FitzcarraldoHerzog's grand folly of a film casts the mercurial Klaus Kinski as a man single-mindedly obsessed with the notion of establishing an opera house in the Amazonian wilds of Peru. Lacking funds, Fitzcarraldo signs up as a speculator in the local rubber industry, undeterred by the not inconsiderable matter of literally (no CGI!) having to heave a steamboat over a small mountain to reach a vast area of untapped trees.
The indomitable Molly (Cardinale), a local madam, not only embraces Fitzcarraldo's passionate excess, she bankrolls the expedition.
Reviewing the film for The New York Times, Vincent Canby applauded Cardinale's performance for its felicitous effect on her notoriously irascible co-star: "Miss Cardinale.not only lights up her role, she also lights up Kinski. Molly's belief in Fitzcarraldo helps to transform Kinski into a genuinely charming screen presence".
Imported print.
