La mouette

Filled with excellent performances and moved smoothly off the stage to the outdoors Sidney Lumet's interpretation of Anton Chekov's The Seagull is an impressive transition to celluloid. Told in a languid low key with minimal but effective camera movement Lumet with patient deliberation slowly builds the play to its powerful climax without hardly ever raising its voice.

Aging prima donna Arkadina (Simone Signoret) and Trigorin (James mason) a well known writer visit the estate of her brother where her son Konstantin (David Warner) is attempting to hone his trade as a writer. Along with Nina (Vanessa Redgrave) , a neighbor he's in love with he put's on a dramatization of his work for assorted guests. Self absorbed as the family is Konstantin's work receives little attention or credit. Nina in turn falls heavy for Trigorin who is more than willing to see her on the side. Years pass and lives have changed but Konstantin struggles on with little or no interest from anyone as the group is once again brought together in the final act.

The Seagull is a lengthy melancholy piece of theater that in the wrong hands can be a drudgery to get through but Lumet moves his cast about like a skilled chess player, each and every one fleshing out their character with an intense subtlety. I hesitate to single out performers since all hit their marks perfectly but Vanessa Redgrave gives an an outstanding performance saving her best for last as the hopelessly romantic Nina while conversely Denholm Elliot as the most self aware member of the group maintains a low key despair that is every bit as effective.

There are plenty of films that employ great writers, excellent directors and superb actors that often times (Catch 22, for example) collapses under the weight of all its talent. The Seagull is a fine example of how well it works when all the pieces fit.

Despite it being at least thirty minutes too long and director Sidney Lumet's doing a less than stellar job of making a movie as opposed to filming a stage play (ie, even the outdoor scenes feel like they're indoors) , with annoyingly artsy fartsy, soft focus cinematography from DP Gerry Fisher, I enjoyed this film. Well, maybe "enjoyed" is not the right word when you consider that this is your typical Chekhovian misery party with your hosts Boredom, Unhappiness and Melancholy. But then again, considering the part that schadenfreude plays in these kinds of works, as in "Trigorin's and Treplev's troubles are worse than my own", maybe enjoyment is an apt description, after all, especially when served with a generous helping of black comedy and just enough hope at the end to keep it from getting stuck in your throat. And the acting is nothing less than amazingly good, especially Mason in late career, Warner and Redgrave (the "Morgan" team, reunited) in early career and Signoret in the middle. Give it a B minus.

Too long and philosophic for the modern movie viewer. Dramatic monologues that try the patience. Maybe great for Russians of Chekhov's day when people had plenty of time to look into their tea leaves. Hard to believe the talented director of the movie came up with this. overstuffed more than the sea gull in the play. I felt like a philistine writing this, but that's my reaction.

Why is that art is not appreciated? This film was directed by the very same Sidney Lumet of DOG DAY AFTERNOON, TWELVE ANGRY MAN etc fame, and it gets a 5 from 38 IMDb voters!! Sidney Lumet captured the essence of Chekhov's Russia as no other English speaking director ever has. James Mason, Simone Signoret and David Warner are all superb in their parts, but Vanessa Redgrave as Nina crawls into the skin of the character and delivers (yet another one of her) absolutely brilliant portrayal(s) Her rendition of the play within a play - not particularly well received by her mother (Signoret was truly a diamond) is heartbreaking and the symbolism of the sea gull and Nina herself fuse into an eternal unit. Perhaps Vanessa Redgrave, despite so many accolades, is the most underrated British actress. Her versatility is astounding. [Compare her in this with her portrayal of Andromache in Cacoyannis' WOMEN OF TROY.] But the interplay between all the characters, the subtleties of their longings, passions and disappointments are supremely brought to life albeit on the silver screen by Mr Lumet. Any serious filmgoer/lover should see this beautiful, touching and thought-provoking film. Bravo!

Don't be fooled by the other positive reviews. It's shocking how so many talented people could so egregiously misunderstand Chekhov and his intentions in this play. He wrote a comedy (despite the shocking ending); a satire on artistic pretensions, artists, and those who refuse to take responsibility for their lives and actions. This film succumbs to every cliché about the gloominess and static inertia that Chekhov supposedly deals in. Despite some efforts that aren't half-bad (Mason isn't bad, but is decades too old, and Redgrave tries her best), this film never misses an opportunity to take a misstep and do exactly the wrong thing.

In a word, awful.