Institute History
Description
Kaufman has always had a fondness for Henry Miller's writing, and even thought about being a novelist himself. He also had the opportunity to meet Anais Nin and Henry Miller Ion separate occasions) and talk about their work. This, plus the fact that this film has much in common with its predecessor, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, made it attractive to Kaufman. Both films strike a balance between sensual and sensitive, intensely emotional and philosophical, and both focus on the relationships connecting two women to each other and the man who fascinates them.
Set in Paris in the 1930s, when that city was the literary place to be, Henry & June traces the sexual awakening of writer Anais Nin (Marie de Medeiros), and the way it was impacted by her meeting first with Henry Miller (Fred Ward), and then with his enigmatic wife, June (Uma Thurman). Henry and Anais are polar opposites (which probably draws them together): she the personification of European artistic fragility, and he of crude, unchanneled American energy. June ultimately becomes the mystery which unites them: beautiful, self-destructive, a little crazy.
Kaufman has said, "Innocence is the major theme of the film," which seems ironic since this was the first movie to receive the new NC-17 rating. What may have upset the censors is that the characters have no regrets.
Sunday Jan 24 1:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre
Saturday 30 1:30 pm
Holiday Village Cinema lit
$6.00