User Reviews

Jack Weil, played by Robert Redford, feels at home in this corrupt city… He's a professional gambler looking for the game of his life… He played in every Elks Club and Moose Hall in America… He remembers every hand of every game and now he wants a shot, only one shot in Havana…

But while he is on the verge of winning everything Bobby Duran (Lena Olin) has lost all she ever knew… Olin plays the wife of a Cuban revolutionary, Raul Julia… Bobby has nothing to lose or to protect… And in a super-natural and strange way Jack reaches her… And so, as Cuba crumbles Jack is drawn in Bobby's world of the revolutionaries and, in one crucial moment he sees himself he must choose between the greatest card game of his life and the woman he loves…

There's a kind of exotic combination between Redford and Olin's characters… Between Redford's very American, blond, golden look and Olin's dark, intense Swedish expression…

Sydney Pollack's "Havana" is a love story that takes place during the week of Christmas, 1958 which was the last week Batista was in power before Castro came in… It was the last week of this kind of a circus that Havana was… An attractive city full of gambling, of burlesque, of every kind of hedonistic pleasure possible

Many will claim that Sydney Pollack and Robert Redford were on auto-pilot while making this film. Based on their previous collaborative efforts, the well-received Three Days of the Condor, The Way We Were, The Electric Horseman, and Out of Africa, which swept the Academy Awards, people wanted to see their movies. They could make any movie they wanted. They made Havana, and NOBODY wanted to see it.

Maybe Pollack, brilliant in his own right, set his watch according to Redford's schedule at this time, and history shows that, subsequent to Havana, and its box office failure Sydney Pollack basically quit directing. His influence in film is still served, and may be better served as a producer, witness Sliding Doors, Sense and Sensibility, Fabulous Baker Boys, and Searching For Bobby Fischer, all of which he helped bring to the screen.

But, back to the matter at hand-Redford as a gambler, Lena Olin, his distraction (and what a distraction)--the film feels good, looks good, and gives us some perspective on Cuba in the waning hours of Batista.

Olin (pre-Romeo is Bleeding, post Unbearable Lightness of Being) is properly introduced to American audiences, and is not inappropriate as leading lady to one of Hollywood's leading stars, Redford, who, even on auto-pilot, delivers a strong, engaging performance.

I understand this film was heavily maligned at release, and failed dismally at the box office, but I enjoyed it. It is a beautiful film to watch with attractive leads - and that alone stands it well ahead of many of the alternatives out there today.

How does a cool professional gambler show passion? He gives up the Big Game to rescue his beloved. How can a passionate woman reconcile the two loves of her life--the noble hero and his cause and the man who makes her feel most like a woman? Yes, it's Casablanca revisited. And Lena Olin portrays her ambivalence as ably as her Swedish compatriot, Ingrid Bergman. Fault the script for not delivering the depth of Casablanca, the humor--Alan Arkin could have been the equal of Claude Rains but didn't get the lines. But the cinematography makes pre-revolutionary Havana palpable, in its glamour and seaminess, its whiff of a bygone era. Who wouldn't want to drive a Cadillac convertible onto the ferry at Key West and debark in Havana?

The island of Cuba is a long way from Morocco, but in Sydney Pollack's film of the same name the city of Havana isn't too far removed from 'Casablanca'. The two films share a similar exotic locale, the same shady intrigue, and an all too familiar bittersweet romance. All that's missing are Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet, but what's surprising about Pollack's film is how well it stands up under the comparison. Robert Redford portrays a tough and charismatic (if slightly disreputable) gambler who drifts into the decadent Cuban capital during the last, desperate days of the Battista regime, and it's a pleasure to watch him playing, for once, a character without a built-in halo. The foreign intrigue, played against a background of political unrest, is perfectly suited to the swinging tropical setting, but the romance between Redford and beautiful revolutionary Lena Olin isn't as convincing. Don't blame the talented cast; the script lets them down too often during the last half of the film, undermining an otherwise attractive and entertaining bit of high-grade, escapist fluff.

