Sarah Bernhardt, the legendary French actress who lived from 1844 to 1923, was a trailblazer in the world of theater, often regarded as the first true global celebrity. The Incredible Sarah explores her life across various stages, from her rise to fame in Paris to her tumultuous marriage and the challenges of navigating celebrity culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The film touches on many key moments in her life, but often skims over them without delving deeply into her motivations or artistic brilliance.
Glenda Jackson’s performance captures Bernhardt’s eccentricities and flaws, creating a magnetic and unpredictable character that audiences are drawn to. She portrays the madness of the person and makes it clear why Sarah was such a larger-than-life figure. However, as much as the film tries to, it never fully conveys the seriousness of Bernhardt as a brilliant actress or why she was drawn to the craft. The scene where she is asked why she likes to act is perhaps the film’s most frustrating moment, while it convinces us of her desire for acting and love, it fails to capture her passion for the craft itself. Even motivations like becoming a nurse during the Franco-Prussian War feel more like the actions of someone in need of therapy than a confident, kind-hearted woman.
By cramming in too many moments from her life, the film feels more like an informative “Wikipedia adaptation” than a cohesive story with clear arcs. A tighter focus on a few key years could have strengthened the narrative, especially since neither the film nor Jackson convincingly portrays Bernhardt at different ages. That said, the production design, costumes, and music are all immaculate, giving the film a sense of grandeur. Unlike Hedda the year before, this feels like a real movie and not a made-for-TV vanity project. While it isn’t deep, it can be entertaining in moments.
- Where to watch
- Not available for streaming
- Where to watch
- Not available for streaming
Play trailer
- Original title
- The Incredible Sarah
- Director
- Richard Fleischer
- Cast
- Glenda Jackson, Daniel Massey, Yvonne Mitchell, Douglas Wilmer, David Langton, Simon Williams, John Castle, Edward Judd
- Screenwriter
- Ruth Wolff
- Cinematography
- Christopher Challis
- Editor
- John Jympson
- Country
- Language
- English