Savage Messiah (1972)

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Christopher Logue (screenplay)
H.S. Ede (book)

Release Date:

September 1972 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

All art is sex!

Plot Keywords:

Polish Woman | Female Nudity | Frenchman | WWI | Nudity

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Dorothy Tutin	...	Sophie Brzeska
Scott Antony	...	Henri Gaudier
Helen Mirren	...	Gosh Boyle
Lindsay Kemp	...	Angus Corky
Michael Gough	...	M. Gaudier
John Justin	...	Lionel Shaw
Aubrey Richards	...	Mayor
Peter Vaughan	...	Museum Attendant
Ben Aris	...	Thomas Buff
Eleanor Fazan	...	Mdme. Gaudier
Otto Diamant	...	Mr. Saltzman
Imogen Claire	...	Mavis Coldstream
Maggy Maxwell	...	Tart
Susanna East	...	Pippa
Judith Paris	...	Kate

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X | Sweden:Btl | USA:R

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Russ-Arts

Trivia:

In order to save money, copies of uncopyrighted Soviet recordings of Claude Debussy and Alexander Scriabin were made.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Soundtrack:

TWO FLEAS

Offbeat drama about the sculptor Henry Gaudier and his lover

This is an impressive story about the outlandish affair between the Polish Sophie Brzeska(Dorothy Tutin) and sculptor Henry Gaudier(Scott Anthony). Meanwhile, he falls in love with a rebel suffragist(Helen Mirren), Gaudier died in action during WWI at 10 p.m, near of Neaville(France) at 23 years old.

This is an intense and thoughtful tale about the platonic relationship proceeded in a Russel's style. It's a convincing picture though relies heavily on the stormy relationship between the artist Henry Gaudier and Sophie Brzeska. As the film displays his trademarks, extreme angle cameras, excessive facial close-ups, utilization of numerous camera shots with primary colors and overblown visuals. Excellent acting with deliberately theatrical performances. Magnificent main cast and secondaries actors, such as Helen Mirren, John Justin, Lindsay Kemp, Michael Gough and Peter Vaughn , among others. Glamorous cinematography with exceptional attention to detail and captivating images by Dick Bush, Hammer's usual cameraman. The motion picture is well directed with flamboyance style by Ken Rusell(1927-). He's an expert director, whose greatest success was in the 70s with an offbeat musical biographies, such as 'Mahler, Lizstomania, Music lovers(Tchaikovsky)' ,besides he directed another hits , as 'Women in love, Valentino and The Devils', and today still directing, as in production 'Moll Flanders'. This oddball biographic chronicle will like to Ken Russell fans.