Rembrandt (1999) - film review

The great painter Rembrandt van Rijn looks back on his life with regret.  His talent and passion for art brought him fame and wealth.  He married and, for a while, he was as happy as any man could be.  How could he possibly imagine the ruin and hardship that future times would bring him…?

One subject which consistently evades a satisfactory cinematic interpretation is the biography of a famous artist.  This portrayal of the life and work of the Dutch painter Rembrandt is yet another illustration of this, although it does at least capture the style of the artist’s work and draw some sympathy from his life.  The film was directed by Charles Matton, a comparatively unknown filmmaker who has given us only four full-length films in a career spanning more than thirty years.  Matton’s very individual approach is not suited for all tastes and his study of the life of Rembrandt is not his most accessible work – it’s cold, slow, lacking in emotion and painfully fragmented.  The film’s main selling point is the way its visual style mirrors the instantly recognisable style of Rembrandt’s work.  Whilst there’s very little by way of drama to sustain our interest, the photography is spellbindingly beautiful.

© James Travers 2007

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