SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET
RATING: ***1/2 (out of ****)
TriStar / 2:11 / 1997 / PG-13 (brief language, scenes of violence) Cast: Brad Pitt; David Thewlis; B.D. Wong; Mako; Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk; Lhakpa Tsamchoe Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud Screenplay: Becky Johnston
"Seven Years in Tibet" is a very long movie that centers around the Dalai Lama, but Richard Gere shouldn't be the only person happy as they exit the theater. This surprisingly strong, beautifully shot adaptation of Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer's autobiographical exploits in the Far East is far better than what it looks like -- a ponderously dull starring vehicle for Brad Pitt (who plays Harrer). At first, "Seven Years in Tibet" is about as spiritual as Pitt's nifty bleached-blonde locks, but after a bumpy start, things really do move to a higher plain.
"Seven Years in Tibet" picks up Harrer's tale in 1939, when he vainly leaves his pregnant wife behind and sets off with companion Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis) to climb Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountains in the Himalayas. After an ugly run in with British officers, Harrer and Aufschnaiter become prisoners of war, and it is there where the former receives a Dear John from his spouse. The letter informs Harrer that she has taken up with another man and the son she has given birth to will look upon him as a father.
Harrer and Aufschnaiter eventually escape and talk their way into Lhasa, Tibet, the holy city where the Dalai Lama (Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk) resides. The 14-year-old Dalai Lama is an inquisitive young boy who spies Harrer from a distance and immediately recruits the foreigner to tell him about such subjects as Jack the Ripper, elevators and cocktails. The two form a bond that parallels Harrer's non-existent relationship with his own child and carries over into turmoil when the Chinese army invades Tibet.
Before production was completed, a German magazine revealed that Harrer had Nazi ties, and a couple of lines were added relating to this fact. There's been a fuss as of recent that "Seven Years in Tibet" is too sanitary a portrait, but the film succeeds at detailing his own transformation of the heart and purification of the mind, regardless of whether or not it's true. The filmmakers' responsibility lies with making a good film, not sticking to every single fact. And Pitt is pretty earnest in the role. Dealing with a shaky Austrian accent, he appears a bit brittle in the first couple of scenes, but it's a testament to his likability that he fast grows on you. The setup to Harrer's plight is a little funky as well, but Pitt and the story seem to find and compliment each other quick.
The core of Harrer's journey from selfishness to selflessness is in his tie with the Dalai Lama, and the numerous sequences detailing this are strong and distinguished. Pitt and Wangchuk, a fine young actor making a stellar film debut, have wonderful chemistry, and the actors' on-screen connection glows with more magnetism than most movies use in their depiction of married couples. When a pre-closing credits epilogue tells us that the two men are still friends to this day, it's not a surprise -- their relationship is portrayed with enough powerful realism that you expect it to last for a very long time.
Even if "Seven Years in Tibet" had botched its story, it still would be a technical marvel. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud presents some incredible sights, and the spectacular scenery practically becomes a character in its own right. Occupying the breathtaking views is a robust supporting cast that includes those with experienced class (Thewlis and Mako) to those fresh and flawless (gorgeous Lhakpa Tsamchoe, as the object of Harrer and Aufschnaiter's competing affection). John Williams' score is exotic and Enrico Sabbatini's costumes are wondrous. At almost two-and-a-quarter hours, a lesser "Seven Years in Tibet" could have felt like seven years in the movie theater. But thankfully, it's not and it doesn't.
© 1997 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit the Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/
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