The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999)

The disintegration and disassociation of Nathan Branden. The acidic revenge of Barbara. The weak acceptance of Frank. All thanks to resolute subjectivity and inefficient thought.This is a very realistic story, and the actors genuinely seemed to be living their parts. Whether it was actually true or not is beside the point. While watching it, I didn't fully realise that it was only made for TV, but it now occurs to me that TV is perhaps the superior medium for mentally intriguing and engaging dramas, leaving the wider screen for mindless, fantastic, blockbusting epic action. No reviewer here seems to have complained about the talky lack of action in this film. I did find the frequent sex scenes a bit off-putting. Presumably Barbara is shown to be somewhat frigid. Rand and Branden's sex-life is presented as having helped her give birth to "Atlas Shrugged". In other respects all the personalities in this convoluted saga appear to be fairly barren.About 25 years ago I met a Rand fanatic. He told me "Atlas Shrugged" was the greatest book ever written. I may have made an effort to read it, and I also have an uneasy feeling that I've read "The Fountainhead", which I believe to have been based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. However, since I can't remember anything else about either book, I may be wrong. Somehow I feel that Ayn Rand's contribution to the sum total of human philosophic thought over the last three thousand years is considerably less than its devotees believe.Helen Mirren, the Meryl Streep of the Old World, does a fantastic job as Ayn Rand, but she doesn't make her out to be a very attractive person. Everyone smoked a lot in those days.

The philosophical musings of Ayn Rand can be and are debated to this day with wavering interest, worship, and disdain. This movie could be an introduction to the controversial author and lecturer, not only her political mind but her sexual psychology.Here the collectivism or selfishness by philosophical design is not nearly a comprehensive or even a deep exercise. It is more sexual psychology and social marital morality than capitalism and rational egoism. The subjects that so tickle conservatives, unbridled economics and unfettered individualism are best found elsewhere.This is a very well acted and well done character study of both the famous authoress and her immediate and fervent followers. Her "admirers" may be too weak a description of these folks who seem to kneel at the whim of this dominating and forceful personality. The film lays bare her inability and also her disciples, to practice what they preach.It may not be a profound revelation that Gurus often succumb to human frailties and are unable to overcome the adversities they advocate against, but this movie is a thoughtful rendering based on the non-fiction book of the same name. It is a story told by one close to it all and its "objectivism" can only be speculated.

It's obvious from the story that this is not an objective biography of Ayn Rand. Ayn Rand is portrayed like some kind of a sex maniac in this movie.One thing is accurately portrayed, and that is that Ayn Rand couldn't live what she preached. Her objectivism fell apart in her personal life, and with the relationship with her husband. She was an author with an idea, but what good is an idea that you can't put to practice ? Ayn Rand's objectivism in this sense was a silly effort to intellectualize.The movie focused excessively on Ayn Rand's personal life. She has done more in society than just live her life in the bedroom. Movie is not a good presentation of her life or her career in this sense.The acting and the production was good in this movie, but the contents fell short of giving a balanced view of Ayn Rand's life.

I saw this film three times (but then, I see many films more than once), and if I were to rate it, I'd give it 7-8 (out of 10), for its artistic merits. I knew nothing about Ayn Rand before seeing this film, and it piqued my curiosity. (I then discovered that "The Fountainhead", a very good piece of cinematic work, was based on her book.) But I am basically writing this only to correct what a reviewer said (back in September 2001), quite emphatically and with considerable reasoning behind the statement: that Ayn Rand shouldn't have been portrayed by an "American actress". She wasn't. The role of Ayn Rand was played by Helen Mirren, a truly great British actress. Moreover, Ms. Mirren herself is of Russian extraction, just as Ayn Rand was.