1900

Legendary Italian writer and director Bernardo Bertolucci delivered an uneven epic with his follow up to "Last Tango in Paris." The epic story of two men born as master and servant who would become friends in a world divided by class and politics as they go through life. Bertolucci's ambition got him in trouble by trying too much which derails the film despite moments of brilliance and a stellar cast. The politics of the film are clear as black and white where the rich are evil or impotent and the poor heroic and victims. The only problem with that is that it compromises one of the protagonists of the story. The pairing of two legends, Robert De Niro and Gérard Depardieu, was the saving grace for the film to ensure it would survive the various butchered versions. Both De Niro and Depardieu tried their best to overcome the shortcomings of the script. The stellar supporting cast includes Dominique Sanda, Sterling Hayden, Alida Valli, Donald Sutherland and Burt Lancaster. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.