A well-deserved appreciation! Jack Nicholson's turn as Eugene O'Neill was for me the most watch-worthy performance in this film. As for the rest of it, I loved parts of this movie but was eventually done in by its sheer overwhelming length. (I know it wasn't really as long as HEAVEN'S GATE, it just felt that way.) O'Neill's no-bullshit character was most refreshing, and along with J. J. Gittes in CHINATOWN and Robert Dupea in FIVE EASY PIECES, high among my very favorite Jack Nicholson performances.
Yeah, by far one of the highlights of a film I find rather boring otherwise. But then again, I like almost everything I've seen of Jack Nicholson, even when the films have been bad. Here's my old thread on the film & score, where I go into more detail:
Cripes! I saw REDS at the cinema on release, it's possibly the most boring film I've ever had the misfortune to sit through. I do agree with the above though, I only came wide awake when Jack lit the screen up.
