Teri Garr 

                                                                Part 1

She wasn’t really movie star gorgeous. Sort of “girl next door” pretty, and a face that stands out in a crowd without being pushy. Teri Garr started out her show business career as a dancer. She was a very good one. She appeared as a dancer in five Elvis movies, without a credit to her name. But once she got noticed and cast, her movie CV is excellent. She died at recently 79. 

    Teri Garr’s first film appearance of note came in 1974 in Mel Brooks’ hilarious Young Frankenstein. Gene Wilder is Frederick Frankenstein, a respected doctor and grandson of the famous monster maker. He inherits the Transylvania castle, where it all happened before. He begins his own unusual experiments and is assisted by Igor (Marty Feldman) and Inga (Teri Garr) who seem to come with the castle. The monster Frederick creates escapes and has adventures in the countryside. The film ends with Frederick and Inga getting married after all the damage is cleared away. Mel Brooks considered this his best movie, though not his funniest. But it’s pretty funny.

    Oh God (1977) took a big risk that the storyline wouldn’t completely offend the Christian community. It worked. George Burns portrays the Almighty as grizzled older guy determined to help us earhlings. His strange prophet of choice is supermarket assistant manager Jerry Landers, portrayed quite well by singer John Denver. Jerry rejects God’s advances and tries to talk him out making Jerry a modern Moses. But God persists, and Jerry tries to spread the word. Nobody much believes Jerry, including his wife Bobbie (Teri Garr). Finally Jerry is put on trial for running a scam saying God has appeared to him. Things are going badly until God shows up in the courtroom without the doors opening and takes the stand, reciting the oath as “So help me, Me”. Showing the judge some neat card tricks followed by some genuine miracles turns the tide and the case against Jerry is dismissed. There are two dreadful sequels.

    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) was Stephen Spielberg’s dream project and was a tremendous critical and popular success. It netted nine Oscar nominations, but won only in technical categories. An ordinary Indiana guy, Roy Neary (played by Richard Dreyfuss) has an encounter with an extra-terrestrial object which flies right over his truck and burns his face. He becomes obsessed with UFOs and is dismissed as a nut by just about everyone, including his wife Ronnie (Teri Garr). Ronnie grows tired of the hullabaloo surrounding Roy’s statements and leaves him with their three children. But he is believed and assisted by Jillian Guiler (Melinda Dillon) who has also experienced contact with the aliens. They wind up at Devil’s Tower, site of the landing of the UFOs. Ms. Garr wanted to play the more sympathetic Jillian, but instead was cast as Ronnie. The film contains the only appearance in a film by Francois Truffaut, who portrays Claude Lacombe, the French director of UFO studies. 

    All of the movies in this article are available somewhere. Only the last one is ok for all ages. 

                                                              Mitzi Gaynor

    If I asked you who played Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (1958) you might guess Mary Martin, who played her on Broadway. Or you might go with Doris Day or Ginger Rogers or maybe Debbie Reynolds. Nope. It was Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber. Okay, that’s the real name of the charming Mitizi Gaynor, whose interesting life ended at 93. She was a singer and dancer of considerable talent, and was quite prominent in the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals. But her movie career is capsuled in just six years. 

    After the 50's she just quit movies and concentrated on stage and nightclub work. Her husband was Jack Bean, also her agent, and they were together until Jack died in 2006. Well after her film career was over, she stopped the show at the Academy Awards in 1966, singing and dancing to Georgy Girl. The show’s producers had a hard time getting the audience to stop applauding and sit down!

There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954) is surely true. This is a Golden Age MGM musical with not much plot but lots of good singing and dancing. The Five Donahues are a vaudeville family until the kids grow up and move on. Ethel Merman is their mom, Dan Dailey is their Dad. Mitzi Gaynor, Donald O’Connor and Johnnie Ray (!) are other members. Marilyn Monroe is also on board to look pretty and smile. Theirs a trunk full of good songs, all written by Irving Berlin. 

