Henry & June (1990)

Paris, France in 1931. The writer Anais Nin (Maria De Medeiros) meets the American writer Henry Miller (Fred Ward) who is working on his first novel. She is attracted to his rough manner and Bohemian lifestyle and when she meets his wife June (Uma Thurman), she becomes even more involved. Loosely based on the writings of Anais Nin and her relationship with Henry Miller (TROPIC OF CANCER) and his wife, June. The director Philip Kaufman had scored a great critical success with UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING three years earlier which dealt with a man's complicated involvement with two women. The narrative here is similar although the emphasis this time is not with the man but with a woman (Anais Nin). It's nowhere near as successful. The film was slapped with an NC-17 rating but for all the sex on display in the film, it's surprisingly unerotic and stilted. Ward is terribly miscast as Miller and plays him like Popeye with his line readings particularly flat. The film comes to life only when Uma Thurman is on screen which isn't nearly enough. It's a great looking film thanks to Philippe Rousselot's Oscar nominated cinematography. With Kevin Spacey and Richard E. Grant.