La légende du saint buveur

Olmi is one of Europe's last Old Masters in the art of film making. He is usually regarded as a belated neo-realist, but after you've seen "The Legend of the Holy Drinker", you will realize the label simply does not stick. This is a film about spirituality, about communion, one of the most deeply religious movies ever, whose only rivals might be Dreyer's "Ordet" or Bergman's rather pretentious "faith trilogy" ("Through a Glass Darkly", "Winter Light" and "The Silence"). However, you will not find Scandinavian mists or angst in Catholic Olmi's adaptation of the beautiful novella written, oddly enough, by a great Jewish novelist, Joseph Roth. Wine is a metaphor for life, and Paris is a metaphor for our urban world. In this symbolic universe, it takes a great actor to give flesh and blood to the character of Andreas, the holy drinker, a beggar endowed with an amazing sense of dignity. Rutger Hauer was the man for the job: this was his best performance: he was never better, and, to judge from the course his career has taken, I fear he will never be better than in this film. It is not a thriller, but it is thrilling. It takes its own leisurely pace, but goes very far, very deep indeed into the human soul. After so many insipid or unpalatable cinematic concoctions, treat yourself to this film: it truly is vintage stuff.

For me it's odd that the characters speak in English in Paris, and I feel it's not a smooth transition from the setting of the original novel. Some of the English dialogues are dubbed and have strange intonations that Ermanno Olmi would not have noticed. The Italian version of this would be more even, I imagine.

So many Italian films have been ruined by bad American dubbing, or Italian dialogue where it should have been English (for example Liliana Cavani's The Skin where Burt Lancaster who is an American officer speaks Italian) and some have benefitted from being shot in English like The Night Porter, where Dirk Bogarde refused to count and insisted on film being shot in English. This is not one of those successful ones though and I think it didn't do as well in the US or UK as it did in Italy for that reason.

A drunken homeless man (Rutger Hauer) in Paris is lent 200 francs by a stranger (Anthony Quayle) as long as he promises to repay it to a local church when he can afford to; the film depicts the man's constant frustrations as he attempts to do so.

This project started when producer Roberto Cicutto (Hotel Rwanda) bought the rights to Roth's book of the same name. A few directors were approached and turned the film down because the plot was too "thin" and "vague". Finally, Ermanno Olmi (Tree of Wooden Clogs) was suggested by Tullio Kezich's wife, and he accepted. Perhaps because of modesty, Kezich suggests that Olmi wrote the bulk of the script, with Kezich merely "watching him work". Kezich is best known as the film critic for Corriere della Sera and for his award-winning biography of director Federico Fellini.

According to Kezich, Robert DeNiro wanted the lead role, and Cicutto flew him to Europe to meet with Olmi. DeNiro was in awe of Olmi, but apparently the feeling was not mutual. Oddly, Rutger Hauer was wanted by Olmi because of his role in "The Hitcher" (1986), which makes little sense. Hauer himself concedes that he was more comfortable with action, and less comfortable with nuance.

In fact, Hauer was probably a better choice than DeNiro, despite the latter's bigger star power. Hauer is quite effective as the alcoholic, not overdoing it. The way he is dressed and presents himself makes the "holy drinker" an interesting character because on the surface he appears quite well-to-do when, in fact, he sleeps under a bridge.

Worth noting is Anthony Quayle, who has a small but important part, as he really commands attention from the audience just with his presence. Unlike Hauer, Quayle was primarily a stage actor, steeped in Broadway and Shakespeare. This may be why he so naturally comes off as "distinguished" because he certainly was.

The film won the Golden Lion at the 45th edition of the Venice Film Festival. It also won four David di Donatello Awards (for best film, best director, Best cinematography and best editing) and two Silver Ribbons (for best director and best screenplay). The film was selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 61st Academy Awards, though it was not accepted as a nominee.

This mysterious tale -- almost a dark, dry comedy -- really comes to life on the Arrow Blu-ray. The special features are fairly slim, though the 25-minute interview with Kezich is enlightening and the 10-minute interview with Hauer is a joy. The best thing about this film is that it is now going to be available to a new audience. Though not well-known, it ought to be. In this reviewer's humble opinion, "Holy Drinker" is superior to "Tree of Wooden Clogs", and may be Hauer's finest role.

