Henry & June [DVD]

Great film. Love it.

Philip Kaufman's brilliant film Henry and June had critcs and the public, either praising it to the hills or completely confused and disappointed. Now I go with the former. Henry and June is a real work of art. And to be released in 1990, proved to be a groundbreaking work. Like Kaufman's Unbearable Lightness of Being, H and J is rich in detail, true to the story and takes you on a passionate and educational journey. People argued that the film was not totally true to what Nin and Miller wote in their diaries, but talking to others who saw the movie, disagreed. The dvd tranfer is excellent, doesn't diminish the cinemtography and the beauty of the film's characters. Having said that...onward to the performances. Uma Thurman's performance continues to be burned in my mind, ever since i saw the movie back in 1990. It was hard to figure how i could describe such a great performance. then, watching it a few times...i figured it out. Simply put, Thurman enbodies June, the way all those method actors from the 50's worked their craft. Memories of Brando (Streetcar), James Dean (Giant) and Montgomery Clift (A Place in the Sun) come to play, discussing Thurman. It should be noted, Thurman has a limited amount of screen time in the story, which makes her all the more fascinating. In other words, it is a work of great craftsmanship and magic. An oscar nomination would have been a consideration, but of course, the nc 17 rating put an end to all of that. And, truth be told, lesbian sex in a movie, at this time, before the gay lifestyle became chic and accepted in 2011. But, if anything, it is worth the rental of the film to see Thruman's entrance in the movie. This movie clearly made Thurman a movie star and a craft worker of great measure. The performances of all the other actors also is amazing (seeing that Thurman stands out, though). Maria de Manois plays Nin with passion and full of the discovery of her quest for more and more. Fred Ward gives the performance of his lifetime, bringing Henry Miller to life, whith machismo and mojo. Richard E Grant and Kevin Spacey bring much humor and support in their roles, as well. A riveting movie, with a story that won't quit with it's genius intact..Henry and June is a must see for anyone who appreciates great theater and great performances. oh, by the way, did i mention Uma Thurman's performance...just kidding.

This movie was much better than I expected. With all the nonsense about the "NC-17" rating wooooo, I thought it was gonna be all T&A and more. Not that I don't like that, but the movie was exactly what Siskel & Ebert were saying at the time: A movie that has a plot and sexuality. NOT porn, but a truly ADULT movie. This is a movie that deals with grown up issues regarding sexuality, marriage and fidelity. Those who are to immature or whose sense of morality forbids them from whatching a movie about two adults having extramarital and love affairs, DEFINATELY will be offended and should avoid this movie. If you can watch something like that with an open mind and are interested in such a story line or you are interested in a love story that gets a little complicated and convoluted then this is for you. I am a big fan of UMA THURMAN and that only makes this movie better for me. The story gets a bit complicated as the lovers grow in different directions. This is a very "artsy" movie. It deals with comlex love and sex issues. This by the way, was the first NC-17 movie. Yes, they made that rating especially for this one, but its not anywhere as hot as SHOWGIRLS as far as nudity. (see my review of that one) I was expecially surprised to find out that this is a TRUE story about famous people. I loved it and I give HENRY & JUNE 5 stars.

One of the most underrated movies of the 90s. (It also marks a disappointing moment when the studio _could_ have backed up an NC-17 film not porn but meant for _real_ adults....but caved to puritanism instead). The top two reasons to see it are the performances of Maria de Medeiros as Anais Nin (it's almost a reincarnation) and Uma Thurman as June, two of the sexiest, most intelligent, passionate portrayals of women in recent cinema. Forget Thelma and Louise -- these two are a combustible pair. Fred Ward's performance as Henry Miller, too low-key, is pretty much lost in the shuffle, without any of the dynamic magnetism Miller had in spades. The movie explores the nature of desire, infatuation, obsession, and real love, and is pretty faithful to the actual events -- but some elements (such as the significance of June's puppet Count Bruga, made for her by her lesbian lover, Jean) are lost in the translation to the screen. For people bored to tears by the dichotomy of soulless porn on the one hand and Hollywood mush on the other, this is an intelligent and _sexy_ movie. Two lovely companion books are Anais Nin's diary "Henry and June," on which the movie was based, and Nin's and Miller's unexpurgated letters, "A Literate Passion." That title sums up both their lives and the movie based on them.

