ALBERT FINNEY
Part One
It’s hard to know where to start in detailing the career of the late Albert Finney, who left us recently at 82. He was one of those Brits who could do American accents perfectly. He was nominated for Oscar five times and never won. Not even one of those Lifetime Achievement award deals. Perhaps the fact he never went to the Oscars and publicly disdained awards had something to do with it.
He first appeared on moviegoer radars as Arthur in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960). In the 60's the British were churning out darkish dramas they named Kitchen Sink Movies and this was one of the best ones. This one, like most, dealt with a working man trying to make it under trying circumstances. It was, again like most, in black and white and uniformly grim.
But for something completely different, Mr. Finney lit up the screen as Tom Jones (1963), the raunchy Henry Fielding hero who tries to overcome his humble birth. The film has unusual features. It starts as a silent with no talking, then has the actors break the “fourth wall” and speak directly to the audience. It also contains probably the sexiest eating scene ever portrayed on the screen. It won four Oscars, including Best Movie. Mr. Finney was nominated, but struck out.
Another big change of pace for Finney came seven years later when he played the title character in Scrooge. There are lots of versions of A Christmas Carol and this is frankly not one of the best. But Finney is splendid as the miserly Ebenezer.
Another losing Oscar nomination came Albert Finney’s way in the 1974 version of Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express. Finney appears as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot surrounded by a stellar cast including Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman and John Gielgud. The detective must sort out a murderer among dozens of suspects on a snowbound train. The 2017 version of this film is just as good, by the way.
Though not up to the standard of the Broadway play, the movie version of Annie (1982) is pretty good. Albert Finney plays Daddy Warbucks and he can actually sing a little. Quite honestly Carol Burnett virtually steals this movie as the much put-upon head of the orphan school, Ms. Hannigan. Unfortunately, Aileen Quinn just isn’t very good in the title role- where was Andrea McCardle when they needed her?
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are fine for 12 and up. More Albert Finney highlights next time.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Sunday, February 17, 2019
THE REAL SOUTH?
Not all of us Southerners are redneck gun-toting bigots with green teeth and red eyes. Not all of us are inbred cretins in love with our sisters. And yet it seems to me that too often that is the treatment we get on the silver screen. So, are there any movies that try to show us as we really are? A few.
The Member of the Wedding (1952) is an absolutely wonderful film that shows us at our best. Julie Harris just glows as the awkward Frankie, trying to come to grips with her brother’s impending marriage. Brandon De Wilde, as the pesky little boy next door, and Ethel Waters, as the black mother-substitute, are both just superb. Fred Zinneman gets every ounce out of the Carson McCullers story, and as we dry our tears we are proud of where we come from.
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) explores a seldom-portrayed corner of the South- the Jewish family of means, trying to fit in. Jessica Tandy is much more the Southern lady than she is Jewish; Dan Ackroyd is her well-off son still not comfortable with his religious heritage. Morgan Freeman is the chauffeur hired to drive Miss Daisy, and the relationship between these too is exactly right.
The Apostle (1997) is Robert Duvall’s project from start to finish- he wrote it, directed and stars as the red dirt, born-again Holy Roller preacher carrying his message to the boondocks. The film is outstanding in its even-handed treatment of people that are mostly laughed at, and its willingness to take the preacher and his flock quite seriously.
While Tennessee Williams is generally noted for hysterical Southern women and their childish men, he gets it all just right in The Glass Menagerie. A fading Southern belle momma, a pretty crippled daughter, an idealistic son and a level-headed Gentleman Caller turn this recipe into something majestic. And you can have your pick of versions, all excellent: (1987 with Joanne Woodward and John Malkovich), (1973 with Katherine Hepburn and Sam Waterston), or (1950 with Jane Wyman and Kirk Douglas, my favorite).
Many moviegoers (mostly Northerners) contend that To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) is too noble. Well, they need to get over it. Gregory Peck’s inspired portrayal of attorney Atticus Finch, defending an innocent black man against impossible odds and personal danger, has echoed down the years. We can be better; we can be noble and thanks to this fine film for thinking so.
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD. All are suitable for children 12 and up.
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Not all of us Southerners are redneck gun-toting bigots with green teeth and red eyes. Not all of us are inbred cretins in love with our sisters. And yet it seems to me that too often that is the treatment we get on the silver screen. So, are there any movies that try to show us as we really are? A few.
The Member of the Wedding (1952) is an absolutely wonderful film that shows us at our best. Julie Harris just glows as the awkward Frankie, trying to come to grips with her brother’s impending marriage. Brandon De Wilde, as the pesky little boy next door, and Ethel Waters, as the black mother-substitute, are both just superb. Fred Zinneman gets every ounce out of the Carson McCullers story, and as we dry our tears we are proud of where we come from.
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) explores a seldom-portrayed corner of the South- the Jewish family of means, trying to fit in. Jessica Tandy is much more the Southern lady than she is Jewish; Dan Ackroyd is her well-off son still not comfortable with his religious heritage. Morgan Freeman is the chauffeur hired to drive Miss Daisy, and the relationship between these too is exactly right.
The Apostle (1997) is Robert Duvall’s project from start to finish- he wrote it, directed and stars as the red dirt, born-again Holy Roller preacher carrying his message to the boondocks. The film is outstanding in its even-handed treatment of people that are mostly laughed at, and its willingness to take the preacher and his flock quite seriously.
