Fitzcarraldo

I watched Fitzcarraldo the other day as part of my Herzog marathon, and today I saw it again with the director's commentary; always essential with Herzog.
I have a memory of seeing the film at the cinema when it was released, around 1982 I think it was; my memory of that time isn't that good, as I was up to my ears in babies and toddlers, but I'm pretty sure I did, and I don't think it's a false memory. I've definitely seen it on TV since then, (though not for some time) so it's a film I know well.
It is, of course, remarkable, and reading Herzog on Herzog and hearing his commentary is fascinating. It's funny, but he had major problems with Klaus Kinski throughout; Kinski's habit of throwing tantrums and exploding on the smallest pretext was becoming habitual, but somehow Herzog coaxed a performance of extraordinary power out of him. It's one that's imbued, as well, with an unusual sweetness. In the commentary Herzog comments on the fact that Kinski smiles in this film. As he says, he's been in around 200 films by this time, but had never smiled - here we see what an enchanting smile he possessed, and, although Fitzcarraldo has a megalomaniacal intensity, Kinski gives him a gentle, idealistic streak which is essential in giving the film credibility, as no-one who was the mad fascist Herzog has been sometimes portrayed as being, could have persuaded so many people to join him in his insane adventure.
Herzog describes Kinski's unpredictable exposions, but says that his 'incredible, mad, energy' made the film possible.
The film was a real labour of love - Herzog spent 3 years in pre-production, and after he'd begun shooting and completed 40%, he encountered a major casting problem before Kinski appeared on the scene, when Jason Robards, scheduled to play Fitzcarraldo, pulled out due to ill-health. The Mick Jagger, playing another major part, pulled out because of concert commitments. So a year's work was wasted and had to be junked.
Herzog's problems didn't end there - when shooting recommenced, in addition to Kinski's presence, severe drought, border wars breaking out between Peru and Ecuador, and snake bites were just a few of the problems Herzog had to contend with, leaving aside Kinski.
It's funny, Herzog says in his commentary that Les Blank's documentary Burden of Dreams, grossly exaggerated the situation, and portrays him as an outrageous daredevil, but it would be hard to disagree with Blank after seeing this film and hearing the commentary.
The film looks even better now, when so much is digitalised these days. Herzog has come out strongly against the reliance on special effects, and one of Fitzcarraldo's glories is the knowledge that the steamship really was hauled over the the slope and dragged down the other side. When watching a Herzog film you know that you can trust your own eyes.
Herzog talks about the ending, which he describes accurately as bitter-sweet. Fitzcarraldo returns, having completed his journey, but failing in his mission to bring opera to the jungle. There's something triumphant about it, though, and Herzog talks of his sense of pride. A red velvet chair is placed on board the ship for Fitzcarraldo on his return, and Herzog says he felt that this was celebrating 'my return; my triumph. He clearly feels a great sense of pride in the film, though it's making had longlasting effects. He was virtually criminalised in the press afterwards, and many false stories, he says, circulated about its making. This cast a long shadow over his career for may years, and it really is only relatively recently that he's regained mainstream credibility.
Anyway, it was good to see this again, and to be reminded what a fantastic film this is.