In Anything Goes (1956) show biz producers Bill (Bing Crosby) and Ted (Donald O’Connor) travel to Paris to sign a new star. But each of them signs a girl, and the problem must be sorted out on the Trans Atlantic cruise back to America. Mitzi Gaynor and Zizi Jeanmaire are the talented girls and each gets to show her talent in various settings on the way to the U.S. That’s about it for plot, but the singing and dancing are good.

On a more serious note, there is The Joker Is Wild (1957) a pretty good film bio about performer Joe E. Lewis (Frank Sinatra), who displeased the Mob and got his face and throat slashed. But he gradually made his way back to stardom, stepping on others on the way. His poor wife (Mitizi Gaynor) and his best friend Austin (Eddie Albert) are among the casualties. Liquor and drugs ring the curtain down on the Joker. 

In one of the weirdest casting since Marlin Brando played Sky Masterson, David Niven is paired with Mitzi Gaynor They are a happily married couple trying to have a romantic interlude on their anniversary and being foiled by their children, their relatives, delivery people and life in general. One present is a new TV which David hates and kicks the screen in. This happens again and everyone is all mad about everything until there is a Hollywood ending and everyone is happy again. Happy Anniversary (1959) is Mitzi’s last film.

You can also follow Mitzi Gaynor in We’re Not Married (1952) and Les Girls (1957). All these films are available, probably for a price. All are for adults.

                                                                    Maggie Smith

                                                                        Final

The only way I know to finish with Dame Maggie Smith is to consolidate some things. So first off would be the Harry Potter films (2001-2011).  She’s in seven of the eight. And in every one Maggie was Professor McGonagal. Not the biggest part in these, but she sure pulls her weight. And after all, she gives Harry his first Quidditch broomstick. A Nimbus 2000 no less. 

Downton Abbey (2010-2015) was the much loved Masterpiece Theater series on PBS. And its fans practically demanded a movie. And they got it in 2022- Downton Abbey: A New Era. And it is pretty good. All of the usual suspects are on board including Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. As the uncrowned matriarch of the family, her rather acerbic character keeps the wheels of the younger crowd turning. The movie involves the frantic preparations for a visit by Royalty to the Abbey. This is the biggest of big deals in Merrie Olde England. Maggie is unperturbed. 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) is a hoot. Hotelier Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) hoddwinks a staid group of retired Britishers to take up residence in his hotel. To say it is nothing like the advertisements is putting it mildly. But-stiff upper lip and all that- and the new residents make the most of it. Maggie Smith is on hand as Muriel Donnelly. The cast is stellar: Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy. Nighy almost steals the thing as a not-quite-dead resident. So of course there is a sequel: The Second Best Marigold Hotel (2015). Add Richard Gere to the cast. The hotel is in danger of closing. Muriel accompanies Sonny to San Diego where they try to convince a hotel mogul to invest in the Indian hostelries. There are lots of shenanigans winding up with Sonny’s wedding. 

Gosford Park (2001) is right up Maggie’s alley. A Robert Altman entry with many of his tricks. The cast is outstanding: Bob Balaban, Eileen Atkins, Alan Bates, and of course our Maggie as Constance, Dowager Countess of Trentham. A bunch of wealthy Brits are invited to a shooting party (it’s a British thing) at the estate of Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon). Things are going splendidly until one of the guests is murdered. Hijinks follow. The film made lots of money and was nominated for a fistful of Oscars. Maggie got a nomination along with otheres, but lost to Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind.

Ladies In Lavender (2004) pairs Maggie with fellow icon Judi Dench. They are the Widdington sisters, Janet and Ursula,  who live in a picturesque village in Cornwall. Handsome Andrea Marowski (Daniel Bruhl) washes up on the beach, having been thrown overboard in a shipwreck. He is a budding world famous violinist. The sisters nurse him back to health and Ursula falls in love with the much younger Andrea. He gets his big chance to play with a symphony orchestra and leaves without saying good-bye. But things heal over nicely- the sisters journey to see him play in person, and the villagers listen on the radio. 

