The Man Who Cried (2000)

35% of critics liked it
(68 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(25,056 ratings)

In this historical drama with music, a gifted singer (Oleg Yankovsky) from a Jewish village in Russia travels to the United States in 1927, leaving behind his young daughter Fegele (Claudia Lander-Duke). Father has promised his family that he'll send for Fegele as soon as he can, but authorities… More In this historical drama with music, a gifted singer (Oleg Yankovsky) from a Jewish village in Russia travels to the United States in 1927, leaving behind his young daughter Fegele (Claudia Lander-Duke). Father has promised his family that he'll send for Fegele as soon as he can, but authorities make life hard for the Jewish population, and Fegele is forced to flee with relatives to England. Fegele is adopted by a British family, which renames her Suzie and raises her with little acknowledgement of her ethnic heritage. As she grows to adulthood, Suzie (Christina Ricci) becomes a gifted vocalist and gets a job singing in a nighclub revue in Paris. Before she leaves England, her adopted family presents Suzie with a picture of her father, still believed to be living in America, and she decides she will go to the United States some day and find him. In Paris, Suzie makes friends with Lola (Cate Blanchett), a Russian showgirl in the market for a rich husband. Lola becomes involved with opera star Dante Dominio (John Turturro), and soon both Lola and Suzie are extras in Dominio's company, managed by Felix Perlman (Harry Dean Stanton). As Lola takes up with Dante, Suzie falls for Cesar (Johnny Depp), a poor but handsome gypsy horse trainer. Suzie soon becomes involved with the handsome Cesar, but their happiness proves to be short-lived when the Nazi war machine begins to roll through France. The Man Who Cried was written and directed by Sally Potter, who previously won acclaim for another unusual historical piece, Orlando. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Sally Potter
Written By: Sally Potter
Genres: Drama, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts

In Theaters: Sep 22, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Oct 3, 2006
Studio: Universal Focus

Critic Reviews

Desson Thomson, Washington Post
I prefer to think of this movie as The Critic Who Cried.
Kevin Courrier, Globe and Mail
Potter eschews drama for posing, politics for postulating, and provides enough symbolic broad strokes to gag a magic realist.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
It's as though we're being dared not to take the movie seriously, although nothing but the pre-Holocaust setting compels you to do so.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
So campy and overripe that it verges on parody.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
There's only one performer in the movie who looks completely at ease with what he's doing: the horse.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
If [Potter] personally, in her 40s, can go to Argentina and become a tango dancer, then we can't complain about anything that happens to Suzie. Not that we'd want to.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The film brings grace and balance to the traditional Holocaust story.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
The Man Who Cried hits all the wrong notes right from the get-go and never relents.
David Poland, Hot Button
Potter, unlike most, doesn't batter you with what she wants you to feel. As the lyrics of a song, this film is poetry. I suspect it will linger with me long after its details would normally fade. Beautiful.
Collin Souter, eFilmCritic.com
"The Man Who Cried" should be approached as a classic silent film where the movement and emotion tell the story, with dialogue being used sparingly.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A grand looking film always giving one hope it will come up with something sweeping to say...
Ted Murphy, Baseline.Hollywood.com
While no one will mistake [it] for a masterpiece, it possesses an oddball charm that makes it almost a guilty pleasure to enjoy.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jim H

This is a fairly basic Nazis = bad film. There's not much in the way of political acumen, and the characters and their storylines never escape from basic types. The acting is good until the characters begin the worst lip synching in film history. Potter's dialogue is… More
This is a fairly basic Nazis = bad film. There's not much in the way of political acumen, and the characters and their storylines never escape from basic types. The acting is good until the characters begin the worst lip synching in film history. Potter's dialogue is fairly stilted, but the art direction and cinematography is good. As a whole, the film needed to escape cliche and take greater advantage of its cast, all of whom are capable of strong, nuanced performances.
Keysha H

Really good movie. Depp and Ricci have a really intsense love scene. Depp tends to look at her longingly for a good 2/3s of the film. But I'll forgive..he's lovely. And Blanchett does a really flighty portrayal of a early 20th century gold-digger. All in all..great story of… More
Really good movie. Depp and Ricci have a really intsense love scene. Depp tends to look at her longingly for a good 2/3s of the film. But I'll forgive..he's lovely. And Blanchett does a really flighty portrayal of a early 20th century gold-digger. All in all..great story of perserverance with a stellar cast..but honestly...I don't understand the title.
Wildaly M

Ricci turns in a really good performance.
Brett W

The actors in this film constantly look as if they're befuddled, doing their best to interpret Sally Potter's obtuse writing and directing style.
Nikki M

Hard to understand what some of the characters are saying or singing and a little slow in parts.
hawk l

Gloriously flamboyant and emotionally camp exploration of cultural assimilation. Christina Ricci is fabulously passive and unmoved by proceedings as is an equally understated Johnny Depp. Cate Blanchett chews scenery with panache, and Sacha Vierny's camerawork is exquisite.
Erin C

Johnny definitely didn't have a big enough part. I felt like his talent was wasted in this movie. It was a good story, but the acting was just so so.
Sunil J

Weird and really boring but the acting was good.
Lea L

i watched this movie last week....and thought it was good....sad tho but good