10 Comments
User's avatar
Christina D. Raju's avatar

I saw the movie as pure myth: to me she was the human representation of Venus. She was born in water, alluring to any man or woman, somewhat careless yet soulful. The sex with priest was deeply mythological to me as well. The priest represents the bridge between spirit to matter. In this I almost saw her as Sophia, the counter of Christ since the Divine Feminine has many faces. She could also very well just be Venus, the morning star anchored by masculine in the holy temple. The movie was visually stunning, but it lacked depth apart from the symbolism. The Young Pope is a masterpiece!

Expand full comment
Tim Lieder's avatar

Also John cheever wrote several stories where Characters double as Greek deities including scarlet moving van and brimmed so his inclusion is more interesting with that interpretation

Expand full comment
Christina D. Raju's avatar

Aha I didnt know that but that actually fits into the story as you mentioned!

Expand full comment
Tim Lieder's avatar

That's an interesting interpretation. I'll think about it on my next viewing.

Expand full comment
Jodi Sh. Doff's avatar

Saving this to read later, when I have time to read all three, because, I'm ashamed to admit, I've never read any John Cheever. But I'd let Gary Oldman walk on me with cleats and I'm not even into that thing.

Expand full comment
Tim Lieder's avatar

Cheever is surprisingly weird. Stranger than one would expect.

Parthenope is a fun movie. I definitely recommend it.

Expand full comment
John's avatar

I must say that John Cheever was a very accomplished author. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Tim Lieder's avatar

I started writing about him almost to have something to write about but I am definitely hooked. The only problem is that there are many things to say about his stories so I am often at a loss, which is why my cheever articles come out less often than my other articles.

I don't even know what I'm going to do when I get to the swimmer.

But I must say I was pleasantly surprised to read him and enjoy his work so much.

Expand full comment
John's avatar

The Swimmer - though necessarily different from the story itself, is true to it and is a favourite film of mine (I may have said so before).

Expand full comment
Tim Lieder's avatar

I saw it on Tubi. Pretty good. Also spotting Joan Rivers was fun.

Expand full comment