Don Juan DeMarco - Maestro d'amore

Romanticism is a genre of many stories. Some of which are just fairy tales and are by no means close to real. There are others which happen to be based on true events or happen to be exactly the story itself. Of course then there are others where the story is so muddled in its history, it becomes more of a myth; blurring the lines between what is truth and what isn't. The legend of Don Juan seems to be one of those stories in that undetermined area. Complimenting that is this film which sort of does the same thing in its narrative. And who could best fit that role, none other than rising star at the time Johnny Depp. After coming off several successes in the early 1990s like Edward Scissorhands (1990), Arizona Dream (1993) and Benny & Joon (1993), it's really no surprise he was awarded the character of focus here.

Written and directed by Jeremy Leven who would later pen the screenplay to Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook (2004), the story is about a mysterious man who goes by the name of Don Juan DeMarco (Johnny Depp) who legitimately goes around wooing and sleeping with any woman that falls for him. He dresses with clothes that represent the mid 1800s, he speaks with a Spanish accent and yet it is current day. After making love to the last woman he feels he can, he prepares to take his own life, only to be talked out of it by Dr. Jack Mickler (Marlon Brando). Being pressured by his boss Dr. Paul Showalter (Bob Dishy) to put the man in the psycho ward, Mickler asks that he try to see what can do to prove the eccentric man is not indeed crazy.

For most of the time, it involves Depp's character explaining to Dr. Mickler his story and how he came to be. How he originally only had one love Doña Julia (Talisa Soto) who of which her father forbade him from seeing. To later discovering he had a talent for swooning women very easily but wanted only one woman and her name was Doña Ana (Géraldine Pailhas). Despite much of the narration being between the two, the characters' charms rub off on others. As Dr. Mickler spends time with Don Juan, he begins treating his wife Marilyn (Faye Dunaway) differently. It's interesting to see how that plays out among others, which lends to some of the light comedic aspects to the movie. Perhaps the one thing that doesn't feel completely concrete is the story being told to the audience.

It's funny because essentially, the movie is treating the plot as a mystery just like the myth of the original Don Juan. At the same time, provide some closure. It's not really clear if this movie does that. The film also contains a number of other actors fans would recognize like Rachel Ticotin from Total Recall (1990), Talisa Soto from (Mortal Kombat), Richard C. Sarafian from Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Carmen Argenziano from Unlawful Entry (1992), Tom Lister Jr. From Universal Soldier (1992) and even the late popular Latin singer Selena has a cameo appearance. All of which each cast member gives a welcome performance that is just as credible as the next. It's truly amazing just how many faces appear in this particular feature that viewers can pick out among the crowd.

Cinematography shot by Ralf D. Bode was okay, but not anything worth noting. It was standard for the film but did not come across as different or really inventive. This is probably perhaps due to the film itself not being an energetic production, requiring crazy camera skills. Surprisingly though, Bode isn't some nobody. He also shot for Saturday Night Fever (1977). As for music, the film score was composed by Michael Kamen. For the rough 40 minutes of the available album, Kamen uses a recurring motif for the story which is now best known in Bryan Adams "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman". It's interesting because some viewers may not know that this is where the song originated from. Not that it was something Adams just made up on his own and the film ended up using it because it matched.

Even though the story itself remains sort of mysterious like the character of focus and the cinematography is just standard, the story is still fun to watch play out. The characters are likable, there's a slew of other actors and the music is enjoyable to listen to.

This is really an example of how a romantic comedy should be and how fantastic a romantic comedy can be. Intelligent, witty and great fun. It gives its audience respect by delivering a clever story with good actors and great lines.

The story is quite absurd and so is the duo in it - Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp. But this is just a good thing. Hollywood usually thinks its audience is filled with morons when making romantic comedies, but this is not so. There are still a few of us out here who enjoy the combination of intelligence, elegance and romance. This film delivers on all counts.

Love is a simple enough ingredient for a film. This film knows how to use it and the result is wonderful.

Psychologist Dr Jack Mickler (Marlon Brando) is called upon to negotiate a man down from the top of a tall building - a man claiming to be the great Latin lover Don Juan de Marco (Johnny Depp). Although Mickler is about to retire, he agrees to take Mr de Marco on, and delve into his mind and past. What he didn't count on was that Don Juan is starting to make him feel like HE'S missing something...

The lives of Brando and Dunaway interact with their roles in the film - as oldies in need of rejuvenation by the young sex god. They were both sex symbols in their youth - Brando, till about the age of 60, was a real life Don Juan - he really HAS probably slept with over a thousand women. So if you know this it brings an interesting layer to the movie.

It is a great journey which calls up all the great noble romances of the past in a tongue in cheek manner, with a love of stories, of fantasy, of women.

I wouldn't hesitate to call it the most romantic movie ever made. If there was one flick you had to put on to set the right mood between you and a girl, this would be it.

Looking at Johnny Depp might also help her in that regard.

Its also a great fun family movie - which is a delicate balance to strike.

4/5

Disclaimer: there are about two sex scenes, which, though very discreetly and beautifully shot, featuring no vital organs, may be inappropriate for littlies, if you wish to shield them thus.

I loved this film. It made me think if I'm dreaming enough? Or am I just living life by its face value? Don Juan DeMarco, is about dreams, about fantasies, and about love. It raises the important question, how much of imagination is enough to spice up your life, and not turn you into a delusional freak. Everybody knows and accepts the fact that one can not have everything one desires, one can become everything one wants to be. so what do you do? Give up, and live the dull and routine life you have, or have 2 different worlds, one for yourself and one for everybody around you. But while doing that how do you make sure you don't end up severing your link with the real world and end up in a mental asylum. Its this tight rope that Don Juan DeMarco, played brilliantly by Johny Depp has to walk on. His real life leaves lot to be desired for. Rejected by his one and only true love, he drifts away in his fantasy world, where he is the greatest lover of all. By doing that, though he is able to transform himself into a real charmer, he distances himself from the real world, and his real identity. So he ends up in a clinic for delusional patients under the care of weary and dreary pshychatrist Dr Jack, played by charming Marlyn Brando. And this is the beginning of the delightful exchange of ideas and vision between the 2 completely different personas. In the process both of them tend to gain, and make their lives a little better. Don Juan gets back his identity, so that he doesn't have to live in the mental hospital, while Jack gets his grove back :-) Coming back to the technical aspects of the film, I don't think there's anything lacking there. Good screenplay, solid acting and soothing original score. The script comes up with jewels every now and then, which makes you rexamine your own beliefs in life, and love. A highly enjoyable film.

Wholly different the usual fare Hollyood dished up in the nineties, DON JUAN DEMARCO is charming and disarming. The screenplay seems lovingly crafted around the two stars, Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp. They share scenes of relating, discovery and moving, personal respect. Mr. Brando shows easily, why he is still one of America's leading thespians. Faye Dunaway as his wife, is marvellous beyond words. The interplay between these three characters is a spirit lifting tour de force, that will leave you holding hands long after the screen has gone dark.