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The Passion of Ayn Rand

Play trailer Poster for The Passion of Ayn Rand TV-MA Released Jan 27, 1999 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Upon the death of Ayn Rand (Helen Mirren), Barbara Branden (Julie Delpy) recounts the story of her dealings with the enigmatic 20th-century philosopher and novelist. Barbara and her husband, Nathaniel (Eric Stoltz), meet Rand and her husband, Frank O'Connor (Peter Fonda), and immediately establish a rapport. Rand takes the youthful Nathaniel under her wing and begins to show an un-platonic interest in her protégé. Barbara must sit by as the two begin what becomes a long, tumultuous affair.
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The Passion of Ayn Rand

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
John Leonard New York Magazine/Vulture Okay, I'll say it: The Passion of Ayn Rand is as delicious as it is dumbfounding, as mirthful as it is misbegotten. Feb 5, 2018 Full Review Boo Allen Denton Record-Chronicle Rated: 2/5 Jan 12, 2007 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 4/5 Sep 17, 2005 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jul 3, 2005 Full Review Dan Lybarger Nitrate Online Solidly acted if melodramatic film about the philosopher. Rated: 4/5 Apr 21, 2005 Full Review Carol Cling Las Vegas Review-Journal Rated: 4/5 Dec 5, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Good four hander which is elevated by the level of actors to make it more than the substance of the melodramatic script Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A lifeless biopic that would have been improved by having some kind of perspective on Rand beyond just saying that she was a person who had some controversial ideas. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Helen Mirren, need I said more? Except I absolutely love this quote: "Wise-ass Man: Excuse me, Miss Rand. I was wondering if you could give us the essence of your philosophy - standing on one leg. Ayn Rand: [Stands on one leg] Metaphysics: objective reality. Epistemology: reason. Ethics: self-interest. Politics: capitalism." Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Some of the worst philosophy ever, but not that terrible aside from that. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Frances H This film is a well-acted (as if one could expect anything less from the great Dame Helen) drama made from the rather soap-operatic biography of Ayn Rand done by her estranged disciple Barbara Brandon. Considering that estrangement, one must question the book's veracity, and if the book's, how much more the movie's, since we all know how much attention a movie script pays to the book on which it is based. But truth is not the issue--this is a well-done, well-scripted movie which stands on its own as tale about what a truly selfish person does to hurt hurt all the people around her and ultimately ends up destroying her own happiness as well. As such, it works very well, and becomes the very embodiment of a them that would have Ayn Rand rolling in her grave. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/12 Full Review Audience Member The Passion of Ayn Rand is a melodramatic made-for-TV movie that looks and feels like it was never meant to see the big screen. The performances are fine, but the cinematography and direction is sorely lacking. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Upon the death of Ayn Rand (Helen Mirren), Barbara Branden (Julie Delpy) recounts the story of her dealings with the enigmatic 20th-century philosopher and novelist. Barbara and her husband, Nathaniel (Eric Stoltz), meet Rand and her husband, Frank O'Connor (Peter Fonda), and immediately establish a rapport. Rand takes the youthful Nathaniel under her wing and begins to show an un-platonic interest in her protégé. Barbara must sit by as the two begin what becomes a long, tumultuous affair.
Director
Christopher Menaul
Producer
Peter Crane, Linda Curran Wexelblatt
Distributor
Showtime Entertainment
Production Co
Showtime Networks Inc., Producers Entertainment Group
Rating
TV-MA (V|S|L)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 27, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 10, 2018
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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