Creative is always ambiguous. I want to say right away that this picture is included in the category of cinema, which, as they say, “for an amateur.”
I really liked that the director showed the famous dancer not as an idol without flaws, but as a woman with her own problems, oddities and shortcomings.
Isadora in this picture is a sexy, charming, beautiful and by no means stupid woman who drives men crazy. And it does not matter whether you are an oligarch or a Soviet poet, French or Russian, handsome or not. I can't take this as a bad thing, because Isadora was like the goddess of love Aphrodite, who was created this way. It's her nature. She loves children and does everything for them, whether they are children or not. Isadora is open to the world as a bird that brings love with its dance, but this bird is too difficult to understand, as it was too exotic for the time. Her views on life have stepped forward widely, ahead of time.
One of the advantages I can highlight is how the Russians were shown in the film. The director tried to get away from the stamp and made a setting. It was nice that the Russians were not shown stupid and uncouth Vanka fools. As I saw, the Russians were kind to Isadora, despite the hunger and all the circumstances, they greeted her warmly, and the choral song for them is a recognition of her talent and herself. They were dressed in Russian, especially women. An old woman who begs to take her grandson to dance school so he doesn’t starve to death says, “Thank you!” God bless you! Or, when Isadora kisses Yesenin, one of the youths at the party shouts "Bitter!" Just one phrase: "You have beautiful thighs!" what humor. Yesenin’s phrase: “America and Russia must learn to understand each other” expresses the director’s position that conflict cannot solve global problems. How could the director have made these episodes so many years ago? Hardly. He was interested and was able to express some things, which is wonderful.
Also, the director used Russian songs in choral singing, for example, “Oh, my raspberry kalinka ...”, which is also somehow pleasant.
Of the minuses, I can distinguish that from a sensual girl, Isadora 50 turned into an arrogant, selfish woman who petty hunts for some young Italian on the Bugatti. Perhaps the death of children, lovers, moving from one country to another made her so and her heart petrified? Maybe she tried and hope for this novel to revive that fervor, purity and young herself?
Also, in my opinion, Yesenin is too violent and inadequate came out, which somehow casts doubt on the reality of the hero and makes the image unfinished and superficial.
I would also like to note that the death was somewhat cynical and ridiculous. I understand the director wanted to put it that way, but in her death, Isadora looked like a pathetic worm with a sticky tongue and bulging eyes.