Many viewers have noted that Havana is essentially Casablanca in the Caribbean, which is certainly true. But I found the same apocalyptic tension in Havana as in Casablanca, although not quite as effective the second time around. Others criticized the dialogue. I thought it was exceptionally mature, and subtle, which may be what threw some of the reviewers in this forum, who maybe would have wanted something more bombastic. The plot development was very compressed - things had to happen very quickly, and so some thought they happened far too quickly. But I thought Olin in particular showed all of the pain and turmoil necessary to make her quick transitions of emotion believable. You have to believe that the times were so tumultuous that people had to adjust very quickly to changing circumstances. As for Jack falling in love with Bobby so fast, that's entirely believable, and the look they exchanged at the party where Jack meets her husband for the first time was our signal that this love affair was happening, and was one of those insane passions that overtake people, not infrequently, and in this case, again, against the apocalyptic backdrop of this incipient revolution, which made all involved feel very much at loose ends, ready for, or dreading, the vast changes about to happen to them. I though the end was too dragged out, but other than that, the movie mostly plausible.

This last of the seven pairings of director Sydney Pollack and favorite leading man Robert Redford is a curious bird. On the one hand, it's a bloated, overwritten melange of not-so-subtle influences from Hemingway to Casablanca. On the other, it's a beautifully photographed, wonderfully acted film that tells the story of an aging card player (Redford) looking for the "big one" in Havana, Cuba as Castro's revolution reaches its peak. Redford is unsurprisingly solid and looks terrific alongside stunning Lena Olin, in the role that completed her Hollywood transition after her debut to American audiences in The Unbearable Lightness of Being. The film works best when it is just these two on screen. The love story works despite the whirlwind nature of it because these actors make us believe it. The Dominican Republic locations added texture to the photography and helped to sell the story, especially when Jack heads into the war-torn countryside in search of Roberta. If memory serves, the film was largely panned on release for what it was trying to be, but I choose to give the kudos it deserves for what it is: a slightly high-calorie love story worth a look.

I just saw this one again on DVD and was surprised at how good it was. The acting, story and environment made it very easy to follow what was going on. I fail to see big holes in the plot: the characters are very well developed. What is created is a very sweet romantic thriller in a historical setting - the viewer knows that the revolution will take place so that part is anti-climatic.

The film didn't attempt to make the revolutionaries into the good guys - Batista's forces did come across as corrupt and arrogant though.

One mistake: Redford's character convinces the security chief he works for the CIA which is implausible since he's supposedly on assignment in Cuba and doesn't speak Spanish.

A superb Havana noir set in 1958-9 and featuring three great actors, Robert Redford, Raul Julia, and Lena Olin. Lena is the object of desire for the male actors and for any living male in the audience! Robert Redford is an American gambler and poker player who works the high stakes poker games for his own account and for the Casino boss in Havana. Redford is debonair and sophisticated and a devout bachelor who is not looking for love, but it finds him. The beautiful Lena hires Redford to perform a task and he becomes deeply enamored of her. I think Lena Olin is one of the most underrated actresses in existence and also one of the most sensually beautiful. As the smitten Redford works the tables his thoughts continue to dwell on his desire, beautiful Lena, he is enthralled with her memory and must seek her to gain satisfaction. Revolutiuon is afoot and Cuba is both the best and worst of times. The Cuban scenery is beautiful. The movie will take you to a time that is past and no longer exists except in memory. A very beautiful movie with surprises and twists and turns in plot. A Sydney Pollack masterpiece. A treat awaits those who watch.

Havana is a favorite of mine. Sure it's a slick Hollywood movie but I thought Redford and Olin were marvelous together and fit their roles perfectly. Doesn't it seem natural to find Redford in exotic Havana playing cards on the eve of the revolution? And doesn't Olin's intelligence , charm, and beauty fit her role ? The supporting cast were flawless and the intriguing plot stood on it's own merit. The sentimental ending was superb and the musical score which received an academy award nomination was brilliant. Better than mediocre.

I love it for its ...flavor. For Lena Olin and Robert Redford. For the clash between romance and politic. For the old image of people in the womb of bad times. And for a Cuba who was so easy lost. And that is all.

It's 15 years later, but seeing this film for the first time, I was surprised by its intensity, beauty, realism and acting. This is two thumbs up from my corner.

I totally believed both Olin and Redford. Yes, they're both very good looking people, but more than that, they both convey intelligence and real emotion. Their performances were relatively restrained and in my opinion that's a good thing.

As a person interested in politics and history, I found the film interesting and balanced especially considering that this was a studio product. This film made me want to learn more about Batista, Castro and Cuba's move for independence.

