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Review Of The Movie Reds, By Pastor Sheila R. Vitale
REVIEW OF THE MOVIE REDS,
BY PASTOR SHEILA R. VITALE
#42 [01/17/2020]
Living Epistles Ministries is a Christian teaching ministry and publisher, founded by Pastor Sheila R. Vitale. In addition to teaching videos, Living Epistles Ministries also features movie reviews on its website. In a recent video, Pastor Vitale reviewed the movie "Reds" (1981).
Set in 1917, Reds stars Diane Keaton who plays Louise Bryant, an aspiring writer. She had been previously married to a man who did not support her career and her desire for independence, as they were against the morals of the times, so they split. Bryant thinks of herself as a bohemian. She does not want any restrictions on her love life or career.
Later, she meets John Reed, a reporter played by Warren Beatty. They fall in love and agree to have an open relationship, since Bryant does not want to feel dependent on a man. In the course of their union, though, she feels overshadowed by her husband. He is good at his job while she struggles to write. She feels like she cannot work while he is around, despite his efforts to help her. She does not like feeling like a wife, or that she needs a partner. Eventually she has an affair.
When Reed finds out, he says nothing. When she finds out that he knows but has said nothing, she gets angry. She confronts him, and he says he’s also slept with someone else. On hearing this, Bryant gets even madder and leaves their house. She cannot handle what she thought she wanted. She wanted independence but ended up loving someone so deeply she did not want to share him or be away from him.
After both of them go their separate ways, life gets hard for Reed, who is now trapped in Russia. His health deteriorates. Bryant travels to Russia to find him. When they meet again, they embrace warmly, express their love for each other, and Bryant promises never to leave. Reed dies shortly afterward. Bryant feels sad that she has no children with him. She spent her life running from the depth of commitment that defines marriage, and ultimately missed out on the chance to build a family with the man she loved.
