Criticism > Contemporary Literary Criticism > Cocteau, Jean (Vol. 16) - George Amberg

1. Printable Version
2. Download PDF
3. Cite this Page
4. Tweet This

GEORGE AMBERG

Though unadmitted, The Testament of Orpheus has far greater ambitions and implications than its modest format indicates. And in this resides its particular significance. (p. 23)

Testament is too deliberate and lucid a work to be dismissed as an old man's self-indulgent gratification—as many critics chose to do. Wanting or capricious though it may be, Testament is neither pointless nor irrational and, least of all, senile. To the extent that this controversial film fails, as it ultimately does, it is for nobler reasons than pretentiousness, incompetence or declining power….

[It] is not only one of the great confessional documents of our time but probably the most original and audacious. The question remains, however, whether it has a chance to survive on its inherent merit, with the answer depending on the position one adopts toward the film as primarily a work of art or a poet's self-portrait. Of course, it...

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

1. Introduction
2. C. G. Wallis
3. Bosley Crowther
4. Bosley Crowther
5. A. H. Weiler
6. Bosley Crowther
7. Jean R. Debrix
8. C. A. Lejeune
9. Neal Oxenhandler
10. William Whitebait
11. Peter John Dyer
12. Roger Manvell
13. Bosley Crowther
14. Roy Armes
15. George Amberg
16. Copyright