Welcome to 1789...

Well, I think there is only so much that can be done with a multitude of characters in a single film; and beyond that, I am disclined to think that the movie is *that* useless as a look at the Revolution, otherwise my highly absorbed French Revolution professor would have never thought it suitable to make us watch for class. And as far the communism/capitalism aspect; whatever the director's goals, I did not sense any specifics of idelogy like that coming through the movie - perhaps if one is already aware of said intention and looking for it, they will, but most of the things the characters said in that movie where issues actually debated on even if you take issue with who is saying what and the *exact* connotation of what they are saying. I dunno, I just think you are asking much much more than is possible from a strictly cinematic framework and from a movie that actually has very strong characteristics if you get over it's albeit real imperfections. It does make sense for the perfectionist historian to get quibbly over all the little things and, if this were a movie on say, Early American politics I might be simialrily picky; but can you think of any other better way to introduce the common lay person, in a cinematic form, to why the Revolution is as infamous as it is?

But then again, although I love the French Revolution as in I love its history and its significance, I'm not one of those people who is actually a fan of the Revolution as it turned out; if someone is more inclined to be defensive about the Revolution then, ya, one probably wouldn't like Danton as much.