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In both the play and this screen version, Nora is shallow and flirty at the outset, a woman who has married a wealthy man so that she can live a comfortable life. Early in her marriage, she secretly borrows a large sum of money by forging her father's signature (so that she can take Torvald to Italy to cure an illness, in the film). Now, unable to pay back the debt, threatened with blackmail, and fearful of Torvald's reaction if he finds out, Nora frantically considers suicide as the only way out. When Torvald discovers her deception, he does forgive her, but Nora cannot forgive him for his attitudes, and she leaves to seek her own identity.

For nearly the entire film, Jane Fonda, as Nora, flirts, leaps around, and appears to have no ties to reality, interested only in spending money that Torvald says he does not have. When she eventually speaks of suicide, it is not even clear that she is talking about suicide, rather than just going away. Her decision to leave and presumably support herself is inconsistent with the character as Fonda has played her. David Warner as Torvald is stultifyingly dull, and Trevor Howard, as Dr. Rank, is wasted in the role, seeming more like Nora's grandfather than a secret admirer.

Filmed on location in Norway in the winter, the setting is gorgeous, with lush and authentically reproduced interiors and snow-covered exteriors, featuring skating, horse-drawn sleighs, and period architecture. The costumes by Edith Head are stunning, and the music by Michel LeGrand is romantic. It is the casting that does not work here, lacking the tension that makes drama effective. In the greatest of ironies, the liberated Jane Fonda, as the liberation-seeking Nora, is ultimately unbelievable in the role. Mary Whipple


Misunderstanding Ibsen's Structure   July 5, 2004
Ibsen has been hailed as the "Father of Realism" in theatre. The theatre of the 19th century had largely been one dominated by melodrama, much like the Victorians desire for sensationalism and happy endings. Good was always rewarded and evil was always punished. Eugene Scribe made his name writing melodramas in the nineteenth century, and one can certainly see the influence of the melodrama in Ibsen's work--for instance, melodramas often revolved around an important (often condemning) piece of evidence--in this case--Krogstad's letter--, key evidence lost or mislaid at important moments (Nora's concern when the letter would arrive) just to name two. But, Ibsen, in creating modern, complex, and psychological characters, gave characters with a past, with complex emotions, and decisions that could not be condemned outright as inherently "good" or "evil." One of the most admirable things about his plot structure, in the line of the "well-made" play is his late "point of attack"--beginning a play on the eve of Christmas. To do this, he often introduces a visitor (in this case Kristin Linde), and it is through her that the character of Nora is revealed to us in starts and half-truths, as Nora explains to Kristine what has happened to her in the last several years of her life. This version of Ibsen's play spends nearly at least the first 10 minutes of the production showing Nora's entire life story--shots of coffee with a younger Kristine, Nora and Helmer, Nora pregnant with Helmer on his deathbed, forging the signature, departure for the warmer climate. By showing all this, the director and actress lost the opportunity to explore Nora's character, in the way she tells her story, as well as throwing away half of the importance of Ibsen's incredible manner of building character and plot structure. Overall, Fonda appears just a little too modern in her interpretation of Nora, whereas Bloom, who has been classicaly trained as had Sir Anthony Hopkins, seem to have a much better grasp of the growth and subtext of Ibsen's character.


disapointing   January 26, 2001
This movie was disapointing after reading the play. i felt the play had a lot more depth and the movie just didnt explore all of this. stick with the book. although the movie has some good points, i found the book to be much more entertainting.