Late in his career, Fred Zinnemann demonstrated that he was still capable of directing at a very high level. Jane Fonda takes on the role of writer Lillian Hellman, who is sharing a relatively peaceful existence with her lover, Dashiell Hammett, portrayed by Jason Robards, while attempting to finish a play. They are well-suited to each other – heavy drinkers and smokers; Hammett serves as Hellman's guide and source o…

"Julia" and "Lillian" maintained a close friendship throughout their lives, staying connected and warm over the years. Julia (Vanessa Redgrave) had gone to Germany in the 1930s and was committed to doing everything she could to undermine the growing Nazi power – or, at minimum, assisting those targeted by them to escape. To that end, she reached out to her playwright friend (Lillian Hellman, who wrote the screenplay …