While Tennessee Williams is generally noted for hysterical Southern women and their childish men, he gets it all just right in The Glass Menagerie. A fading Southern belle momma, a pretty crippled daughter, an idealistic son and a level-headed Gentleman Caller turn this recipe into something majestic. And you can have your pick of versions, all excellent: (1987 with Joanne Woodward and John Malkovich), (1973 with Katherine Hepburn and Sam Waterston), or (1950 with Jane Wyman and Kirk Douglas, my favorite).
Many moviegoers (mostly Northerners) contend that To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) is too noble. Well, they need to get over it. Gregory Peck’s inspired portrayal of attorney Atticus Finch, defending an innocent black man against impossible odds and personal danger, has echoed down the years. We can be better; we can be noble and thanks to this fine film for thinking so.
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD. All are suitable for children 12 and up.
###
Sunday, February 10, 2019
MEN TAKING CREDIT
It’s no secret that in many cases, famous and otherwise, men have taken credit for the work done by women. Mostly they got away with it. But the movies have taken some of these guys to task, and given credit where it is due.
A recent example is last year’s Collette. Keira Knightley plays the famous writer, whose popular work was claimed by her husband Willy for many years.
While it is true that Willy pushed Collette to write novels about the life of Claudine, it is also true that he took credit for most of them, inserting his own byline. The books were wildly popular in France. They even inspired products, such as perfume, based on the stories. Befriended by Mathilde de Mornay (Denise Gough), a very modern woman of any time, Collette gradually escaped her husband’s dominance and became her own artist. Dominic West is just right as the controlling husband and Miss Knightley lights up the screen.
Another fairly recent example is the aptly named Big Eyes (2014). Margaret Keane was an outstanding pop artist, the inventor of the paintings in the 60's featuring children with abnormally large eyes. Amy Adams plays the artist and the eternally creepy Christoph Waitz appears as her husband Walter. He convinces her to do the painting and let him do the selling (and taking the credit). But she eventually tires of being the doormat, escapes his dominance, sues to get proper credit and carries the day.
Hidden Figures (2016) brings to light the untold contribution of a group of mathematicians who were principally responsible for NASA’s early space flights. These incredibly smart and dedicated workers were women and they were black! Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae portray these unsung heroes. Kevin Costner is quite effective as the project head whose epiphany releases the women from ridiculous restrictions. Kirsten Dunst has a nice turn as the highly prejudiced supervisor.
The conditions they were originally required to work under, and the work they did, make for fine cinematic drama. The NASA bigwigs blithely took credit for everything that went right until a book by Margot Shetterly in 2010 told the story. A highlight of the film is the installation of a gigantic new computer which none of the men can even start up. The women figure it out!
The most recent example is last year’s The Wife in which The Husband (Jonathan Pryce) receives the Nobel Prize for Literature. Glenn Close is superb in the title role. As the film unwinds it becomes increasingly clear that the wrong spouse got the Nobel. The wife is the actual writer of a slew of outstanding novels, though most people think of her as only the supporter of the genius.
And guess what? I have not discovered a single film where a woman took credit for the work of a man!
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
It’s no secret that in many cases, famous and otherwise, men have taken credit for the work done by women. Mostly they got away with it. But the movies have taken some of these guys to task, and given credit where it is due.
A recent example is last year’s Collette. Keira Knightley plays the famous writer, whose popular work was claimed by her husband Willy for many years.
While it is true that Willy pushed Collette to write novels about the life of Claudine, it is also true that he took credit for most of them, inserting his own byline. The books were wildly popular in France. They even inspired products, such as perfume, based on the stories. Befriended by Mathilde de Mornay (Denise Gough), a very modern woman of any time, Collette gradually escaped her husband’s dominance and became her own artist. Dominic West is just right as the controlling husband and Miss Knightley lights up the screen.
Another fairly recent example is the aptly named Big Eyes (2014). Margaret Keane was an outstanding pop artist, the inventor of the paintings in the 60's featuring children with abnormally large eyes. Amy Adams plays the artist and the eternally creepy Christoph Waitz appears as her husband Walter. He convinces her to do the painting and let him do the selling (and taking the credit). But she eventually tires of being the doormat, escapes his dominance, sues to get proper credit and carries the day.
Hidden Figures (2016) brings to light the untold contribution of a group of mathematicians who were principally responsible for NASA’s early space flights. These incredibly smart and dedicated workers were women and they were black! Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae portray these unsung heroes. Kevin Costner is quite effective as the project head whose epiphany releases the women from ridiculous restrictions. Kirsten Dunst has a nice turn as the highly prejudiced supervisor.
The conditions they were originally required to work under, and the work they did, make for fine cinematic drama. The NASA bigwigs blithely took credit for everything that went right until a book by Margot Shetterly in 2010 told the story. A highlight of the film is the installation of a gigantic new computer which none of the men can even start up. The women figure it out!
The most recent example is last year’s The Wife in which The Husband (Jonathan Pryce) receives the Nobel Prize for Literature. Glenn Close is superb in the title role. As the film unwinds it becomes increasingly clear that the wrong spouse got the Nobel. The wife is the actual writer of a slew of outstanding novels, though most people think of her as only the supporter of the genius.
And guess what? I have not discovered a single film where a woman took credit for the work of a man!
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
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