The Passion Of Ayn Rand - What Goes Around

[joemammasboy]

i think inside all of us is an imagined better looking, sexier, more charismatic version of ourselves, for ayn rand that probably would have looked something like the stunning helen mirren playing her (she even makes the god awful page boy haircut look hot) and i think for that alone rand would have enjoyed this movie

[missmabel]

Well put together--really captures the movie and Barbara's book

[Grafero]

What an incredible bad choice of music..whoever supervised this did a terrible job.

Sorry to say, this seems to be a trend in Hollywood / american movies these days:

No knowledge or connection with the times or the person it is supposed to present.

[andrewclunn]

Ayn Rand had some great ideas, but then like most people who surround themselves with yes men, she started justifying everything she did, and thought she was right simply because she was right. Objectivism is a great philosophical ideal, but it's not easy, and something Rand herself often failed to live up to.

[ttxlegato]

rand would roll in her grave.

[SatchmoSings]

In "real life" she started having sex with him when she was 50 and he was 25; both the other spouses knew about it; it lasted a bit over 13 years.

His wife actually wrote the book that the film is based on!

Why would a 25 year old man want to have sex with a woman twice his age?

[theheightsrocks]

I've read Atlas Shrugged a half-dozen times (in this brave new year of 2011, maybe everyone should give it a read). Rand is herself a complex character: for example, she was against the Civil Rights Act (but she wasn't a bigot)...

My problem with the tribe of sycophants surrounding Objectivism is that they allow no room for dissent: hypocritical, no? Barbara Branden wasn't writing dishonestly about Rand: she was writing truthfully, warts and light and all...

[theheightsrocks]

I've read Atlas Shrugged a half-dozen times: yeah, I'm a fan. But there seems to be this strange cult surrounding Rand: when discussing her, they allow no dissent from the party line. Me thinks it's a bit hypocritical...

[EmmaYaBasta]

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life:

The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world.

The other, of course, involves orcs."

Rand's not the worst. I've read Mein Kampf.

[GeorgefromLeeds]

the typewriter part from 4:50 to 5:00 makes me feel slightly smug because I know the middle of the sentence from atlas and it's so appropriate ;)

[GeorgefromLeeds]

i actually think the music suits the video. credit where it's due- well done deltarose.

[jccnyc]

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA...JA!

[helenmirrenobsessed]

EVERYTIME I hear this song, I think of this video. & I love it. :-)

[jccpsyc]

Jajajaja..... I´m Ayn Rand´s follower, but I enjoyed this movie, makes me fantasied! Another one...!!!

[firerunee3]

i actually loved this movie

[christentze]

all i want for this coming christmas is to be in a foursome with helen, eric and julie.

[juzzen]

hahaha helen looks like the devil with those contact lenses in. creeps me out actually

[Ms14787]

@juzzen OMG, me too. When I first saw the movie I was like doesn't she have blue eyes? But then I was like :''duh, helen does, ayn rand doesn't(well, didn't)'' it's strange to see her with black hair, too. but she was glorious in her portrayal of Rand. Magnificent. End of. :)

[loisha1076]

Can you upload the whole movie or at least some clips in which the dialogue between characters is heard instead of just music? That would be sweet.

this vid is nicely done...

[Saquire]

Nicely done. Wasn't sure about the music for the first second, but in the next second I was.

It was a good choice. Those dozens of quick jump shots to the music must have killed you while editing.

[ladyluckLove32]

i so want to see this movie,lol...

[dollarsign123]

i suggest anyone who watches this movie to read the case against the brandens and the published ayn rand journals if you desire any accurate information about her life

[jgpenate]

I keep thinking of this video. Great job. I love it.

[1zeppfan]

Dagny should be a lot better looking and Jim should be a short fat guy.

Nice I liked it.

[TotallyBored23]

Bad choice of music for this movie.

[DrCruel]

Nat Branden beat you to it. But that's besides the point.

[iboggie2]

Read Atlas Shrugged!

[Ms14787]

@danroduw06 seriusly? get a life.

[DrCruel]

I don't want to argue whether or not Ayn Rand or her philosophy was always entirely internally consistent (Charles Sciabarra does a better job of describing Rand's philosophy than I ever will). What I think is pertinent is the key element - that creating wealth does not de facto imply guilt on the part of the creator, and obligation to everyone within the world that is in need.

That guilt/obligation is a key tenet of altruistic liberalism. It's extremely destructive, and Rand addresses it.