We now say a fond farewell to Dame Maggie Smith. Did I cover all of her films? Lord no, I just hit the high spots. 

                                                                 Maggie Smith

                                                                 Part 3

In the 1990's Maggie Smith turned 60 and continued to act in superior movies in which she played a big part. 

Sister Act (1992) is a comedy with music featuring Whoopi Goldberg as lounge singer Deloris. After witnessing a mob murder, she is relocated for her protection in a convent, disguised as one of the nuns. Deloris joins the choir, ramps up their arrangements and becomes director. Maggie Smith portrays the Mother Superior of the convent. At first she is outraged by the direction of the choir, but is won over by how well liked they become. This was an extremely popular film earning $200 million above its cost. So of course it became a franchise. Sister Act 2 came out in 1993 with the same cast and basically the same story. It also became a hit Broadway musical. And- Sister Act 3 is being produced now, of course without Dame Maggie.

The Secret Garden (1993) is gleaned from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s lovely 1909 novel. The story has beguiled children and grown-ups alike for decades and it is brought to the screen admirably here. Mary Lennox (previously unknown Kate Maberly) is orphaned when illness takes both her parents in India. She is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven, in Yorkshire. He is a dour widower, mourning the loss of his wife who died in her beautiful garden. He orders the garden closed up forever but Mary Lennox is determined to find it. Hence the Secret Garden. She is not helped much by the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock (Dame Maggie) but with the help of an estate gardener and a local boy she perseveres. Secret Garden also became a smash Broadway hit with an incredible score. .

Richard III (1995) is one of the best treatments of Shakespeare’s play about “Old Crookback” one of England’s most controversial king. Updated with a jerk of 450 years to the 1930's it features all of the bloodthirsty goings-on as members of warring families fight for the crown. Ian McKellen stars as Richard. The star-studded cast includes Maggie Smith, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, and  Robert Downey, Jr. It frankly bears little resemblance to Will’s play, but it is a stemwinder. 

Washington Square (1997) is successfully brought to the screen from Henry James’ stately novel. Jennifer Jason Leigh admirably performs Catherine Sloper, homely but wealthy daughter and only surviving child of the Sloper family. She is courted by Morris Townsend (Ben Chaplin) who her father suspects-rightly- that he is a fortune hunter. She loves him anyway and her Aunt Lavinia (Maggie Smith) tries to push forward the romance. But the father prevails and Morris gives up. Catherine does quite well without him and easily rebukes his advances years later. 

Maggie Smith has a ball as Lady Hester, one of the English ladies ensconced in fascist Italy in Tea With Mussolini (1999).  They at first refuse to go home, but all relent except Lady Hester. Lady Hester falls out of like with Mussolini. Her portrayal of the flighty but stubborn English Dame is quite winning. 

All of the films in this article are available,  probably not for free.  Only Secret Garden is suitable for children. 

                                                           Maggie Smith

                                                                Part 2

In 1978 Maggie Smith won her second Oscar, for her portrayal as Diana Barrie in Neil Simon’s California Suite. Simon also wrote the screenplay, which is a sparkler- no surprise. The play and movie are a group of four stories about couples who travel to California for various reasons. Maggie portrays Diana Barrie, a fading film star nominated for an Oscar. She is unhappily married to Sydney Cochran (Michael Caine), a gay actor venturing further and further from the closet. As her moment in the spotlight nears, Diana fluctuates between despair, hope and panic. Watch her face- a symposium on acting all by itself! The other three stories feature such stalwarts as Bill Cosby, Jane Fonda, Walter Matthau, Elaine May and Richard Pryor. All the stories are good; Maggie’s is the best.

