Isadora

PG

1968

2 hr. 33 min.

Biography

List

80%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

This biography of modern-dance pioneer Isadora Duncan (Vanessa Redgrave) details the performer's tumultuous life. The film reveals how the beautiful, outspoken and graceful American-born dancer rejected ballet and moved to Europe to pursue a freer form of movement. Duncan's many love affairs are also heavily featured, most notably her relationship with Paris Singer (Jason Robards), an heir to the Singer sewing-machine fortune, and the volatile Russian writer Sergei Yesenin (Ivan Tchenko).

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Alec B

Structurally very similar to most biopics but its filled with so many odd little scenes (just about anything with Robards) and Redgrave gives a magnificent performance. Also, that ending is kind of unbelievable, a lot of other biopics would have been more dignified.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Victor T

By today's Academy Awards standards, Vanessa's Oscar-nominated performance would have won Best Actress over the tie between Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/30/23

Full Review

steve d

The script doesn't do it any favors but it remains interesting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

I can't believe there are so few reviews of this excellent film! A major film with one of the best performances from one of the greatest actresses of the century! No it is not perfect. But Redgrave is so radiant and moving who cares?! Production values are tremendous as well. I love this film (obviously).

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

All the credits must go to Vanessa Redgrave and her great performance!

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I decided that I didn't like it after giving some thought to what I had seen on screen. It is as confused as its main character. You don't like Duncan despite a brave interpretation by Redgrave.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Karel Reisz

Director

Vanessa Redgrave

Isadora Duncan

James Fox

Gordon Craig

Jason Robards

Singer

Zvonimir Crnko

Essenin

John Fraser

Roger

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Ned Kelly

81%

76%

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Stavisky

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82%

Give 'Em Hell, Harry!

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Penelope Gilliatt

New Yorker

The picture is a wittily distanced account of a believable woman, and the attitude changes everything. If film biographies of the gifted are generally the dulled things they are, I think it is partly because the people making them are so concussed by awe.

Jul 8, 2022

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

On paper Isadora is just a standard biopic about the life of dancer Isadora Duncan but it manages to cover the time she spent in the Soviet Union in great detail.

Feb 7, 2023

Full Review

Paul Schrader

Los Angeles Free Press

In Isadora Vanessa Redgrave finds the role she was made to create.

Jan 24, 2020

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Penelope Houston

The Spectator

I can't remember a biographical film that leaves one with less clearly defined feelings about the central character than Karel Reisz's Isadora -- or with less instinct for what the film-makers themselves really think about her.

Apr 25, 2016

Full Review

Jules Brenner

Cinema Signals

Rated: 2/5

Jun 22, 2005

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jun 18, 2005

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Synopsis

This biography of modern-dance pioneer Isadora Duncan (Vanessa Redgrave) details the performer's tumultuous life. The film reveals how the beautiful, outspoken and graceful American-born dancer rejected ballet and moved to Europe to pursue a freer form of movement. Duncan's many love affairs are also heavily featured, most notably her relationship with Paris Singer (Jason Robards), an heir to the Singer sewing-machine fortune, and the volatile Russian writer Sergei Yesenin (Ivan Tchenko).

Director: Karel Reisz
Screenwriter: Melvyn Bragg, Clive Exton, Margaret Drabble
Rating: PG
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English