[ammccoy]

thanks...i'm supposed to be getting this movie in the mail soon (can't wait) \ you did a marvi job on this vid. !! :)

[xxmonickkkkaxx]

This is so stupid, Rand was genius

[jgpenate]

This was an amazing video! I can't believe someone put it together.

[VanessaDriana]

One of the most striking fanvids I've ever seen - your use of the footage is incredible!

(And Helen actually looks like Rand in that sequence where she's slapping Branden; full marks to her for having the guts to look less than her customary "flawless".)

[thescarlettpimpernel]

the music really clashes. cry me a river..srsly?

[deltarose1]

it's not cry me a river

and thanks for the comment!

[thescarlettpimpernel]

ic. it's just cry me a river part II aka what goes around. they sound the same i guess. still clashes.

[christentze]

i am so loving dame helen's hair here. thanks again, deltarose! :) i was so excited because i saw in the papers that dame helen and jeremy irons and a few other people are gonna shoot a film in hawaii! of course not on my island, so im a bit sad, but they'll be here! ah! id die if i met her. i probably would stumble all across my words and make a complete ass of myself.

[Isabella8466]

Well done film of two narcissists and the partners they abuse under the guise of, "rational, reason, selfish."

[deltarose1]

Yeah it was really interesting :)

[jjenson2006]

@Isabella8466 " two narcissists...."

Or to be more accurate, two people who have very high self-esteem.

[largemoose]

did we really need a movie about Ayn Rand?

[freezzertime]

NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE! PLEASE HELP!

[Ciada91]

Helen Mirren's portrayal was far better than the real Ayn Rand. One woman I'm happy I didn't meet :)

[thescarlettpimpernel]

ayn rand is one person i'm relieved is dead. she was a very empty person.

[hapspir]

"ayn rand is one person i'm relieved is dead. she was a very empty person."

How do you cope with the fact that her books are still in existence? Ayn Rand may be dead, but the only way for you to be rid of the books is to die yourself.

[VanessaDriana]

No, an easy way to "be rid of" the books is not to read them - or to read them, laugh at them and throw them aside.

What she wrote was trash with pretensions. Here in Britain we can't understand why some Americans take them seriously! I'd recommend you read Tobias Wolff's "Old School" for a more mature view of her work. Either that, or read Rand's "Night of Jan 16th", where her message is that fraud is OK if sexy charismatic people do it! She's a joke, she really is.

[hapspir]

VanessaDriana, I should tell you now so that you don't waste your time: You can't make me angry. I'm a fan of Ayn Rand and you're not. Case closed.

[VanDee2008]

Why should the truth make you angry? (She did say it was OK to defraud investors in "Night of Jan 16th", btw - possibly where Bernie Madoff got his inspiration!)

As you say, case closed.

[ShoelessLlama]

No she did not. Do literary concepts more complex than "See spot run." confuse you?

[LetFreedomRing13]

VanessaDriana - you're very ignorant and obviously haven't read much of her work.... Thats ok, you're just extremely misinformed....

[ShoelessLlama]

lol

If you bothered to read her introduction to the play you would know that "Night of January 16th" does not portray ideal heroes as she does in her other works. It is a "sense of life" play meant to test whether people believe in duty to a collective or in living for themselves. She *never* makes the argument that fraud is moral. In fact, a little reading will show that she argued exactly the opposite. If you have read the play you clearly have not understood it. I doubt you have read it.

[VanDee2008]

For all your "sense of life" stuff, the dichotomy is STILL that the one who prefers to "live for himself" is a better person than the "collectivist" - so the Bernie Madoff figure is romanticised through his besotted secretary!

Consider the false dichotomy she sets up in the play - is Karen Andre guilty of murder, yes or no? At no point is there the option "She's innocent of murder but guilty of fraud, now send her to jail!" It's either, is she innocent or guilty? The fraud is NOT DISCUSSED.

[ShoelessLlama]

Again. You are missing the point. The play is about "sense of life" which is not about specific actions but about the way a person views the relationship between consciousness and existence (i.e. independence versus conformity).

Read her introduction to the play:

"I do not think, nor did I think it when I wrote this play, that a swindler is a heroic character..."

"That a career in crime is not, in fact, the way to implement one's self-esteem is irrelevant in sense-of-life terms."