    Dame Maggie appeared in two movies with the same title. They are 31 years apart and have nothing to do with each other except those titles. Both are named Quartet. The 1981 version is not exactly a barrel of laughs. Mada Zelli (Isabell Adjani) is left penniless when her art dealer husband Stephan is convicted of possessing stolen art. She moves in with acquaintances H.J. Heidler (Alan Bates) and his wife Lois  (Maggie Smith). Mada begins an affair with H.J. and Lois meekly stands by, not confronting her wandering husband. Stephan gets out of prison but his return is not greeted with cheer. This Merchant-Ivory offering is a bit of a downer.

    The second Quartet came out in 2012. It is way more fun and interesting. It is set in a home for retired musicians. Financial hardships threaten to close the place. Some of the residents want to produce an opera patterned after a famous version of Rigoletto which featured a quartet made up present house members. Maggie Smith portrays Jean Horton. She was a member of the famed quartet. She agrees to sing her part and the show does go on, of course. Jean rekindles her love for quartet member Reg (Tom Courtenay) and they might end up back together. The show is a smash hit. 

Another Merchant-Ivory production is the better-known Room With A View (1985). It was a critical and popular success and was nominated for eight Oscars. However it won only for art direction and set decoration. Maggie Smith was nominated for her role as Charlotte Bartlett, chaperon on a trip to Italy for Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), a cousin. She lost to Diane Wiest for Hannah and Her Sisters. Maggie was robbed. 

Dame Maggie has the title lead in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987) and her perfoemance is close to her best. She is a spinster piano teacher whose reduced circumstances land her in a rundown boarding house. There she meets charming James Madden (Bob Hoskins). He believes she has lots of money and will invest in his planned business. She will break your heart!

    All of the films in this article are available somewhere. All are for adults.

                                                           Maggie Smith

                                                                Part 1

    Dame Maggie Smith left us at 89. My goodness! I have 33 good movies from this wonderful lady. This does not include TV shows or made for TV movies. Where to even start? Well, let’s start at the start, of course. You may be used to seeing her as a titled woman of advanced age, but Google her and you’ll see she was quite a dish!

For her first appearance of note we have to go back 66 years to 1958. She was  24 at the time, having already charted a brilliant stage career. Nowhere To Go is a pretty good crime story with George Nader as a resourceful thief who breaks out of jail and heads for his hidden stolen loot. Things go badly and there’s a death that sends him even more on the run. Socialite Bridget Howard (Maggie) falls hard for him and tries to help him find a way to stay free. Maggie sells Bridget, making us believe this upper class woman could act this way. 

    The Pumpkin Eater (1964) with a screenplay by Harold Pinter no less is the story of a very troubled marriage of Jake Armitrage (Peter Finch) and Jo Armitrage (Anne Bancroft). The main trouble is Jake’s numerous affairs and Jo’s seemingly endless pregnancies. Jake’s first noticeable fling is with the sultry Philpot, played winningly by Maggie Smith. Not a big part but she nails it.

Next came a juicy classical part most actresses would kill for. Maggie Smith landed the part of Desdemona, star-crossed wife of insanely jealous moor Othello (1965). This version is the filmed National Theater Company’s stage play, and stars Lawrence Olivier in the title role. There was a lot of criticism of how dark his character is portrayed. One critic compared him to Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer. Pauline Kael adored the movie and lauded Maggie’s performance as the doomed wife. This is one of many Othello films. It is perhaps the truest to Shakespeare’s play.

    Chronologically next is Maggie Smith’s first Oscar win for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969). She is the title figure, a somewhat creepy teacher in a girls’ school. She tends to corral a certain group of girls into her orbit, not entirely to their benefit. “Give me a girl of an impressionable age and she is mine for life”. Yikes! This is a very difficult part and few actors would be up to it. Maggie is.

