The director's camera seems anchored rather than fluid, and does not make use of the full vocabulary of cinematography. There are a few exceptions to this sense of stasis, such as when Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world, bathes in water while the other Trojan women, captives of war, are dying of thirst outside in the heat. The contrast between Helen's moist, soft skin and the weather-beaten, tired face of Hecuba transcends words, and the juxtaposition of the aridness and the water gives added meaning to the text. But these moments are rare.
The theme of "The Trojan Woman," although an ancient play, should present a compelling interest for the present day viewer -- that of the horrors of war and the horrible ways that women are treated during wartime. But few connections are made between the present day and ancient times. There are no contemporary parallels suggested within the film itself to make the ancient people seem meaningful and real to a modern audience, which is necessary given the ancient language and story that tends to dehumanize and distance the viewer from the depicted actions. We are too distant from the events of Troy to identify with the Trojan cause.
The characters endure very extreme situations, like having their child murdered by Greek soldiers or being forced to become concubines. However, the long, formal speeches...
Even close-ups of the women's contorted wailing faces do not stimulate empathy in the heart of the viewer. The advantages of film as a medium, as opposed to the stage, might be defined as being able to convey emotion without a great deal of hysteria, as might be seen in 'real life.' However, Euripides' play did not attempt to convey a realistic portrayal of life, but show a myth on an epic scale.
A came to this film with very high expectations, considering the pedigree of the cast. I did not merely expect to see an enactment of an old drama, but to be moved by the performances of some great actresses. Instead, I felt as if I was watching a museum piece rather than people involved in a drama that could happen today. The sad thing is that the drama of "The Trojan Women" was happening in the day and age when the film was made, and is still occurring and reoccurring at the present moment -- women are forced to suffer the burdens of war, and treated like chattel rather than as human beings. If only the film could have conveyed this message more effectively. Instead of making Euripides more intimate, it only creates a wider divide between the great Greek tragedian's world and ours.
Works Cited
The Trojan Woman." Directed by Michael Cacoyannis. 1971.
