Don Juan DeMarco (1994)

Ah, Don Juan DeMarco. This movie, while not a great box office success, is well-loved by most of us who have seen it.  Is the premise a bit silly? To be sure. Is this movie realistic? Not at all. Is it extraordinarily directed? Not particularly. Yet Don Juan DeMarco is a unique parable that is thoroughly entertaining, funny, charming and heart-warming. It will change you in some way if you allow it to. With a cast that consists of Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway, this movie is far more than simply the sum of its parts. 

Johnny Depp plays a young man who proclaims to be Don Juan, the world’s greatest lover. Circumstances find him forced into a mental hospital where he is under the charge of Marlon Brando, who plays his soon-to-be-retired psychiatrist. From there, we, along with Brando, begin to experience Don Juan’s world. Brando’s wife, played beautifully by Faye Dunaway, is peripherally affected by Don Juan as well.

The real magic of this movie is in the cast and how they interact. Johnny Depp is thoroughly engaging from the first scene to the last. His character is a study of contradictions. He is at once innocent and yet worldly, wise and yet naïve, funny and vulnerable. There is a genuine chemistry between him and Marlon Brando that is a joy to see. It is delightful watching Brando’s character becoming fascinated by Don Juan, and seeing how it slowly begins to affect him.

While Brando is physically very heavy, I think it works perfectly for this film. If we look at him through his wife’s eyes, as we should, we see the handsome young lover that she married.

Faye Dunaway glows in one of her most relaxed and accessible roles ever. She exudes a warmth in this film that is seldom seen in any of her movies. There is a spark between Brando and Dunaway that happens so rarely on the screen.

The beautiful Bryan Adams song that plays over the end credits, with it’s lilting melody and powerful lyrics nicely punctuates the film.

This movie reminds us that romance is not something reserved only for the young; it is something that can be nurtured and kept over time. We can choose to live a life with a bit of fantasy and magic to make up for the nine to five grind. It’s all about choosing who you want to be and how you want to see the world.

Don Juan DeMarco is a film that will please men and women, both young and old. If you’re in a long-term relationship, or hope to be, this movie is for you. Men especially need to see this. Whether you watch this movie alone, or with your sweetie, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you've already seen it, I'd love to hear what you think.

Starring: Marlon Brando
              Johnny Depp
              Faye Dunaway

Director: Jeremy Leven

Saturday's Movie: The Brothers Bloom (2009)