I am looking forward to Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” more than any other film slated to come out this summer. Homer’s epic is deeply ingrained in Western culture, yet there have not been many mainstream attempts to bring it to the big screen. Hollywood tackled it in 1954 with Kirk Dougles as “Ulysses”. Andrei Konchalovsky gave it a shot in 1997 with Armand Assante as Odysseus. Beyond that there is not much.
Conversely, there are a slew of films using the Odyssey as source material. The best are the Coen Brothers’ “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Others have used the idea of a fraught journey as inspiration, hence the plethora of movies called “The Odyssey” that have nothing to do with Homer’s story.
There is a reason why this iconic story has seen so few film treatments, and it is part of the reason that I am both anticipating and wary of Nolan’s movie. It is a long, complex story. In fact, it is misleading to simply call it a story. It is a story within a story within a story, with many other stories thrown in here and there. Nolan has his work cut out for him just deciding what to film.
To remind myself just how nuanced the tale is I reread Homer’s saga. I had been meaning to pick up the translation by Emily Wilson, a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, anyway. I have seen her speak several times, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to delve into her work. As expected, it was exhilarating, and so much more accessible than other versions I had read.
The Trojan war hangs over the entire tale but is only told in reminiscence by various characters. Does Nolan start with the iconic end of that war or allow it to be referenced throughout, as in the book? My guess is it will be the opening. While the Trojan War highlights the attributes of Odysseus, it really is not directly relevant to what follows. However, I doubt if Nolan can resist.
What most people consider the heart of The Odyssey, Odysseus voyage home from Troy, is only about 1/3 of the book. The remainder is taken up by doings on his native Ithaca while he is on that voyage, and the events that follow once he is back. My guess is that the ratio of one story to another will be flipped in Nolan’s movie.
I also expect that many of the side stories that do not involve Odysseus will be excised. For example, the death of Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks at Troy, is referenced numerous times. It is a great tale in and of itself, but does not involve Odysseus and, as such, it is likely to be glossed over. There are others as well, including some by various slaves of Odysseus. I would be surprised if their slave status is featured, let alone their stories told.
Still, structure is the least of Nolan’s worries. The movie will rise or fall on other decisions he makes. One is how to treat the Greek Gods. It is impossible to understate how integral the Gods are to the story. Odysseus would not be subjected to the trials he faces if not for the anger of Poseidon. The God of the Seas is hellbent on preventing Odysseus from ever getting home. On the other hand, Athena is at his side throughout and is directly responsible for much of his success. The Thundergod Zeus oversees it all.
Greek Gods have not fared well in movies. Generally, they are ethereal creatures in togas who seem inconsequential and silly. Even Sir Laurence Olivier couldn’t bring the right mixture of gravitas, arrogance and fickleness to his depiction of Zeus in “Clash of the Titans”. Most others have been much, much worse.
There is a reason for that. The Greek Gods are complex. They have incredible power but are subject to the same whims and emotions as us puny humans. They get angry. They get horny (a lot). They are vindictive, petty, punitive and need unending sacrifice. Yet, they are also very wise and farseeing. Their human attributes make them more accessible but can easily undermine their Godness. And they are Gods!!!
One of the best depictions of a Greek God is in the Star Trek episode “Who Mourns for Adonis?”. The crew of the Enterprise come across Apollo patiently waiting for the humans who served him to reappear. What are a few thousand years to a God? Apollo is depicted as powerful, yet needy. Wise, yet easily offended. Strong-willed, yet driven by his desires. What he is not is silly or easily dismissible. Nolan would be smart to follow that example.
Even more problematic is how to depict Odysseus. Most representations of Odysseus paint him as the proto hero. He is brave. He is resourceful. He is determined. He is Indiana Jones, James Bond, Zorro and Robin Hood wrapped in one. That is the likely portrayal we will see.
The problem is that while he is all of that there are many aspects of Odysseus that are not that praiseworthy. Yes, he is brave, resourceful and determined. He is also ruthless, arrogant, selfish and of questionable competency as a leader. Will we see those aspects in Nolan’s film? If not, we are missing out on key parts of his personality and of the story.
The one attribute of Odysseus that is repeated more than any other is that he is an inveterate liar. It’s often said in praise, usually by the Gods, which says something about them. The lies get him out of difficulties and allow him to strategize to his advantage. But they are pervasive.
It is possible to dismiss virtually his whole story as a lie. Most of the saga is told by an omnipotent narrator. However, Odysseus travels are related directly by him in a narrative that takes up Books 9 – 12. His narrative is introduced by calling him “Wily Odysseus, the lord of lies” (trans. Wilson). With that preface are we to believe anything that follows? Especially when he later tells at least three additional stories about who he is and where he’s been, each with exquisite detail.
Odysseus has reason to lie. [SPOILER ALERT] He leaves Troy with 10 ships of Ithacan warriors but is the only member of that company to survive. He lays the blame for those deaths directly on the crew. For example, nine of his ships, with their crews, are destroyed when they sail into a sheltered bay off Laestrygonia that ends up being a trap. Only one ship, that of Odysseus, stays outside the bay and survives. Odysseus doesn’t explain why his ship stayed out or whether he warned the others not to go in. Clearly, we are to assume that it is their bad choice that is the cause of their demise, not his poor leadership.
Odysseus is also ruthless with both his crew and others. Brutal killing is his hallmark, as much as his lying. [SPOILER ALERT] Even in his telling of the voyage, six of his crew are knowingly sacrificed so that he and the rest can navigate between Scylla and Charybdis. Others die because of his recklessness. My guess is that will not be made clear.
When Odysseus does get home the ensuing bloodbath is viscous. If this scene is faithfully depicted carnage will fill the screen. There will also be the subsequent torture and hanging of those slaves that helped the supposed bad guys while Odysseus was gone. If Nolan does not tone this down significantly, I will be shocked.
How Christoper Nolan navigates all of this will be interesting to see. However, I have faith in Nolan. He has been able to ably direct big, complex stories in movies like “Interstellar”, “Oppenheimer” and “Dunkirk”. And, even with tales as iconic as the Odyssey, a movie does not need to be, and should not be, slavish to the source material. As long as he does not dumb down the nuance or stereotype the characters, I will be happy. Let the voyage begin!!!