The Trial

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Elsa Martinelli, Orson Welles, Michael Lonsdale
Directed by: Orson Welles
Rating: PG
Genre: Crime, Drama, Fantasy
1963

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Anthony Perkins) is told he will face a trial, but the charges against him are not disclosed.

Review:

Tim: Orson Welles called The Trial his greatest film. I could not disagree more. I understand why some people like it, but I simply did not. I felt like it was a nonsensical movie that bored me more than it entertained me. I see what Welles tried to do, but I personally just did not like this movie very much at all.

Even though Welles apparently said there wasn't a single symbol in The Trial, the movie is obviously a commentary about various aspects of life and politics here. You can watch this movie as a mystery- "What was the charge leveled against him?" or you can ruminate on how his own guilt for a crime he might not have committed put him in his own prison. You can look at it as a commentary on the judicial system, or simply a nightmarish tale of innocence and guilt and corruption. I admit that the movie is incredibly complex and layered. However, that doesn't exactly make the movie great.

I honestly believe that many people who like this movie do so because it's so unexplainable and impenetrable. The movie certainly doesn't open up and let the audience in. The audience feels just as out of sorts and confused as Josef K. feels trying to come to grips with what is happening to him. If you enjoyed that confusing journey, you probably really liked the movie. I, on the other hand, did not. The movie was so overly complex and dense that I just didn't get it. I didn't understand why I should have cared about Perkins, especially as he bounces around from person to person, having long conversations that don't really seem to go anywhere. I felt on occasion that I was watching a movie that goes in circles. It didn't make sense to me, and I wasn't having much fun trying to figure it out.

I'm not suggesting that the movie needed to pander to me or dumb down the message. If there are people who loved this movie, than more power to them. I personally just did not enjoy the labyrinthian plot that seemed to go no where, but take an awful long time to get there. Welles certainly creates a visually stunning, unforgettable movie. I wonder how many viewers, if they were being completely honest with themselves, would describe their viewing experience as pleasant. I simply couldn't do it. The Trial was a bore to me, and I didn't get much from the experience of watching it. Perhaps I should have read the book.

I usually can see the value and the beauty in movies people claim are great. However, I was unable to get past the hard outer shell of this movie. I'm sure there are loads of ideas and beliefs in this movie that would be fascinating to study and think about. Unfortunately, I'm not the one to do it. I simply did not care for this movie much at all. I think Charles Higham said it best when he called watching this movie "an agonizing experience."

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Citizen Kane, 12 Angry Men