This film embraces everything that contemporary Hollywood cinema is so afraid of - intelligence, moral complexity, and rich characterisation. It is a simple tale really - an alcoholic vagrant in Paris is lent 200 francs by a stranger, on condition that he repays it to a local chapel when he can afford it. But what makes this an extraordinary film is the manner in which we are drawn so completely into this seemingly trivial and futile quest. This is principally down to Rutger Hauer's towering performance as the haunted, suffering tramp, who has to battle both ill-fortune and his own past to repay the debt and find peace. There is little in the way of either dialogue or action, yet Ermanno Olmi's vision of a timeless, enchanted Paris is dazzling. A lesson to others in how to tell a story on film.

Andreas Kartak is one of life's dispossessed: a tramp, whiling away his days on the streets of Paris. One cold morning, a strange, distinguished gentleman offers him 200 francs, under the proviso that Kartak pay the money back- when he can- to Saint Therese in a nearby cathedral. So begins Kartak's quest to restore honor to his soul and meaning to his life by finding a way to return the money- after squandering it on copious amounts of wine and absinthe.

Based on Joseph Roth's posthumously released story of the same name, Ermanno Olmi's 'The Legend of the Holy Drinker' is a quiet, subtle drama that is moving and entertaining in equal measure. Olmi's restrained direction makes for a very interesting viewing experience. The film relies as much on tone and atmosphere as the screenplay- from Olmi and Tullio Kezich- to communicate the narrative and its' themes. The dialogue is sparse, but meaningful; no words are wasted, nor unnecessary speeches made.

The story is simple yet profound. Kartak's quest takes on a spiritual, epic dimension as he struggles to find his way back into society and to keep his pledge to the distinguished stranger. His character is well-rounded and believable, a man of honor thrust into a situation that would turn most dishonourable. He battles with himself and his principles, not to mention his memories of a past life long left behind; often losing those battles and finding solace in a bottle of cava. Kartak is a character many will see aspects of themselves in: a fascinating, flawed and thoroughly real creation.

The film is beautiful in terms of visuals. Dante Spinotti's cinematography has a rhythmic, mythical quality to it that suits the narrative perfectly. He captures the stark, cold charm of the Parisian streets with real verve and style. Gianni Quaranta's production design is striking and timeless. The film looks like it is set in the thirties, though the time period is never made definitive. His work is rich in detail and adds another dimension of authenticity to the proceedings. The same can be said for Jean-Jacques Caziot and Philippe Turlure's naturalistic set decoration and the inspired costume design from Anne-Marie Marchand.

Rutger Hauer stars as Kartak, delivering a moving, understated performance that is one of the finest he ever gave. His Kartak is a vulnerable man for whom honor and dignity mean the world, though his alcoholism has overtaken his principles. Hauer disappears into the character so thoroughly you genuinely forget you're watching an actor on screen.

Hauer was a performer of great versatility, intelligence and depth- not to mention charm- and he demonstrates that fact here. Though he will likely largely be remembered for his similarly powerful performance as Roy Batty in 'Blade Runner', his work as Kartak is truly magnificent and unaffectedly profound.

The supporting cast deliver generally admirable performances, with Anthony Quayle's as the distinguished stranger being a standout. He brings to the role the right amount of dignity and mystery that leaves an ineradicable impression on the viewer. Joseph De Medina also does good work as an obese hustler Kartak encounters, and Sandrine Dumas is utterly charming as Gaby, something of a love interest for Kartak; but poor post-dubbing of many of these secondary players diminishes the power of their performances, while also lessening the impact of their scenes.

'The Legend of the Holy Drinker' is an affecting film that tells a deceptively simple tale masterfully. As a character study, it works wonderfully, with Rutger Hauer delivering what could arguably be called the finest performance of his career. Director Ermanno Olmi has brought to audiences a memorable, thoughtful film that will surely be beloved by any who care to give it their time. Joseph Roth's stories are notoriously difficult to bring to the screen; this is easily the best adaptation of his work to date. 'The Legend of the Holy Drinker' is quiet, clever and utterly compelling.