I watched this movie in 93 because i was working in the casino and of course Robert Redford, one of my favorite actor. i was expecting not very big performance but i noticed that movie was excellent as it run. Actually it's best the movie ever made which describes what a real love is, although the final is drastic. On the other hand it's a good political review of the 50s between Comies & Independent followers. So it is a good movie if you spend your time with your lover after a romantic dinner and then sit and watch that spectacular movie with 2 glasses of wine. Some little action & non-boring movie even if it's 108 minute long.

It's the last days of 1958 and the Batista dictatorship in Cuba. Jack Weil (Robert Redford) is a professional card player on a boat to Havana. He is recruited by Roberta (Lena Olin) to smuggle radios for the revolutionaries. He's in love with her but she's married to revolt leader Dr. Duran (Raul Julia). The Durans are arrested and Dr. Duran is reported killed. Weil's poker game happens to be against the head of the secret police. He manages to win her release in their game.

Director Sydney Pollack is trying to make his version of Casablanca. The problem is that I'm not in love with this love. Casablanca is an iconic romantic film. This is a movie of lust rather than romance. It's different aspects of love although the movie ends with similar sacrifices. I understand this love story but I'm not in love with it. There is also the glowing lighting. Aside from the bright daylight, even night interiors have the glowing back light for Redford. He's the American savior. Redford has 50% too much of that boyish smile and needs 100% more desperation. He is too slick and too polished. There is this gloss of the Cuban casino world that is slightly off-putting considering the dark times being portrayed. Pollack is going for an epic glossy romance. I'm not in that mood.

It often seems like some critics chastise Sydney Pollack for inserting too much political commentary into his movies. "Havana" would be a prime example. It features frequent Pollack star Robert Redford* as a gambler who goes to Cuba's capital during the last few days of 1958, when the revolution is about to triumph. On the way there, he meets Lena Olin, the wife of revolutionary fighter Raul Julia. Over the course of the movie, Redford and Olin not only develop a relationship, but he comes to understand why the revolution is happening.

Maybe the movie does go just a little overboard on politicking. But I would like to pose a question: are we supposed to focus on these sorts of things and totally ignore politics? Would the world be a better place if everyone just blindly accepted every piece of government propaganda? Because it seems to me that part of democracy is that people are supposed to challenge the government if they think that the latter is lying. Therefore, I have to commend Sydney Pollack for doing that in "Havana".

Another thing is that it seems like this movie was a semi-remake of Richard Lester's "Cuba", starring Sean Connery as a British agent sent there on the verge of the revolution's triumph and discovering the status quo. Even if it is, I still recommend it.

Also starring Alan Arkin (his character is very likely to make your skin crawl) and Richard Farnsworth.

*Interestingly, they haven't collaborated since this movie.

To begin with, I had always stayed away from this one until now (watched in tribute to its recently-deceased director) given the fact that it was a notorious flop on original release. Having caught up with it, it’s strange to think that Hollywood was still trying to recapture the magic of CASABLANCA (1942) fifty years on: the title itself, the backdrop of a country in turmoil, a hero who won’t ‘stick his neck out’ until he meets the beautiful wife of a ‘freedom fighter’ (believed dead at some point), the gambling element as a symbol of the fickle nature of destiny, his antagonistic relationship with the chief villain (whom he dupes in the end), etc.

A lot depends on the effortless charm of its protagonist (Robert Redford – still looking great at 54), though his character is so laid-back that it’s hard to swallow him being so swiftly and easily a smooth operator with the authorities when required! Lena Olin and Raul Julia play the couple in peril this time around: reportedly, the latter so wanted co-star billing (though his relatively brief role hardly demanded it) that he opted to appear unbilled if his request was declined (which is exactly what happened)!; an overweight but quite effective Tomas Milian (a native of Cuba, incidentally) is the head of the organization rooting out the rebels; also on hand are Alan Arkin as the put-upon casino owner, Richard Farnswoth as “The Professor” and Mark Rydell as the real-life Meyer Lansky.

As expected of Pollack, he gives the film a polished feel all round – from Owen Roizman’s diffused lighting to Terence Marsh’s remarkable production design (depicting both the glamor and the seediness of Havana) and Dave Grusin’s plush Oscar-nominated score. Overlong at nearly 2½ hours, the film’s ultimate failure can be pinned down to its essential dullness (lacking in action and being deliberately-paced to boot) – despite a number of undeniably compelling individual sequences.

