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Savage Messiah

Play trailer Poster for Savage Messiah R 1972 1h 40m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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55% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In the Paris of the 1910s, brash young sculptor Henri Gaudier (Scott Antony) begins a creative partnership with an older writer, Sophie Brzeska (Dorothy Tutin). Though the couple is 20 years apart in age, Gaudier finds that his untamed work is complemented by the older woman's cultural refinement. He then moves to London with Brzeska, where he falls in with a group of avant-garde artists. There, Gaudier encounters yet another artistic muse in passionate suffragette Gosh Boyle (Helen Mirren).
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Savage Messiah

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Pauline Kael New Yorker What is the sum total of his vision but a sham superiority to simple human needs, a camp put-down of everything? Like a Yellow Book diabolist of the eighteen-nineties, Russell lusts for a purity he doesn’t believe in. Sep 28, 2023 Full Review Derek Adams Time Out Henri's interesting relationship with the ageing authoress Sophie Brzeska is lost in the director's overriding credo that both art and films are a matter of how much energy you exert. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times Russell takes the mystique away from art, but supplies nothing much in its place. Rated: 2/4 May 9, 2005 Full Review Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press [Ken] Russell, without resorting to stomach-churning violence or mindboggling camera trickery, has proven himself a true master of cinematic vitality and versatility. Jan 3, 2020 Full Review John Hofsess Maclean's Magazine It's the sort of grade B melodrama that John Barrymore would have played heavily, hammily and stoned in his twilight years. Oct 9, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jun 30, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member A movie about the pure joy and creativity that built the relationship between Gaudier and Brzeksa. Ken Russell, as he is known to do, doesn't stop to dwell on the mental health issues or the bizarre circumstances of the two, he simply celebrates the work. Instead of dissecting them under a microscope, he puts them under a magnifying glass and illuminates the passions that drove these two artists to keep on living as they did. In lieu of the fantastic sets and bizarre camera angles, Russell delivers huge fantastical emotion and injects it right into your heart. In this way, it's one of his more straight forward and sweet movies, simply about two bizarre people who found each other at a moment in time. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Not altogether bad, but not altogether good. At it's initial time of release it must have been quite interesting. However, time has not been kind. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Coherent Ken Russell film is not as odd as some of his other offerings; the story is absorbing and the performances are fine. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Solid and typically unrestrained film from Ken Russell. The film is full of life and contemplation on the meaning and purpose of "art" -- a passionate and effective high-calibur shot of artistic inspiration. There are some genuinely breathtaking shots of Gaudier's work near the end of the film which make it worth viewing. Also, an early turn by a very young (and naked) Helen Mirren add to the merit of this hard-to-find film. Cinematic rebellion. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member This art house movie is one of those rare gems of British Cinema that should be seen before you die and deserves to be ranked among the best hundred of British Films. Best performances by a raft of top British screen , Tv and theatre actors/actresses of this era. Although low budget it has excellent location sets and the distinctive Ken Russell Direction. It has developed a cult following among film buffs for its rare screenings, but its not available from Warner Brothers in region one on DVD Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member marvelous, full of passion and romance at a breakneck pace, it's a great deal of fun and ultimately very moving. also contains what i would guess is one of helen mirren's earliest naked performances. RIP ken russell, enfant terrible. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Savage Messiah

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the Paris of the 1910s, brash young sculptor Henri Gaudier (Scott Antony) begins a creative partnership with an older writer, Sophie Brzeska (Dorothy Tutin). Though the couple is 20 years apart in age, Gaudier finds that his untamed work is complemented by the older woman's cultural refinement. He then moves to London with Brzeska, where he falls in with a group of avant-garde artists. There, Gaudier encounters yet another artistic muse in passionate suffragette Gosh Boyle (Helen Mirren).
Director
Ken Russell
Producer
Ken Russell
Rating
R
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 40m
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