[VanDee2008]

"That a career in crime is not, in fact, the way to implement one's self-esteem is irrelevant in sense-of-life terms."

Rand dodges the bullet! A career in crime is irrelevant to her because she did not conceive of life as in any way a "social construct". To her, society was the enemy, so anything which disturbed the fabric of society - such as crime - was irrelevant. Hence her glamorizing not only of Bjorn "Bernie Madoff" Faulkner, but of the gangster "Guts Regan". Disturbing.

[ShoelessLlama]

"Rand dodges the bullet!"

No...you do. Objectivism believes man has a right to property. Thievery is immoral. Objectivism condemns it. She was not against society but against those who would have you live for society rather than yourself. Again, sense of life does not dictate morality...reason does. Sense of life is a preconceptual assessment of man's place in reality. Are you running out of hay for your straw man yet?

[VanDee2008]

If Objectivism condemns thievery... why at no point does Karen Andre stand condemned for her REAL crime rather than for one she clearly did not commit?

Look at the structure of the play - the criminal (Andre) is indicted for a crime she did not commit, so any condemnation of her is erroneous by default! This is not a play which examines concepts in a fair and reasonable manner, this is a play where all the cards are stacked in one character's favour - the Rand-insert's favour!

[ShoelessLlama]

"Sense of life" is felt before morality. Someone who has a independent "sense of life" must then accept a whole series of philosophical arguments beginning with reason as man's means of knowledge before arriving at a place from which they can act morally. If you want to argue with her position on rational self-interest that is fine. But claiming she saw thieves as moral heroes is a straw man and completely denied by her entire philosophy.

[VanDee2008]

""Sense of life" is felt before morality."

Hence, as I said, the fact that she can glamorize criminals as 'men of honor'!

And, if you're talking "straw man", why not go after Rand for her shallow characterization of Bjorn Faulkner's father-in-law? That's supposed to be a typical man with a social conscience - or rather, everyone with a social conscience is au fond a self-seeking hypocrite like this character?

This play is not "Objective" in the least!

[ShoelessLlama]

Furthermore, the trial is about the murder specifically. To ask that Karen Andre be convicted of fraud at the same trial is ridiculous. She was not charged with fraud and she openly admits she committed it. Morally she is wrong...in "sense of life" terms she is correct. A verdict of guilty condemns her "sense of life" while a verdict of innocent acknowledges that her "sense of life" would prevent her from killing the man she loves.

[VanDee2008]

"To ask that Karen Andre be convicted of fraud at the same trial is ridiculous"

Not at all! What precludes a representative of the law from stating "She must now be charged with the crime to which she has openly confessed"? What's really "ridiculous" is the idea of a character admitting to a serious crime in public and then walking free from the court room!

"A verdict of guilty condemns her "sense of life""

No, a verdict of guilty is just erroneous, which is how Rand set it up.

[VanDee2008]

Now, why would Ayn Rand choose to sweep the issue of the fraud under the carpet if she didn't think it was unimportant? Because to her it WAS unimportant. All that mattered to her was the man who lived for himself, and if he ruined others whilst doing it, well, it's a free market!

If you can't see that "Karen Andre" is a self-insert of "Ayn Rand" - all the letters minus the Y! - then there's nothing I can say.

I thank you "in the name of Bjorn Faulkner".

[ShoelessLlama]

Also...minor point...there is no K and no Es in "Ayn Rand". Are you practicing a Nostradamian version of anagrams?

Yes, Karen Andre shares Ayn Rand's sense of life, but the similarity stops there.

[VanDee2008]

"Also...minor point...there is no K and no Es in "Ayn Rand"."

Did I USE the word "anagram" in my post? I said "self-insert". Read more carefully before you reply!

"Yes, Karen Andre shares Ayn Rand's sense of life, but the similarity stops there."

Karen Andre worships a criminal: Rand wrote this play as a tribute to Ivar Kreuger, the "Match King" fraudster. Both of them think society is irrelevant, both wish to be brutally mastered... No, I think there are further points of comparison.

[ShoelessLlama]

lol

I have little interest in your literary criticisms of Rand's, so I will leave them aside.

The main point, which you still have not addressed is that no Objectivist, Rand included, views crooks or gangsters as moral heroes. If you deny what she herself said about crooks and the grounds on which Objectivism condemns them then you are clinging to your straw man with some sort of rabid zeal that has pushed you beyond the bounds of honest discourse. Now to your misrepresentations.

