Watch Savage Messiah

Savage Messiah is a 1972 drama film directed by Ken Russell, based on the life of the French artist Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. The movie stars Dorothy Tutin as Sophie Brzeska, Gaudier-Brzeska's companion and muse, Scott Antony as Gaudier-Brzeska, and Helen Mirren as Gaudier-Brzeska's patron and friend, Hamo Thornycroft. The film starts with Gaudier-Brzeska arriving in London from France in 1910, hoping to become an artist. He meets Sophie Brzeska, an eccentric and free-spirited Polish woman, who becomes his lover and soon his artistic partner. Sophie, who is ten years older than Gaudier-Brzeska, helps him discover his talent and develop his unique style, which is characterized by rough surfaces, bold forms, and a sense of movement.

Gaudier-Brzeska becomes part of a group of modernist artists, including Wyndham Lewis and Ezra Pound, who are challenging the traditional values of art and society. He creates sculptures that are daring and innovative, but also controversial and misunderstood. He dreams of creating a monument to the heroism of World War I, but the war interrupts his plans and tragically ends his life at the age of 23.

The movie focuses on the intense and complex relationship between Gaudier-Brzeska and Sophie. They share a passionate love that is also fraught with jealousy, possessiveness, and self-doubt. Sophie struggles with her own identity, which is connected to her role as a muse and her attraction to young men. She tries to control Gaudier-Brzeska's artistic vision and direction, but also admires and respects his talent and ambition.

Scott Antony delivers an intense and emotional performance as Gaudier-Brzeska, capturing the artist's restless energy, his rebellious spirit, and his tragic fate. He creates a memorable portrayal of a young man who is full of contradictions: he is idealistic and pragmatic, naive and wise, confident and insecure. Antony's physicality and expressiveness convey the raw power and sensuality of Gaudier-Brzeska's art.

Dorothy Tutin gives a nuanced and nuanced performance as Sophie Brzeska, revealing the complexity and vulnerability of a woman who is both a victim and a perpetrator of emotional violence. She balances Sophie's eccentricities, wit, and passion with her insecurities, addictions, and fears. Tutin captures the tragic irony of Sophie's fate: she nurtured and inspired Gaudier-Brzeska, but also destroyed him and herself.

Helen Mirren adds a touch of glamour and mystery to the role of Hamo Thornycroft, a famous sculptor who becomes Gaudier-Brzeska's mentor, benefactor, and friend. Mirren exudes the elegance and confidence of a woman who is admired and respected by men, but also has her own secrets and desires. She provides a contrast to Sophie's earthiness and Gaudier-Brzeska's vitality, but also shares their passion for art and creative freedom.

Ken Russell's direction is bold, imaginative, and occasionally flamboyant. He juxtaposes scenes of artistic creation and destruction, beauty and horror, sensuality and brutality. He uses a variety of visual and auditory techniques to convey the intensity and complexity of Gaudier-Brzeska's world, including slow motion, jump cuts, close-ups, and voice-overs. He also includes references to other artists and themes, such as Vincent van Gogh, Auguste Rodin, and the idea of the avant-garde.

Savage Messiah is a powerful and haunting film that explores the themes of love, art, and mortality with passion and intelligence. It depicts the life and death of a young artist who was ahead of his time and whose legacy still resonates today. It also illuminates the psyche of a woman who was both an inspiration and a tragedy, as well as the nature of artistic creativity and its social and cultural context.

Savage Messiah is a 1972 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.