Customer Review

I had to check after viewing, but this film is surprisingly close to the original text. There've been a few liberties in translation, of course, and a few cut lines, but ultimately it's Ionesco's play, performed by the dream comedy double act of Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.

The biggest change is the insertion of a dream sequence halfway through the last scene, presumably to emphasise for the American audience that it's a symbolic play, and that Ionesco wrote some weird stuff, didn't he? It's well devised and well played, though, with a melancholic song that seems odd but also kind of appropriate. It's a nice way to break up what would otherwise be a long and difficult scene. The supporting cast are all fantastic, with the exception of "Mrs Bingham" (Mme Boeuf in the French), who's just a bit too hammy. Lovely direction throughout, with some of Ionesco's trademark devices well captured (e.g. the echoed dialogue in the first scene).

Points against: There are a number of ways of interpreting "Rhinoceros", and this film doesn't seem to settle on any one of them (I think in the end the political reading starts to win out). Also, it's fair that the crew had problems filming with an actual rhinoceros, so we never see one, but an effort could have been made to show "John" (aka Jean, played by Mostel) transforming into one. As it is, the transformation scene rests on Mostel's remarkable acting talent, and I think he carries it off. Wilder, as "Stanley" (Berenger), is just perfect.

What you have to remember is that this is a 1970s US comedy film, it looks and feels like a 1970s US comedy film, and yet it's still absolutely Eugene Ionesco's play. This DVD includes some interview material that sheds light on the making of the film, trailers for other films in this series, and a wealth of articles and photos.