[VanDee2008]

"The main point, which you still have not addressed is that no Objectivist, Rand included, views crooks or gangsters as moral heroes."

When it comes to literary criticism there's a saying of "Trust the tale, not the teller", and that's what I would encourage you to do here. Just divorce yourself from your awareness that Rand wrote it and look objectively at how the criminals and gangsters are portrayed.

Now tell me the criminals aren't romantic! Don't give me the preface, give me the PLAY.

[ShoelessLlama]

"Rand wrote this play as a tribute to Ivar Kreuger, the "Match King" fraudster."

Again, if you read her introduction to the play, she says that what inspired the play was that Ivar Kreuger was denounced at the time for being "ambitious" and not denounced because of the ways in which he implemented his ambition. Ayn Rand denounced his dishonesty. She took issue with those who denounced ambition qua ambition. His actions were not moral and Ayn Rand does not claim they were.

[VanDee2008]

"His actions were not moral and Ayn Rand does not claim they were."

Ah, but she does elevate Bjorn Faulkner to the status of a hero DESPITE his criminality, instead of condemning it! "A man can still be born with life singing in his veins; a scoundrel, a criminal, a swindler, call him anything, but still a conqueror"... "The woman who was his priestess"...

This may not be a "moral" character, but Rand expresses her approval of his immorality in ringing tones!

[ShoelessLlama]

When an author tells you what concepts they are dealing with in a work you have to take that into account. If you believe she is ineffective at conveying those concepts then your discourse should remain in the realm of literary criticism. But to ascribe to an author positions that they did not hold is dishonest. At most your arguments amount to saying you believe Rand failed at communicating her intended message...so do not couch it as "she really believed this". (cont.)

[ShoelessLlama]

(cont) As I said previously, I have no interest in your literary criticism, only in your mischaracterization of Objectivism. Objectivism decries crooks and thugs of every kind. Your refusal to grasp the difference between "sense of life" and morality does not change that. There is a difference. I can admire a man for being an individualist and still decry some of his actions. What I cannot do is force a square peg into a round hole. You want Objectivism to say something it does not.

[VanDee2008]

I read that play and I saw the glorification of a criminal.

Now you want me to disregard the evidence of my own eyes? That play was written by Ayn Rand (who is NEVER wrong) and in it she says a criminal can be glorious if he's a "conqueror". You aren't engaging with me about the play - instead you want me to read a bunch of secondary texts which state "Objectivists would NEVER..."

Rand doesn't actually decry Faulkner's actions, does she? She's too busy worshipping him to criticise him!

[ShoelessLlama]

"both wish to be brutally mastered"

Negative. See every analysis of altruism by Objectivism. Objectivism condemns masters and slaves. Please, for your own edification, read up on the concept of "sense of life" so we can have a real discussion about individualism versus collectivism. You're persistence in making the play about morality denies the author's own explanation. You can take issue with her literary method, but to ascribe moral ideas to her that she did not hold is dishonest.

[VanDee2008]

"Please, for your own edification, read up on the concept of "sense of life" so we can have a real discussion about individualism versus collectivism."

The play can only be read one way - the way dictated by the author - and every other reading is heresy? What IS this, the equivalent of the Bible or the Koran? It's a literary text (or trying to be) and as such I am entitled to use literary techniques to discuss it!

[LetFreedomRing13]

You have NO IDEA what she truely believed in because you obviously haven't focused your attention on her work. She expressed the most amount of interest in the ones she loved the most and also spent her life trying to rectify the damage done by the USSR to her parents... Your comment is so ignorant. Her hardships in Russia made her who she was, a defender of the rights of ALL MEN and WOMEN..... The founding fathers would be proud to have her as an immigrant to our nation!! I certainly am!

[hapspir]

Are you talking to me? Why all the accusations?

[freezzertime]

well she didnt get every characteristic from ayn rand, the dent in her teeth

[christentze]

you're right! her irises/pupils seems really big and liquidy like katharine ross' in the stepford wives. im really loving the hair dame helen's sporting in this film though. she looks really good when she shows a bit of ear.

