The Long Shadow (1992) User Reviews

Loves father, loves son.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 14 July 2022]

When stage actor Michael York learns of the death of his estranged father out of the blue a year later, you want to leave his home in Budapest to go to Israel to meet his stepmother (Liv Ullman), and after several troublesome encounters, they begin to commiserate over their shared loss and slowly develop feelings for each other. Ullman, who is York's age, expresses the reasons she was in love with his father, and he gets to see through movies what they shared. York considers remaining around when he is offered a job to play his own father in a movie, and that complicates things in the growing romance with Ullman who obviously feels conflicted over her feelings.

The stars and the locations are reason enough to watch this quiet, subtle movie, taking the viewer from Hungary to israel, down the streets of historic Jerusalem and into the countryside where a lot of biblical stories took place. That in itself is profound, and the sequences helps the viewer get to know the character of the late father. York plays both father and son and is brilliant, and Ullman creates another wonderful character to sink her teeth into.

As they were two of the biggest stars of the 1970's (co-starring together in the musical version of "Lost Horizon"), it's nice to see them working together in a more romantic way. York's main character isn't always really likeable, but I found that element of his part to be quite realistic. Ava Haddad is good in a supporting role as the friendly flight attendant he chats with on the plane and later meets on the ground. Maybe not the most gregarious of movies, but a nice sleeper with two stars whose work I've always greatly admired.

Perhaps a little too subtle, THE LONG SHADOW never really pays off

[silentgpaleo · 1 June 2000]

Vilmos Zsigmond was the cinematographer for several 60's exploitation films, as well as art films. He's worked with some great directors, and his skill with the reflected image is undeniable(who else could make BLOOD OF GHASTLY HORROR look so good?).

But, I'm afraid, THE LONG SHADOW is a wash-out. This is not entirely Vilmos' fault. The script is kind of predictable, in the sense that it goes nowhere.

Michael York (just a few years away from AUSTIN POWERS) stars as the son of an actor. The father has died, and York(a dead ringer for his father) takes over the role in his father's last, unfinished film. Liv Ullman plays York's father's old lover, and she falls for the transformed York.

Strange? Yes, a little. But, the film is so subtle that it hardly makes any points with these plotlines. I had to watch the film twice just to understand what it was all about. Perhaps that was the idea, although I didn't think it was really intentional.

Once again, I blame the script. York is good in his part, and Ullman(who I cannot say enough praises about)is solid in a role that seems difficult for anyone to grasp.

There are also some very slow-moving portions, which slow any plot progression down to a halt. What little plot there is never comes to a satisfying conclusion, anyhow. Some of the dialogue makes no sense(I'm sorry, maybe I'm numb).

So, I still wonder if I'll ever fully understand THE LONG SHADOW. But, the cinematography is great, and I can't wait to see Vilmos next film. Maybe something with more of a heartbeat to it.

Because THE LONG SHADOW is kind of a odd, cold fish.