A Dream of Kings (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Anthony Quinn struggles against fate in 'A Dream of Kings' (directed by Daniel Mann). Matsoukas (Quinn) is Greek/American ne'er do well living in Chicago with his long-suffering wife, Caliope (Irene Papas, who has starred with Quinn in many a film) & miserable, cantankerous mother-in-law whose pension keeps the roof over their tired heads. When Matsoukas discovers that his young son (adorable Radames Pera) is dying, he decides that the boy needs to get outta Chicago & recupe in the more agreeable climate of Greece. All he needs is $$ for the plane fare. Easy, right? Nnnnope.
One by one, Matsoukas' chances for doe dry up 'til he's forced to fix a dice game in order to raise the $$. That doesn't go well, either. And so, after dismissing the advice of his wife & doctor, angry Matsoukas goes out for a late night drink, stops at the back of a local bakery run by a widow named Anna (Inger Stephens) that he's been admiring for some time. Whether it's due to booze he regularly downs, his gambling ways, or his own enormous ego, he makes yet another wrong choice in starting an affair with Anna -- everything that can go wrong, basically does. Ultimately, it is up to his wife to figure out a way to get some $$. Drama ensues.
I really dug this small, gritty indie drama from 1969. It came & went back then with little noise. But I found myself riveted to the family drama & intrigued by the superb performances from the entire cast. Anthony Quinn is amazing in a subtle performance of a larger-than-life personality; a man whose blood, sweat & tears is laid on the line for all of us to see. Yes, Matsoukas is exhausting, obnoxious & wild ... but Quinn humanizes him. We may loathe his boozy, adulterous ways, but Quinn makes you love this complex man, anyway; he's stubborn, delusional, but always loving, well-meaning & hell bent on doing good for his wife & kids.
Irene Pappas is brilliant, as well, as the poor wife who is mentally tortured by the man she loves so much. And feeding off of each other's energy, Pappas' chemistry with Quinn is as palpable as ever; their love scene in their bedroom is combustive, & they bear it all emotionally & physically on the screen. Sam Levene is solid as Matsoukas' friend who offers him $$, but dies suddenly before paying. And Inger Stephens is very affecting as Matsoukas' mistress, Anna; the pretty, 35 yr. old actress unfortunately committed suicide a few months after this film's release. And that fact kind of echoes the melancholy, dreary tone of this whole film; good thing I like dreary, meaty, dark dramas such as this one, haha.
One by one, Matsoukas' chances for doe dry up 'til he's forced to fix a dice game in order to raise the $$. That doesn't go well, either. And so, after dismissing the advice of his wife & doctor, angry Matsoukas goes out for a late night drink, stops at the back of a local bakery run by a widow named Anna (Inger Stephens) that he's been admiring for some time. Whether it's due to booze he regularly downs, his gambling ways, or his own enormous ego, he makes yet another wrong choice in starting an affair with Anna -- everything that can go wrong, basically does. Ultimately, it is up to his wife to figure out a way to get some $$. Drama ensues.
I really dug this small, gritty indie drama from 1969. It came & went back then with little noise. But I found myself riveted to the family drama & intrigued by the superb performances from the entire cast. Anthony Quinn is amazing in a subtle performance of a larger-than-life personality; a man whose blood, sweat & tears is laid on the line for all of us to see. Yes, Matsoukas is exhausting, obnoxious & wild ... but Quinn humanizes him. We may loathe his boozy, adulterous ways, but Quinn makes you love this complex man, anyway; he's stubborn, delusional, but always loving, well-meaning & hell bent on doing good for his wife & kids.
Irene Pappas is brilliant, as well, as the poor wife who is mentally tortured by the man she loves so much. And feeding off of each other's energy, Pappas' chemistry with Quinn is as palpable as ever; their love scene in their bedroom is combustive, & they bear it all emotionally & physically on the screen. Sam Levene is solid as Matsoukas' friend who offers him $$, but dies suddenly before paying. And Inger Stephens is very affecting as Matsoukas' mistress, Anna; the pretty, 35 yr. old actress unfortunately committed suicide a few months after this film's release. And that fact kind of echoes the melancholy, dreary tone of this whole film; good thing I like dreary, meaty, dark dramas such as this one, haha.