Reds
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Reds is a 1981 movie starring Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton. It centers on the life of John Reed, the trade unionist, journalist and writer who chronicled the Russian Revolution in his book Ten Days that Shook the World.
Besides Beatty and Keaton, the movie stars Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski, Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino, Maureen Stapleton, Nicolas Coster and M. Emmet Walsh. It was adapted by Warren Beatty, Peter S. Feibleman (uncredited), Trevor Griffiths, Elaine May (uncredited) and Jeremy Pikser from Reed's memoir. It was directed by Beatty. It also stars (as witnesses from past events on and before WWI) the celebrated radical educator and peace activist 98-year old Scott Nearing (1883-1983), author Dorothy Frooks (1896-1997) and reporter and author George Seldes (1890-1995).
Awards
The movie won Academy Awards for:
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Maureen Stapleton)
- Best Cinematography (Vittorio Storaro)
- Best Director (Warren Beatty)
and was nominated for:
- Best Actor in a Leading Role (Warren Beatty)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jack Nicholson)
- Best Actress in a Leading Role (Diane Keaton)
- Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Picture
- Best Sound
- Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
Miscellaneous
During filming, Beatty lectured his Russian extras on the capitalist exploitation of labour, attempting to inspire them. According to the magazine Total Film in 2004, this was the 4th "dumbest decision in movie history": the extras duly went on strike, demanding higher wages.