Travels With My Aunt (1972) gives us a completely different Maggie as she enchants us as the world-weary Aunt Augusta. She is involved in a complicated plot involving stolen money and a portrait of herself she swears was painted by Modigliani. Her travels take her to Turkey where her money is confiscated, but she does not give up and attempts to sell the “Modigliani” to raise the money she needs. Maggie was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Liza Minelli for Cabaret. 

All of the films in this article are available somewhere, probably for a price. All are for grown ups. Next time: More Maggie, of course. 

                                                                  Kris Kristof

                                                                  Part 2

Kris Kristofferson continued to rack up good parts in good movies in the 1970's. Well, okay, the 1976 version of A Star Is Born is not on anybody’s all-time great list. But it’s not bad and Kris got to appear opposite Barbra Streisand and he got to use that gravelly voice. Kris plays John Norman Howard, who had been a big country star and let drugs and bad habits drag him down. He meets Esther Hoffman (Streisand) and they are together as her star rises and his continues to decline. The 1937 version with Janet Gaynor and Frederic March is also just okay. You are more likely to have seen the 2018 version with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. It is the pick of this litter.

    Semi-Tough (1977) from the Dan Jenkins novel is a really funny movie about a pro football team and its stars- Shake Tiller (Kris) and Billy Clyde Puckett (Burt Reynolds). Jill Clayburgh is the love interest as Barbara Jane Bookman, pretty daughter of the team’s owner. She and Shake and Billy Clyde form a pleasing threesome that seems to somehow get along just fine. Barbara Jane starts to marry Shake, but that blows up at the altar and she winds up with Billy Clyde. The dialog is sparkling.

Convoy (1978) aimed to take advantage of the Citizen’s Band Radio fad of the time, and did pretty fair job of it. Kris plays Martin “Rubber Duck”  Penwald, one of many interesting characters in the film. Pig Pen, Widow Woman and Spider Mike are part of the crew of truckers that travel together. They are chased and harassed by Sheriff Cottonmouth Wallace (Ernest Borgnine). Duck’s love interest, Melissa (Ali MacGraw) thinks he died in an accident as the movie closes. 

Kris got a chance to star in a Michael Cimino movie, Heaven’s Gate (1980). It almost finished both of their careers. I will charitably say that it is dreadful. For one thing, most of it is so dusty you can’t tell what’s going on. But that might be a blessing. Anyway French star Isabel Huppert, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Walken, and William Dafoe all take part in the debacle. Kristofferson didn’t get another decent role for 16 years, when he played Charlie Wade in the mediocre western Lone Star.

Kris got a bit of redemption when he got to play Whistler in the Blade films (1998, 2002, 2004). If sci-fi horror is your thing, these fill the bill. I do not like or recommend them. 

Kris Kristofferson’s last appearance of note is in Where The Red Fern Grows (2003). By this time he is old and grizzled enough to play Older Billy Coleman, the main character as an old man. It’s mostly as a narrator in this somewhat sappy film. 

All of the films in this article are available somewhere if you look hard and don’t mind paying. All are for adults. 

                                                                Kris Kristofferson

                                                                      Part 1

    Kris Kristofferson, who died recently, was Texas to the core. He was a heralded country music composer and singer. In the 1970's he was a founder of the outlaw branch of country music, a rawer more authentic sound than Nashville slickness.    

But this is a movie column- and Kris had a sterling movie career as well. He burst onto the scene in Blume In Love (1973) as Elmo, the slacker boyfriend of Nina (Susan Anspach). She is divorced from Stephen Blume (George Segal) after he was unfaithful to her. Blume wanders about Venice, site of the Blumes’ honeymoon, musing about why he was such a bad husband and how much he misses Nina. He tries to reconnect with her, which starts badly. But Elmo bows out of this somewhat messy picture, true to his slacker personna, with his exit line: “It’s time to move on”. There’s a Hollywood ending without Kris.