This movie deserves a higher rating. Admittedly it starts out slow but picks up. It is a love story and I thought the acting was extremely well done. You can really feel Redford's happiness, pain and eventual heartbreak as the movie continues and the ending is one of the best!

A superb Havana noir set in 1958-9 and featuring three great actors, Robert Redford, Raul Julia, and Lena Olin. Lena is the object of desire for the male actors and for any living male in the audience! Robert Redford is an American gambler and poker player who works the high stakes poker games for his own account and for the Casino boss in Havana. Redford is debonair and sophisticated and a devout bachelor who is not looking for love, but it finds him. The beautiful Lena hires Redford to perform a task and he becomes deeply enamored of her. I think Lena Olin is one of the most underrated actresses in existence and also one of the most sensually beautiful. As the smitten Redford works the tables his thoughts continue to dwell on his desire, beautiful Lena, he is enthralled with her memory and must seek her to gain satisfaction. Revolution is afoot and Cuba is both the best and worst of times. The Cuban scenery is beautiful. The movie will take you to a time that is past and no longer exists except in memory. A very beautiful movie with surprises and twists and turns in plot. A Sydney Pollack masterpiece. A treat awaits those who watch.

Robert Redford plays a cynical gambler who falls in love with a rich, married revolutionary, Lena Olen, during the fall of the Batista regime. This is a genuine snooze-a-rama that doesn't work on any level. It wants to be another Casablanca, but suffers from the fact that Redford is no Bogart. His Jack Weil character is too dense and whiny to take the bull by the horns. And Lena Olen, come on. How committed and noble can her character be if she's doing Redford within two days of her husband's supposed death? This film is filled with talky scenes that just go on and on and on. (As does the film itself. It is one of those beasts that refuse to die.) A major disappointment from director Sydney Pollack.

The reviews were horrible when released in 1990. But, what went over the heads of so money people was that this film set at the turning point of 1958 revolution in Cuba was designed to be an over the top romance filled with the style and craft of the early days of cinema. It doesn't matter if it finds inspiration from the crafty Casablanca, one of the best films ever made. Both examine similar themes and play to the adventurer in all of us. Havana is an escapist picture, and both Redford, Olin and Pollack do their jobs here, not to mention a wonderful supporting cast. They transport us to a place rich with color and mystery. Havana is a hidden gem for those who love travel, and spontaneous adventure and love. If you have not seen it, it's well worth the trip to the video store. For those who love Havana and location films I'd highly recommend the independent film "Somewhere," set in Thailand and Malaysia.

What potential for a good, if not great movie! On Christmas Eve 1958, a solitary high-stakes gambler travels to Havana from Key West. His intent is to organize a high-stakes poker game that will leave him well situated for life. On the ferry to Havana, he meets the wife of a wealthy Cuban physician who is smuggling arms to the revolutionaries. Upon arriving in Cuba, he saves her bacon from discovery by the authorities, and promptly falls in love with her. Havana on the eve of the revolution has an overdrive case of the nerves. Secret police, revolutionaries, gamblers and gangsters; the movie has them all.

At the helm is Sidney Pollock with actors Robert Redford, Raul Julia, Lena Olin, and Alan Arkin. And the movie falls flat on its face well before the ferry docks at Havana. And it never recovers. What goes wrong? In a sense everything, nothing seems to connect. The story lacks suspense, good dialogue, and romance. The actors go through the motions for a paycheck. The sets seem cheesy and false. What else? Give this movie a pass; it's not worth the rental.

Directing: 7 Acting: 7 Story: 5 Production values: 6 Suspence / Thriller level: 5 Action: 5 Mystery / unknown: none Romance level: 8 Comedy elements: none

Despite being panned by most " sophisticated " critics, this is a darned good movie. OK, it may not be Casablanca, but the two stars are interesting, and the story is a good one. Most of the cast is good, especially Menocal, played by Tomas Milian. The coolest part of this movie is the musical score which seems pretty authentic and gives the flick a lot of atmosphere. Even though it was filmed in the Dominican, most viewers would not care. I truly think this movie will rate better opinions "as time goes by" !! How you gonna beat Redford and Olin ?? The last scene in the movie where Redford goes to the beach in Key West and looks wistfully into the glorious sunset thinking of Bobbi, is one of the better endings of recent movies.