This is a biography of a great dancer, dance reformer from the early twentieth century, Isadora Duncan. In the era of classic ballet Isadora rebels against the rigid rules of dance, becomes a precursor of the new style. Suddenly she starts to dance barefoot, in transparent tunings, she dances with the music of Bach, Chopin, Schubert. Her dance is based on ancient patterns and natural body movements. The film has two time lines - Isadora dictating her diaries on the French Riviera and retrospections. As a teenage girl, she made an oath that she would never marry and devote herself to art and she kept her promise. Her lovers were the great names of that era: Gordon Craig - reformer of modern theater, rich Singer - sewing machine manufacturer, Sergei Jesienin - Russian poet. Isadora establishes a schools of liberated dance, teaches a whole generations of young people.
Vanessa Redgrave, who plays Isadora, was one of the most interesting actresses of her generation. In this movie she played great, she saved the project and made it into piece of art. The director did not stand up to the task, even the romances of Isadora were presented poorly, for example Jesienin, who seems to hardly can speak in Russian. Fortunately, the Isadora’s dance, also in her imagination, rewards everything, its spontaneity and innovation, like in the open space of the Greek ruins. Redgrave is also perfect as an old woman, it is unlike anything else: a red face covered with liver spots, red hair, stale clothes, ragged shawls - such a shawl was the cause of her real death. Because of Vanessa Redgrave performance this film is worth seeing.
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Isadora |
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screenplay | |
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screenplay |
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as Isadora Duncan | |
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as Paris Singer | |
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as Gordon Craig | |
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as Sergei Essenin | |
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as Elizabeth Duncan | |
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as Miss Chase |
