The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Columbia, 1988)
From the quicksilver mind of director Terry Gilliam springs a wondrous tale of heroic deeds, beautiful women and dashing men. The real Baron von Munchausen was an 18th century German aristocrat known for his boastful tall tales. He provides ample fodder for the fertile imagination of Gilliam, who spins a tale worthy of the good Baron's name. The result is a delightful, fantastic (in all senses of the word) film. The movie opens with its first instance of a story within a story: an amateur stage production of the baron's adventures, which comes to an abrupt halt as the "real" baron arrives on the scene, objects to this buffoonish portrayal of his exploits and proceeds to set the record straight. So begins Gilliam's joyous storytelling romp. He turns the narrative flow of the movie on its head and inside-out, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, past and present. The Baron first regales the audience with tales of his youthful escapades with his comrades-in-arms (the world's fastest man, the world's strongest man, a tiny man with amazing hearing and lung power….), and then teams up with Sally Salt, young daughter of the theatre troupe's manager, to embark on wild new adventures rounding up the gang to fight the Turks. Swept along with the Baron's vivid memory or imagination, we are treated to such wondrous settings as the Turkish Sultan's harem house, the Moon, Vulcan's forge, and a giant fish's belly replete with skeletal ships swallowed whole! Special effects and terrific sets render each of these settings a magical world unto itself. It's often difficult to tell what's fully real, and what's real only in the characters' minds, but there's no need here to let rational thinking get in the way of such marvelous storytelling! John Neville is simply wonderful as the eponymous Baron, his expressive face conveying a vast spectrum of emotions as the Baron gains strength from Sally's faith in him, falls prey to despondency, or simply takes joy in the mythic world he builds around himself (and those caught up with him). As Sally Salt, a young Sarah Polley is excellent, a plucky and determined heroine who tries to keep the easily side-tracked Baron on the straight and narrow. Several cast members play dual roles -- troupe members or city dwellers in the movie's "reality," and comrades or luminaries in the Baron's tales. In one such role, Uma Thurman shines as Venus, all delicate beauty opposite Oliver Reed's delightfully fiery, besotted Vulcan. Robin Williams provides a rather over-the-top cameo as the King of the Moon, but is very nicely balanced by veteran Italian actress Valentina Cortese as his wife, Queen Ariadne. Jonathan Pryce and Eric Idle also put in humorous turns. This movie was sorely underrated when it premiered, but undeservedly so. Gilliam's ability to mesh his own special brand of whimsy with a dramatic narrative has been under-appreciated. He's woven a magical tapestry of characters, places and, above all else, stories, which must be seen to be enjoyed. Fans of Gilliam, or of rollicking good yarns, should not miss this movie.
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