The primary criticism against this film is that Anthony Quinn essentially reprises his performance in Zorba the Greek. And to some extent, I can see where the two roles overlap somewhat. This observation, however, does not detract in the least from the significance of this film, especially from the point of view of this blog. On the contrary, any similarity between the two characters only lends heft and validity to the importance of A Dream of Kings, a movie which is largely overlooked.
Quinn portrays Matsoukas, a larger than life fellow
determined to suck the marrow out of his existence. He spends all his nights carousing,
getting drunk and gambling in the backroom betting parlors and card rooms of Chicago. He
sleeps in late and seems to work in his job as an abstract personal “counselor”
(basically he gives sage advice) about five minutes a day. Although a heavy gambler
who suffers severe and sometimes terrible swings in fortune, he is a strict man
of honor who revels in his great losses with the same appreciation as he does
his wins. He is beloved by his cohorts – who feed off his energy – but despised
by his wife Caliope (portrayed by Irene Papas, also of Zorba fame) who resents his freedom, his exuberance and most of all
his ethics and ability to abide an elevated, if complicated, code of existence. She probably also resents his philandering, which of course he executes with gusto and panache.
Matsoukas is the father of three children: two sweet,
healthy girls and a boy who is terribly ill and is diagnosed with mere months
to live. Our protagonist, however, refuses to accept the word of doctors and
science, knowing in his heart that if his son could only breathe the clean air
of Greece and walk Mount Olympus, the strength of his warrior ancestors would
enter his body and cleanse him of all sickness. In the tradition of great characters in narratives like these, (Axel Freed of course comes to mind) Matsoukas
believes that the power of his will is strong enough to overcome any obstacle,
regardless of the odds against.
Unsurprisingly, Matsoukas lacks the funds to travel to his
homeland and cure his son. And so he stakes it all – his marriage, his
friendships and his honor – on a desperate scheme to make the dream a reality. It
is a grand story and a solution straight out of ancient mythology, set in the small
and gritty life of an outstanding yet ordinary man.
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