“We’ve been saying goodbye for years, honey. This time it’s really goodbye.”
The filmography of Francis Ford Coppola is an eclectic one. While most people’s minds will instantly go to The Godfather and its sequels, there are plenty of gems lurking elsewhere. One such example is One from the Heart, Coppola’s 1982 follow-up to arguably his greatest two-film run: The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now. Mentioned in the same breath as those films it’s an interesting pivot for Coppola, but with a new 4K restoration and director’s cut, it may finally stamp its place in the conversation.
A spritely romantic drama, One from the Heart follows Hank and Frannie (Frederic Forrest and Teri Garr, respectively), a couple living in Las Vegas. Theirs is a relationship on its last legs: both have plenty of grievances left unsaid and find themselves tempted by infidelity. In the City of Sin things easily come to a boiling point, and when the two go their separate ways to test the waters with other partners, a debate emerges as to what their true desires are.
It’s a tender premise that feels entirely distinct from most of Coppola’s other films. The relationship between Frannie and Hank is far from perfect, and despite its syrupy visuals and at times saccharine character work, One from the Heart doesn’t shy away from that. From a modern lens, Hank is clearly an aggressive and possessive piece of work entirely at odds with Frannie’s independence and dreams of leaving her comfort zone.
These opposing worldviews are epitomised by the fifth anniversary presents they get one another: Hank purchasing the deed to their rented house, and Frannie a trip to Bora Bora. They both clearly yearn for different things, making their constant barbing and verbal skirmishes feel incredibly realistic. Forrest and Garr are both hugely convincing in these roles, with an undeniable chemistry underlined by this mutual tension bubbling beneath.
This pragmatic approach to romance is uniquely contrasted by the visuals and narrative structure. While not quite a musical, theatricality runs through the DNA of One from the Heart. Early scenes are bookended by musical inserts from a faceless chorus, and extended dance sequences (choreographed by Gene Kelly, no less) dominate the second act. It’s so clear to see just how influential the film is: one glance at the sun-soaked dawn landscapes instantly harken back to La La Land, compounded by the hot saxophone and artistic blending of disparate shots and points of view that feel very stagey by premise.
These theatrical sensibilities make One from the Heart a simply intoxicating film to watch on a visual level. Pretty much every single shot could be framed, all so well composed and wonderfully colour graded in this new 4K remaster. It’s just so stylish, from the opening credits displaying crew names on flashy Vegas billboards to wildly lengthy scenes packed with dialogue, extras, and colourful chaos.
It’s perhaps the plot in One from the Heart that occasionally takes the back seat when these flashier elements come to the fore. The first 30 minutes is a very tight look at the breakdown of a relationship, but when each one finds a potential flame – waiter-turned-singer Ray for Frannie and circus performer Leila for Hank – the film loses its focus. There’s an extended musical sequence that goes on for almost ten minutes towards the middle, and while it looks good it grinds the pacing to a halt entirely.
We’re never really encouraged to buy into these new relationships too much, though. The film shows how intoxicated Frannie and Hank are by these new possibilities, but we never learn too much about them on a character level. The film remains just as whimsical and visually appealing, but it’s a much messier affair narratively. This never really relents, with a final third that’s equal parts gutsy in its trajectory as it is saccharine when things draw to a close.
But when there’s so much to look at, it’s somewhat more forgivable. This new release boasts the Reprise cut, which is slightly shorter than the theatrical version but comes with new footage and upscaled scenes. It’s a tighter experience as a result, and no doubt the definitive way to watch the film.
And even if the narrative isn’t its greatest strength—especially compared to Coppola’s classic films—One from the Heart is no doubt worth a watch for fans of the beloved director. It’s a far more dough-eyed film that softens the edges of his prior work, and it looks utterly fabulous throughout. As a chance to broaden perceptions of Coppola’s work for modern audiences—and to unpick the litany of films and shows that have no doubt been inspired by it—One from the Heart is more than worthy of its reprise.
★★★
One from the Heart: Reprise releases on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital on March 4.
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