The outstanding acting elevates infinitely. What Redgrave does with her character in her really short screentime is a wonder to watch.

A contrived, glacial-paced drama set in 1930s Europe. The film seems to be in love with its two central characters, yet doesn't explain who they are or why their relationship is so important. Strong performances let down by a bad script and direction. Would have been more interesting if it focused on the title character played by Vanessa Redgrave.

Just horrible. If I wanted to watch a bunch of people smoke and talk about nothing, I'd visit my parents.

a charming drama, powerful stuff here. it moves abruptly but with a good stride--i was never bored, and i found the story to be very interesting.

Overly reverential adaptation from a notoriously mendacious literary source.

Rather boring but well shot and well acted.

Worth watching perhaps solely for the Vanessa Redgrave scene. Where Fonda lacks nuance, Redgrave more than makes up for it with an oscar worthy supporting role.

Based on Lillian Hellman's (disputed) memoirs of her friendship with the mysterious Julia (Vanessa Redgrave), and her efforts to help Julia's anti-fascist work in prewar Germany. Whatever the story's veracity, it's a beautifully made, almost dreamlike look at devotion and memory; special praise is due to Fred Zinnemann's direction and Walter Murch's editing. Redgrave earned an Oscar for her warmly enigmatic performance, as did Jason Robards for a fairly brief one. Jane Fonda is solid as Hellman.