Julia (Fred Zinneman, 1977): USA

Reviewed by Byron Potau.  Viewed on DVD.

Fred Zinneman’s 1977 film Julia is interesting for a several reasons.  It was a highly nominated and awarded film in its day, it was supposedly based on true events in Lillian Hellman’s life which has since been disputed by some, and it features real life characters Hellman and her longtime lover: hard boiled, detective fiction writer, Dashiell Hammett.

The story begins with Lillian (Jane Fonda) trying to write a play and struggling with it.  She decides she might have more luck writing somewhere else and heads to Paris, hoping to see her childhood friend Julia (Vanessa Redgrave).  There are flashbacks to Lillian and the slightly older Julia as they spend time together at Julia’s wealthy grandparents’ estate.  Even at a young age Julia is willful, and is disgusted with the treatment of the lower classes by her wealthy family.  A young Lillian does not quite share the same disgust or selflessness as her friend, but does support her.  When Lillian is in Europe she sees pre-war hostilities beginning and she discovers Julia, a medical student in Vienna, has been badly beaten when her school is viciously attacked.  Lillian stays with Julia in the hospital until she is mysteriously moved.  Unable to locate Julia, Lillian returns to the States and finishes her play, which Dashiell recommends she burn because of its mediocrity.  Lillian begins again and eventually finishes what comes to be The Children’s Hour.  After getting Dashiell’s approval, she publishes her play and becomes the toast of the town.  When her celebrity earns her an invitation to the Russian theater, Julia, who has become an anti Nazi, asks Lillian to smuggle money into Berlin, which she and her group plan to bribe Nazis for the lives of many of her associates including several Jews.

Whether this story is true or if it was lifted from someone else’s life (which is the claim), it is an intriguing and suspenseful story and is well written and acted.  Jane Fonda gives a strong performance as the persistent, but fragile Lillian who, early in life, seeks approval from Julia and later from Hammett, and her performance gains strength as the film goes on.  Though Jason Robards Jr. received his second consecutive Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as Dashiell Hammett, it was, at the time, a little overrated.  Robards does give a solid, mannered performance, but needed a little more to do in the film.  The film’s best performance is given by Vanessa Redgrave as Julia, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.  Her enchanting smile works wonderfully as the façade of a much stronger woman who is able to make sacrifices for what she believes in.  She is able to convey her character’s intelligence and courage in an excellent scene where she cherishes the few moments she has with Lillian while keeping her composure for the both of them, and finishing the business at hand.  Like Robards, she and the film could have benefited from more scenes, but she is still able to give an excellent portrayal.  A nomination more difficult to explain is that of Maximilian Schell, who received a Supporting Actor Nomination.  Not that he is bad, but he is just barely there, having only a few brief scenes as an associate of Julia’s who meets with Lillian.  This seems to be more a testament to the lack of potential nominees than anything else.  In a stronger year Julia might not be as highly awarded or nominated as it was, but it is still a good film in any year, and worth the watch if the story and characters intrigue you.