political interest.
But this time Wajda's chosen subject is revoluTevo luO seen through the prism of the Terror and the guillotine The film invites us to sympathise will Danton (Gerard Depardieu) against the icily principled Robespierre (Wojciech Pszoniak). I confess that emotions did not develop exactly as prescribed Danton comes across as a corrupt and drunker fool who has used the ICvuiullUl. to enrich himself out. It is only by now , virtue of Wallls his oratorical skill, and the fact that he has indeed DANTON IS ONE of the major films of 1983. Any film by Andrzej Wajda, the maker of Man of Iron and Man of Marble, is sure to generate critical and been "fitted up', that we can develop any sympathy for him at all.
By contrast, Robespierre, tor his unfeeling nature, does at least believe in what he ts reinacion aes ug to sea revulaluli green incorruptible'. Not all the Dantonistes are a: bad as their leader, when Depardieu desire to return to a tranquil and simple life one of his supporters acidly replies, 'Yes, ours will be simple and yours will be tranquil'.
The Jacobins aI C caught in a trap that is not ot their own making. They realise that to halt the revolutionary process is to condemn the revolution to death, so they are forced to execute Danton. But the revolution has developed beyond the point at which it is social system ins the 18 a system 18th century. To execute Danton to propel the bourgeoisie into the camp . of the counter-revolution. Either way Robespierre and Saint-Just are doomThe film is often heavy handed in its politica Moranse Thus Dantor asks whether 'All revolutions, like Saturn, devour their children'. Robespierre portrayed ordering, the removal of the faces of couter-revolutionaries from group portraits.
Perhaps it is invitable that Wajda, an East critic Satlinism should see in the revolution a conflict of means and ends and the OCONTO A BICOS Oai ale braction enst suard such abstracuol view is deeply pessimisti about the possibility of sangin h sce Any such will based, on dividual caprice.
I suspect that this film will reinforce rather than challenge the preconcepwhoever goes to tons o see ll For this reason if cannot be as an unquannca artistic success It may whet the appetite of its viewers to read more about the cyclt which it covers, and thee 1 they should read Guèrin's excellent Struggles in the First French Republic for revolutionary Marxist inLerviclaliull