Le Mystère Silkwood

This film was supposed to be about unethical practices in the nuclear industry and I was curious about the filmmakers' perspective on my American colleagues and how much the environment in our field has changed since the film was made. To be honest, I consider Silkwood to be poorly executed from a dramatic point of view, with the film dragging on and on. After a little time passed after I watched it, I am able to recall nothing more than endless cigarette stubs and a very peculiar approach of American employees toward workplace safety, which would have been unimaginable just a decade later. And speaking of smoking, even filmmakers of the 50s were not as accommodating to the needs of the tobacco industry - or so I believe. Nonetheless, the charisma of Meryl Streep as one of the best actresses of her generation is necessary to save quite a bit of the film, meaning it will be difficult for it to maintain a three-star rating. Overall impression: 50%. (31/08/2018)

Boring and unexciting drama, which simply ends after more than two hours without any hint of climax, leaving you wondering if it was worth dedicating your time to it. It didn't leave any impact on me and I didn't learn much about the malfunctioning of a nuclear power plant somewhere in Oklahoma either. I watched the quality acting performances of Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in the film, where there were more than enough. I understand that the case of Silkwood was crucial for the nuclear issue in the USA, but her life outside this matter was not interesting at all and definitely not worth making a biopic about her. Far from the weakest film by Mike Nichols that I have seen. BTW: The film was released in 1988 in Czechoslovak cinemas with a running time of only 91 minutes. Almost all scenes with Cher were cut from the film, who played the lesbian roommate of the main couple, which was a cardinal taboo at the time. Contemporary Czechoslovak critics reportedly wondered how Cher received a Golden Globe for this film when she had so little screen time. I have seen the full original version, but I still don't understand why she received that award. She plays a supporting role in the film and when she does appear, she certainly doesn't stand out. Meryl Streep outshines her every time they are on screen together, making it inexplicable to me why Cher was the only one to receive an acting award for this film. (04/08/2019)

In its time, this was a very important film. Today, the context is missing and the late New Hollywood style is also not universal, but similar trips to the past are still worth attention. Karen Gay Silkwood (1946-1974) became notorious as a union activist dealing with safety at a plutonium-processing nuclear factory. The circumstances of her death raised many questions. Her story became a certain manifesto, although the legal dispute between the factory and the survivors was eventually settled out of court. The factory ceased its operations as early as 1975. The Silkwood case also inspired the film The China Syndrome. From an acting perspective, it is truly an experience, Meryl Streep's remarkable performance in the post-Sophie's Choice era is already an absolute classic today. Cher also gained a great deal of attention for her lesbian character Dolly Pelliker, but the strongest emotions were conveyed by Sudie Bond. (14/01/2024)