In the same year, 1973, Kris killed the title role in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. No, he wasn’t Garret, that was James Coburn. Kris played Billy. Garrett is sent to get rid of Billy by the governor. Though he and Billy are old friends, he reluctantly takes the job. After lots of fun chases and gunfights, Billy is captured. But he escapes with a hidden pistol and shotgun loaded with “sixteen thin dimes”. He shotguns deputy sheriff Bob Olinger and yells “keep the change, Bob”. If you get to see this one, keep your eyes peeled for Bob Dylan, who wrote the music and had a small part also. Dylan’s character is named Alias. 

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974) is a very violent western directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Warren Oates as El Jefe, a Mexican cartel chief. His daughter, Teresa, is impregnated by Alfredo Garcia, who was being groomed as the successor to El Jefe. El Jefe is infuriated by thie scenario and places a one million dollar reward on Garcia’s head. He takes off, and so does Teresa. In her wanderings she encounters a couple of outlaw bikers, one of whom is Kristofferson. Not a great part  or a great movie, but he does his best.

A better part in a better movie for Kris in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Any More (1974). Ellen Burstyn is Alice, whose husband is killed in an accident and who has tried to make it as singer. She decides to try again and moves with her son Tommy to the desert southwest. David (Kristofferson) is a divorced, successful local rancher who forms a on and off relationship with Alice. 

The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea (1976) is in fact Kris Kristofferson as Jim Cameron, second mate of a large mechant ship. The film is from a story by Japanese author Yukio Mishima, relocated to a British coastal town. Sara Miles portrays Anne Osborne, a widow with a 14-year-old son, Jonathan.  She becomes romantically involved with Cameron and Jonathan is insanely jealous. He and his renegade friends hatch a plot to do away with Jim the next time he docks. 

All of these films are for grown-ups. All are available somewhere. Next time: Kris part 2.

                                                            Movies To TV Shows

    This week we flip the category from TV shows that were made into movies to movies that became TV shows. As you might expect, this is a hit and miss category.

I’ll start with the unquestioned king of this category. M*A*S*H (1970) was a terrific dark comedy about surgeons stationed in South Korea. It easily transitioned into an equally terrific TV show with the same name but only one holdover actor. The television series ran for eleven seasons (1972-83) and topped the charts in most years. Alan Alda (Hawkeye), Wayne Rogers (Trapper John), Loretta Swit (Hot Lips) charmed and entertained us week after week. BTW, the one holdover actor was Gary Burghoff, retained as Radar O’Reilly. 

Fargo (1996) was nominated for seven Oscars and won two. It introduced winner Frances McDormand as the pregnant police chief of a small Minnesota town. The film’s screen writers also won Oscar. The chief is investigating a kidnaping gone horribly wrong. She is underestimated by about everyone, including the bad guy. The wood-chipper is a scene you don’t readily forget. The TV show it birthed has run for ten years (2014-24) and may chalk up a sixth season. Other than the locale, it bears little resemblance to the film, but has been hugely popular. 

Friday Night Lights (2004), about a small Texas town obsessed with high school football, had moderate success. The TV series it sired was actually more popular and generally better. But the movie had the marvelous Billy Bob Thornton and the TV show did not. The TV show ran for five seasons, ending in 2011. The series dived into more contemporary issues. It was nearly cancelled several times but its fans kept saving it. 

    Westworld (1973) is a sci-fi western with the improbably cast Yul Brynner as an android dressed up like a gunslinging cowboy. People can pay to enter Westworld and play at cowboys and cowboys. Then things go terribly wrong. What a surprise! The TV show ran for three seasons, ending in 2020. The stories feature the same locale, which gets a little repetitive. It does have more A-list actors: Ed Harris, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, etc. Somehow,  there is still talk of another season. 

Fame (1980) is a reasonably good film about young talents trying to make it big in show biz via the NY High School of Performing Arts. . Irene Cara was the star and quite a good one. The movie was well-liked though Cara didn’t break out after it. The TV series ran for six seasons and was much loved by young people. The stories are uneven but generally good quality.

