1960's. Having previously filmed a magnificent version of Euripides' 'Electra' in stark black and white with Greek actors, he has here a larger budget, glorious colour and a starry international cast but it is not nearly as effective.

Hecuba is one of those 'woe is me' characters. Granted, she has a great deal to be woeful about but the playing of her presents a daunting challenge to any actress brave enough to take it on. Katherine Hepburn varies the moans and groans well enough and her gritty professionalism sees her through. Her lament over the corpse of her grandson Astyanax is great film acting. The character of Andromache represents fidelity and virtue and this is captured very well by Vanessa Redgrave but she is played as a symbol rather than a flesh and blood character and this dimishes ones sympathy for her. Genevieve Bujold plays 'mad' Cassandra and has an excellent duologue with Hecuba before being carted off. Ironically if Cassandra's prophecies had been heeded and not dismissed as mere ravings the Greeks would not have been able to pull the Trojan Horse trick! The one who comes out best is the Helen of Irene Papas. This stunning artiste had already excelled as Electra for this director and as Antigone for Jorgos Tzavellas and her casting here is inspired as she is the complete antithesis of what we expect the character to be. She is strong, manipulative and sexually confident. If any face could 'launch a thousand ships' this is it! Her betrayed husband Menelaus, intends killing her but she knows and we know that of course he won't!

Cacoyannis has made a noble attempt to bring this powerful and poignant material to a wider audience but the film alas is weakened by poor editing, an intrusive score by Mikis Theodorakis and a female chorus that simply gets in the way. Ah, woe!

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.