The Incredible Sarah (1976) User Reviews (3)

A Reader's Digest Production

[swagner2001 · 4/10 · 5 March 2005]

This movie is preceded by two written warnings, directly embossed on the screen.

The first is the credit "Reader's Digest Presents." (Quick. Think. What's the last great Reader's Digest film that you've seen?)

The second is the prologue "Sarah Bernhardt was one of the greatest actresses who ever lived. ... This motion picture is a free portrayal of events in her tempestuous early career."

"Free portrayal"? What does this mean?

Well, in this film, Sarah speaks perfect English, complete with British accent (as does her Greek husband.) She performs French classics of the stage - in English. Thirty years go by - and yet no one ages more than a month. Also, rooms are brightly lit, regardless of the fact that there is no electric lighting. And everyone behaves in an overly civil fashion, except Sarah. The more unruly she becomes, the more people idolize her.

Sarah mentions again and again, ad nauseum, that her ambition is to become "the greatest actress ever." How does she accomplish this grand goal? She publicly humiliates the leading actress of the Comedy Francais. And then, after S.B. gives a particularly bad performance, she makes a feeble attempt to commit suicide, by jumping out of a basement window.

The real Bernhardt was an endlessly fascinating character, who was more or less forced into theatre by her mother. To truly understand Bernhardt, you must realize her infinite self-respect, and her never-ending energy, no matter what the endeavor.

The screenwriter has no understanding of these motivations. At one point Sarah attempts to explain her love of acting: "It's the coming alive. Oh, I don't know, really. I... I mean I wish I could explain it. I wish I could. It's...it's something I have to do. I... Oh, I'm not making any sense, am I?" This insight into her character is about as penetrating as a rubber knife.

Did you know the real Bernhardt was the first performer to ever put on a show at the San Quentin prison? She loved people. She cared.

The tireless effort she gave on behalf of wounded soldiers - by turning the Odeon Theatre into a hospital during the Franco-Prussian war - continually rounding up the best supplies, food, and medical care that she could find - is far too understated in this film. S.B. was a true humanitarian and later became a national symbol in France, and deservedly so.

Sadly, never once in this film do we see the French flag. Never once do we hear La Marseillaise.

This movie is not political; it sticks to the Aesthetic school. Art Nouveau dominates every frame of this film. We are hit with a barrage of ornate wallpaper prints, and Victorian costumes. The sets are cluttered with Greek columns, statues, paintings, etchings, and other bric-a-brac. Did I mention the veritable zoo of monkeys, parrots, dogs and even a caged cougar that Sarah keeps in her home? Feels like an extended trip to Hearst's Castle in San Simeon.

"The Incredible Sarah" covers her first acting audition, her early success, the Franco-Prussian War, her marriage, the first tour of England, and ends with the 1890 production of Joan of Arc.

It omits the 1880 tour of America, and her 1872 breakthrough role in Victor Hugo's "Ruy Blas."

I'm sure they meant well by making this movie, but, aside from Glenda Jackson's emotional performance in the "Phedre" and "Joan of Arc" sequences, this film comes off as a bore. Only during the final sequence do we get a slight hint of what it might have been like to see the Divine Sarah perform.

Bernhardt was French. She performed in French. When she was on tour in Britain, in America, in Russia - no matter where she was, Sarah Bernhardt performed in French. Her tumultuous emotion was so intense, it bypassed any language barrier. One could assume a Bernhardt performance was very similar to attending a spoken-word opera.

Her Edison sound recordings reveal a voice as inimitable as Maria Callas. She rolls her 'R's; she has an incredible tremolo. You can plainly hear a feminine quivering in her voice even as she shouts at the top of her lungs.

S.B.'s personal motto was "Quand Meme" - which could be loosely translated as "no matter what." After the amputation of her leg (which occurred years after this film takes place), S.B. mentioned "You remember my motto 'Quand Meme'? In case of necessity, I shall have myself strapped to the scenery." The stage was her battlefield. I recommend you keep Bernhardt's courage in mind. It's the only way to endure this passionless film.

Snippets from a great life; Memories of two great actresses.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 3 October 2018]

If there is ever a list of the most commanding actresses put together that encompasses the stars of the post Golden age of Hollywood, Glenda Jackson should be in the top ten. Like Bette Davis of the golden age, when she is on screen, it is her you are looking at, no matter how great the other actors are around her. It is very appropriate that in the mid 1970's, she should play the greatest stage actress of the last half of the 1800's, Sarah Bernhardt. Even in the scenes where Bernhardt is younger, Jackson seems far too commanding and possibly too mature, Jackson deservedly gets all the attention. Jackson makes it clear that in those early scenes, she might actually be Bernhardt looking back on her own life, seeing herself as she is at the very end, rather than the young hopeful that she is in those sequences with the drive but not the tools to succeed in her desired craft. The early scenes are quite funny with Jackson dealing with an imperious star (Margaret Courtenay) in the "Comedie Francais" even while playing the small role of the maid. Another onstage appearance as a maid has her making a shambles of the set, and even though she is making a fool out of herself and a fiasco out of the production, it is obvious that there is a star in the making.

The story covers the key years of Bernhardt's life, from her involvement with a Belgian prince, her decision to raise their illegitimate daughter alone, and then her rise to stardom. The audiences love her, but the theater owner isn't so easily impressed, promising to pay her in gold only when she makes it clear to him that she is indeed a true star. That happens during a production of "Phaedra", and from there, snippets indicates that she is already bored with stardom, bored with life, and bored even with men. Jackson has the most hysterical of tirades, destroying her lavish suite of rooms and scaring the various exotic animals she has made pets of, including various birds, a baby chimp and a roaring lion who seems to know that she could out roar it any day. A relationship with a younger man is challenged by his inability to act (and his constantly being referred to as "Mr. Bernhardt") and his constant infidelities, but then the way she snagged him from acting rival Yvonne Mitchell wasn't exactly noble, either.

There are several great scenes of Bernhardt on stage, including one sequence where she appears as one of the daughters in "King Lear" (ironic considering that after her return to the New York stage in Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women", Jackson announced she would later come back to play Lear himself!), as well as the final triumphant scene of her in "Saint Joan" that starts with the angry audience heckling her then suddenly finding themselves transfixed by her talents. This isn't quite a story as much as it is snippets from her life, but Jackson is excellent and the production values are simply superb. Fans of the 1976 BBC mini-series "I Claudius" will recognize several actors, including John Castle and an unbilled Graham Seed as the boy king in the "Saint Joan" finale.

Excellent film, Dazzling costumes and brilliant performance by Jackson

[Tony Rome · 10/10 · 30 December 2006]

During the 1970's Glenda Jackson was involved in some of the best films, such as "Mary Queen of Scots," "The Maids," "The Nelson Affair," and "Women in Love." She won two Oscars, one for "Women in Love," and the other for "A Touch of Class," In "The Incredible Sarah," Jackson gives an Oscar worthy performance as "the great" Sarah Bernhardt. She plays the role with great eccentricity and flamboyance. At some points the film almost seems, campy and funny, but still well done. Douglas Wilmer does a fine job as "Montigny" He plays the role with compassion and understanding. Too Bad a major distributer did not pick this up. Anchor Bay should release this in letterbox on DVD. 10/10