I saw this movie many years ago on TV, and just saw it again on home video. Although I thought it was a "good" movie, I was surprised at just how verbose the dialogue was by Hollywood standards, and also how melodramatic it was at times, especially the heavy music cues at many dramatic moments.
Ayn Rand wrote the screenplay, and it is almost verbatim from the book. But she wrote the dialogue. From time to time, Rand's fans argue that she was not a bad writer, merely misunderstood. The fact is, she was a terrible writer. She never used a word when a paragraph would do. She never created a single believable character, because her characters were never people, they were cardboard cut-outs intended to make a philosophical point. So they never behaved, thought, or as you observed, spoke like real people.
I got halfway through the book, found the movie in my library and watched it, and then tried to finish up the book. I made it about another four pages. I couldn't get past the ridiculous discussion between the main villain and his niece about why helping poor people is foolish and a waste of time. Real people never talk like that, and I just could not take another chapter-long diatribe explaining Rand's philosophy.
Rand predictably was in the reception the movie got, and predictably blamed it on the director and actors. Personally, I did not think there was anything wrong with the direction. The movie was beautiful to look at. The plot just sucked.
Thank you! I am watching it now. I loathe this movie on so many levels but the first thing I noticed was the horrible dialogue.
The rest of the movie is crap. Everyone answers to someone. Buildings have to be functional, practical and profitable. He wasn't building his own home. There are very few independent geniuses, if any. I find it hard to believe anyone bought this garbage even in more naive times.
Another weird detail, aside from the building renderings being ugly, is all the railings on terraces in high rises are just higher than the knee. Railings and walls on terraces above tge first floor must be higher than the average person's center of gravity. These wouldn't get approval in a third world country.
I am forcing myself to finish this stupid movie and I haven't even gitten to the tedious trial scene!
"The movie was beautiful to look at. The plot just sucked."
Then Zack Snyder is the PERFECT guy to direct the remake of this!