Reviews

Even for the 90s this film could set back gay liberation decades more. Some reviewers compare it to La Cage aux Folles, but unlike La Cage, which was well written farce and hilariously funny, Pédale Douce tries to veer from comedy into dramatic territory, but is so weakly written that it ends up misfiring on all fronts. It's not even fair to say it's politically incorrect; it's just so wrong in every way that I can only imagine it was written by clueless straight people or even more clueless gays. There are so many cringeworthy moments when I wanted to turn it off, but the only thing that kept me watching was Fanny Ardant, who is radiant despite the script and ridiculous characterizations. She can do a coffee commercial and make it seem marvelous, and she is marvelous to watch even here. However, asides from a couple of sexy moments, it takes determination to withstand the rest. Pédale Douce translates to "soft pedal" but lame pedal would be more apt.

Don't know why one reviewer was so determined to bash this film. While it may not be a great film, it's a sweet and tender story that tackles interlacing themes: illegal migrants in Spain; a May-September affair; a mother-son relationship, and unrequited love, with both gay and heterosexual desire given equal billing. The lead actress Marisa Paredes is one Spanish cinema's finest and is always worth watching. (Viewers might recognize her from Almodóvar film especially.) The rest of the cast is comprised of attractive, less experienced actors who manage credible, sympathetic performances. What's more the film is shot on location in beautiful Valencia. In sum, there's enough to this film to make it quietly enjoyable if not revelatory. Worth a try.

This is an important story in the history of Brazil, passionately told via expert filmmaking and excellent actors. It's brutal at times because we know that the horrible acts perpetrated in the film really happened, and that there are those who would silence the film even now makes it more important that it be seen. A remarkable film on all accounts.

There was a lot of promise here, but ultimately the film is a huge cop out, which perhaps is the point. In this case an opportunity to perhaps delve a bit deeper into male friendship and men's more tender feelings for each other was squandered. Nothing lost, nothing gained.

I had seen the butchered English-language version that was released in 1972, but it might as well have been an entirely different film, for seeing the fully restored Italian version was like seeing it for the first time, a revelation, and so obviously an underestimated masterpiece. Yes it's long, and like other of Visconti's opera-like epics, requires patience, but giving oneself over to its deliberate, meticulously detailed pacing is richly rewarding - the splendid cinematography, stunning sets and lighting, Wagner's music, and the stellar cast: Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard (perfect as Richard Wagner), Silvana Mangano, Helmut Griem, and of course Helmut Berger in the role of his life. I was in awe of just how great he is, gradually transcending his looks in portraying King Ludwig's complex, conflicted character - at times unlikable, others sublime, tragic and ultimately heartbreaking. The story of the end of an era, of the Bavarian Empire, and of Romantic idealism itself, it can also be seen as allegory for Visconti's own artistic aspirations and conflicts, his excesses and foibles. Not least of all remarkable for not shying away from homosexuality. (Visconti was unabashed about casting Berger, his real-life lover.) Truly magnificent.

It seems some viewers didn't have patience for this film. Really a shame because I think anyone who gives themselves over to it will be taken by this giant. Beautiful cinematography, understated performances, interesting historical and socio-politico context that resonates today. As with the character of the giant himself, the film depends as much on what is unsaid as that which is spoken. It is a film rich in metaphor and poetic resonance. Most of all, it's a universally human story about the misfit in all of us, and the love and recognition we crave for our true selves. If that's not enough to satisfy any sensitive viewer, then there's no point looking beyond Megalodon.