La Chanson de Roland (1978)
Directed by Frank Cassenti

Film Review

One of the most unusual of French cinema's historical dramas, La Chanson de Roland tells a tale of heroism, faith and human suffering.  With its naturalistic performances and convincing location sets, it resembles less a historical film and more a documentary filmed in the Middle Ages.  The artistic style of the film is similar to that of Robert Bresson's Lancelot du Lac, although somewhat less austere in its cinematography.

The film switches between a re-enactment of the exploits of a 10th Century knight Roland and a 12th century pilgrimage, a curious melange which illustrates the importance of folklore in medieval culture - past heroism somehow giving some sense to today's otherwise meaningless existence.

With an exceptional cast (which includes Klaus Kinski, one of Germany's premier league actors) and close attention to period detail, La Chanson de Roland is a supremely artistic film.  With its explicit depiction of human suffering and depravity, this should be an immensely depressing film - but it isn't.   Rather, it is a beautifully painted, immensely spiritual work which evokes optimism and celebrates the better qualities in human nature.

Film Synopsis

In Twelfth Century France, Turold and his troupe of itinerant storytellers accompany a party of peasants on their long and hazardous pilgrimage to the holy town of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain.  At intervals, the troupe enact, in words and song, the famed adventures of Roland, a knight of the tenth century who thwarted the advance of Arabs into France during the reign of King Charlemagne.  Roland's remarkable exploits ended ingloriously at Roncevaux, with his betrayal by the armies of King Marsile.  On this occasion, the part of Roland is performed for the first time by the enthusiastic young actor Klaus.

Struck by all the brutality and suffering he sees around him, Klaus has cause to reflect upon where evil comes from and why it is so abundant in the world.  He regards his art as crucial to understanding why things are as they are - it is, in a sense, his religion.  The pilgrimage proves to a tough and demanding ordeal, and many pilgrims fall by the wayside, afflicted by disease or weakened by malnutrition.  Worse, they are an easy target for gangs of marauding bandits, who attack without mercy and have to be fought off with equal vigour.  Klaus is so moved by the plight of the faithful travellers that he is motivated to give up his profession and join them...