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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, SYNOPSIS: In 1982, legendary Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda fled his homeland and relocated in France to direct this powerful story about the ethical boundaries of power and leadership, which had many parallels to Poland's volatile political situation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Danton (Gérard Depardieu) and Robespierre (Wojciech Pszoniak) were close friends and fought together in the French Revolution, but by 1793 Robespierre was France's ruler, determined to wipe out opposition with a series of mass executions that became known as the Reign of Terror. Danton, well known as a spokesman of the people, had been living in relative solitude in the French countryside, but he returned to Paris to challenge Robespierre's violent rule and call for the people to demand their rights. Robespierre, however, could not accept such a challenge, even from a friend and colleague, and he blocked out a plan for the capture and execution of Danton and his allies. Wajda remained in France until 1989, when the collapse of Communist rule made it possible for him to return to his homeland. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Ceasar Awards, Montreal World Film Festival, ...Danton
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38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
At last on DVD! A brilliant film - French revolutionaries portrayed, not as bloodthirsty loons, but human beings struggling to keep a tiger by the tail, torn between personal loyalties and an increasingly desperate political situation. Made at the time of Poland's Solidarity movement, it also has contemporary resonance. Oh, and it looks fantastic, too! One quibble - there is no subtitle-free option on the DVD for those of us with OK French (yes - in reference to the other review here - it did help my O-Level, 20 years ago!). One of my top 5 films of all time - GET IT!!
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have a soft spot for Wajda's films but this one beats them all. The knife-edge politics, the ulcer-inducing decision making and the ultimate question... did he simply misjudge the situation or did his arrogance drag him down? What makes this film particularly poignant is that it is contemporary with the events taking place in Poland; Solidarity and martial law. Wajda cleverly casts Polish actors as the coldly focussed Robespierre party and Frenchmen as the over-idealistic and headstrong followers of Danton. The chemistry works. One lovely touch is that Wajda casts Franciszek Starowieyski, a great contemporary Polish artist and designer in the role of Jacques Louis David, the great painter of the Revolution. This is a must see film.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Seen almost a quarter of a century on, Andrzej Wajda's Danton seems very much a film of its time. What once seemed so urgent and relevant to the political turmoil in Poland in the 80s now plays like a rather dreary and drawn out history lesson about the last days of the post-Revolutionary Terror in France as Danton and Robespierre/Walesa and Jaruzelski try to win the soul of France/Poland and bring compassion/political order to the country. A Franco-Polish co-production, the multinational cast results in some awkward dubbing into French and variable performance styles (although Patrice Chereau does once again demonstrate that he's a much better actor than a director) and the atrocious scoring doesn't help either. But it's not a total loss. Once Danton's fate is sealed, Gerard Depardieu dominates, kicking some life into the film in his trial scenes and getting a great last line - "Show them my head. It's worth it."
Second Sight's widescreen UK DVD has no extras.
Second Sight's widescreen UK DVD has no extras.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
the cleverest film about the French Revolution I've ever seen,
Danton is quite simply an amazing piece of cinema. Anyone who even has a remote interest in the French Revolution should definitely check this film out. Read more
Published 19 months ago by R. Harrison
I lost my heart..........
Gerard Depardieu est magnifique! The tension between Danton and Robespierre is so thick you could bite it, and this production spares nothing of the squalor of revolutionary... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ms. Fiona Allen
Danton
Excellent fllm, bought to help an Advanced Higher Pupil with his folio piece on the Reign of Terror. Superb!
Published on 1 April 2010 by Mrs. P. A. Graham
It is too soon to tell
The French Revolution with its ever-present counter-revolutionary threat, its abuse of language to place guilt, its show-trials and its terror remains the model for later... Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2009 by Charles Vasey
Masterpiece!
Wajda's coup de maître. Depardieu is fabulous and so are all supporting actors, even the dubbed Polish actors. And what a great story!
Published on 9 July 2007 by Alida Valli
Brilliant for History Lessons
As a teacher I know my a-level class really benefited from watching this film in its entirety. I recommend it to be viewed in a relaxed surrounding, with condiments such as... Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2006 by Mr W R Rees
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