[christentze]

wow, i didn't know julie delpy acted with helen! :)

[deltarose1]

oh is that the blonde one? she's really good :)

[christentze]

yeah, the blonde one is oh-so-french julie delpy. :) but just so you know, and as it is so obvious, i only watched this video because helen is in it! seriously, im comment on every fricken one of your videos because they're so damn wonderful! you do a great job. i hope she youtubes herself and watches these! she'd come away feeling so good after reading all the comments we all post about her. :D

[deltarose1]

oh right and woah i would have never guessed she was french! (by her accent i mean). and that is so nice of you to say, thank you very much, i am glad you like them lol :) and haha i think i would die if she youtubed herself and saw my vids LOL!

[jenniimirren]

Yeah, it'd be great if she youtubed herself once in a while. She'd find lots of great compliments and she'd absolutely go off with a huge smile in her face :D How about that? and it's cheaper than a therapist! ^^

Gotta find the way to get all these films I haven't seen yet, Greenfingers, Ayn Rand, The Cook, the Thief ..., Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone ... Why is it so difficult to find those here! I hate living at the end of the world! ¬¬

Anyways, your videos are great Deltarose1! :D

[christentze]

wow! aren't you excited though? i love being at the beginning of a long journey of seeing the films of an actrice i absolutely love. part of the excitement comes from actually finding them. i remember i found a copy of one of her films at a 2nd hand shoppe for a few dollars and i actually squealed in the aisle. there was a guy standing there, but i didn't care. i had a helen mirren film in my hand and the world was right! try checking amazon? maybe there're some cheap copies! good luck!

[freezzertime]

why did she cheat on Frank?

[deltarose1]

i don't know...

[jenniimirren]

I really need a copy of this one!

Helen's acting is terrific! :D

Great video! I really like it :D

. jennii

[deltarose1]

thank you and yeah you should defo get it on dvd :) although haha i made the mistake of watching it with my nan, i almost died of embarrassment with all the sex scenes haha! X LOL

[htredbear]

I love what you did with this - great beat and you've picked all the salient moments from this theme in the film - really well done. Have put in my favourites and watched a few times - nicely edited

[deltarose1]

aw, thanks very much. i am glad you think so. thanks for commenting!

[deltarose1]

hiya thanks and yeah i know what you mean.

[freezzertime]

hey ould you pos the movie?

[maugustyniak]

It's in a man's rational self-interest not to date an ass-ugly hag like Ayn Rand!

[RevAlex]

Poor Frank O'Connor...he's spent years building this relationship and this young upstart, Nathaniel Branden, comes in between and ruins everything. Oh, Ayn, couldn't you see your own hypocrisy? Of course not, you denied it to the bitter end...as for Helen Mirren's portrayal, well...she's about 20 times more attractive than Ayn Rand. Good film, nonetheless.

[MHortulanus]

I like very much. :)

[deltarose1]

thank you very much :)

[CandicePaige]

Very very well made. The beats fit perfectly with the film. Excellent Excellent selection! Wonderful! I really cant get over it!

[deltarose1]

aww that's so nice of you, thank you very much :):) i'm really glad you like it :):) X

[amyeek]

i didn't think this was going to work, i was like 'eh, that film doesn't seem to fit with that song' ... how wrong could i be!! fabulosa xxxxx

[deltarose1]

hehe aww, yay! LOL thanks :D:D LOL

[veniceadriana]

Hurray it's back! And as awesome as I remember! Thanks for reposting!

[deltarose1]

aw lol :) thank you :) and you are more than welcome

[MickeyPoe]

That was really great. I haven't been able to find this film on DVD even though I know it was a TV-production. I live in Sweden but does anyone know where I could get it? I would very much appriciate it if anyone knew. The video was great, thanks for posting!

[deltarose1]

Hiya

Thank you, i am glad you like it and thanks for commenting. You can buy the dvd from amazon for £3-5 (something like that). And, you're welcome :)

Jeanne XxX

[politEgoEgonomics]

AynRand through LillianR's eyes.

Talk good; talk bad...but talk about.

Excellent production bI the way, Ms*deltarose1:

You do own something and it has a value.

This raises a new standARd on the youtube venue.

***five stARs**$8D

[deltarose1]

aw, thank you. I am glad you like it. And, that is very kind of you to say about my little pieces lol, I just love doing them and, with pieces like Ayn Rand, i do hope NOT to offened people.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jeanne

[veniceadriana]

You're saying Ayn Rand made Barbara Branden into the caricature of Lillian Rearden in "Atlas Shrugged"? If so, OUCH. Seems Rand was even more vindictive than I'd imagined!

[tallgal]

another of my favourite!

[deltarose1]

aw hehe :D thanks hun :D

XxX