I saw this movie a long time ago, loved it so finally bought the DVD. It opens with a quote by Anis Nin, "There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." I became enchanted with her after that. I then bought the book, "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller. The introduction was written by Ms Nin. I was amazed by its intelligence and found it most elegant. She is not just an erotic writer. I used to think that Anis Nin's main claim to fame was because of "Tropic of Cancer" and Henry Miller, but not so, she was a brilliant writer. The movie "Henry and June" is seductive and erotic and filled with gorgeous acting. It is a movie that makes you feel like a fly on the wall as you get a glimpse into a portion of their lives. Uma Thurman (wow acting) and Fred Ward (great) are perfect in their rolls as Henry and June Miller, but for me the stand out is Maria de Mederios as Anis Nin. She is mesmerizing to watch.

In Wikipedia, HENRY MILLER (1891-1980) is described as an American writer and painter infamous for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of "novel" that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is distinctly always about and expressive of the real-life Henry Miller and yet is also fictional. His most characteristic works of this kind are "Tropic of Cancer," "Tropic of Capricorn," and "Black Spring." His books were banned in the United States for their lewd content until 1964 when a court ruling overturned this order, acknowledging Miller's work as literature in what became one of the most celebrated victories of the sexual revolution. This entertaining and well done Philip Kaufman film is based upon the relationship of Henry Miller with writer Anais Nin, who kept a detailed diary. She was Miller's muse during her time around him and Miller's beautiful wife. Creativity is the spark upon which legends are built, and the legacy of Miller is attributable to this relationship in no small measure. While I was not a fan of Miller in his time, I do pay very close attention to the elements present in the creative process. Miller's delayed legacy is very, very important as a genre.

I guess it depends on what machine you have, but it wouldn’t play in mine.

Henry and June is the tale of colleagues who become lovers, yet remained married to others. This movie is sensual, sensational, stimulating, sexy, smart. It tells a story about how passion can overcome those who work together and admire their minds as well as their bodies. Aspects of infidelity as being not such a horrible sin, of love between women as natural, and of jealousy are treated realistically. There are plots and subplots intertwined. The characters are well developed. Also, the filmography is unusual and beautiful

Luv the movie

I give this five stars for only one thing: the incomparable Maria de Medeiros. Not only is her performance remarkable, given the circumstances, but she is the most beautiful ever to appear on screen, and it is worth watching the film just to bask in that. For the rest, the acting is wooden (Richard E. Grant gives the worst performance of his life) and the script is appalling. The director should have been taken away, never to be seen again. The only real eroticism in the film is in Maria de Medeiros's face, above all in those huge, soulful eyes that would melt any man's heart in seconds. The only reason she isn't a major Hollywood star is that she chose to be a European (mainly French) performer. Good for her.

Ich muss gestehen, als ich die Bücher von Anais Nin gelesen habe, hatte ich ein anderes Bild von ihr und bei der ersten Betrachtung scheint es auch so, als würden die Film-Anais und die reale Person nicht übereinstimmen, aber bei genauerer Betrachtung fällt einem auf,dass im Film eigentlich ganz geschickt eine neue Facette dieser Person dargestellt wird und facettenreich war diese Frau auf jeden Fall. Ich finde die Hauptdarstellerin gibt der Figur genau die Verletzlichkeit, die man in den Büchern erahnt, zeigt aber auch die Stärke einer Frau, die Mut beweist in die Tiefen der Seele zu tauchen. Der Film zeigt ein interessantes Bild der Boheme der Zeit, hat interessante Filmmusik zu bieten und unterhält in schönen, aber nicht oberflächlichen Bildern. Wenn sich jemand natürlich einen Porno erwartet, ist er hier nicht gut bedient. Hier findet Kunst der Verführung statt, Erotik, die es schafft Spannung zu erzeugen, die letztendlich auch die Dramatik des Films würzt. Empfehlenswert für Genießer mit Kopf.

Mi piace già lo conoscevo

Es una película clásica sobre una pareja brillante y atormentada. Imperdible. Dramática!