Two I don’t have room for: Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and About A Boy. 

All of the movies and TV series in this article are available for streaming somewhere, if you look hard and are willing to pay. All are for grown-ups. 

                                                     TV SHOWS TO MOVIES

I picture a meeting at MGM or Paramount (or your choice) and someone says: ”I saw the best show on TV. It would make a great movie”. Would it? Maybe.

    Lots of successful TV shows have been made into movies. One of the latest to hit the silver screen is Downton Abbey (2019). All the principals are there: Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, etc. The film centers around a visit to the Abbey by the royal family. Yikes! Well, the movie is pretty good. Good as the TV series? Afraid not- the series allows enough time to develop the characters and grow to love (or hate) them. If you’d never seen the TV series would you like the movie? Hmmm...

The Fugitive (1993) is maybe even better than the TV series. Lots of people just got tired of the chase after the suspect and didn’t like the ending. The movie stars Tommy Lee Jones who is just terrific as Marshall Sam Gerard (and won the Oscar for Best Actor). It also features Harrison Ford as the heavily pursued Dr. Kimble who searches for the real killer, the one-armed man. The movie has the best train wreck ever and is just really good. 

Mission Impossible was a hugely popular TV show in the late 60's and early 70's. With Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris and Peter Lupus as a clandestine arm of the US government. “Your mission, should you choose to accept it” is the tag line we loved as much as the theme music and the disintegrating tape. Tom Cruise reinvented the show as (so far) six movies starring him. He says he does his own stunts and they are spectacular. To me it’s apples and oranges. I like both series. 

Naked Gun is a totally silly TV series that was popular in the 80's when it was aired as Police Squad. Leslie Nielsen is the glue that holds this thing together and does it again in the movie versions. Unfortunately, the movie series seems endless but the first few are funny as can be. Could Nielsen possibly be the guy Debbie Reynolds adored in Tammy? Yep, and he’s also the star of the hilarious Airplane! (1980). His ability to utter inane comments is just right. 

Deadwood was a big western hit in the 2000's, with Timothy Oliphant the star. Deadwood is a lawless town not a part of any state (yet) and therefore open to all sorts of bad, but interesting, drama. The movie, released in 2019, is actually made for TV but pretty good.  Oliphant is back as the hero and the story revolves around South Dakota reaching statehood and spoiling lots of the bad stuff in town. 

Only Downton is ok for kids, though I doubt they would like it. The rest are for adults. Next time we flip the story: Movies to TV shows. 

                                                          James Earl Jones 

                                                                  Part 3

    Continuing with the incredible career of James Earl Jones, who lived to be 93 and compiled a movie list the envy of many. 

Matewan (1987) is the somewhat true story of the bloody miner’s strike of the Stone Mountain Coal Company in Matewan, West Virginia. Chris Cooper, in his debut appearance, portrays Joe Kenehan who is a union organizer. James Earl Jones plays one of the miners with the wonderful name of “Few Clothes” Johnson. As mediation efforts flag, the violence grows incrementally. Who wins? Nobody.

Whether you like or hate Coming To America (1988) probably depends on your opinion of Eddie Murphy, the catalyst for this film. Murphy wrote the story for the film and has the lead role as crown prince Akeem of the fictional African country Zamunda. He grows tired of his entitled lifestyle and particularly of the fiancé picked by his parents. So he decides to travel to America to find a woman he can love and who can love him for himself. James Earl Jones plays appropriately intense King Jaffe, Akeem’s father. There is a sequel that isn’t even as good as the original. 

Field of Dreams (1989) is a wonderful film about baseball and dreams coming true. Kevin Costner is Ray Kinsella, owner of a corn farm in Iowa. Inside his field he hears a disembodied voice say “If you build it, he will come”. And he has a vision of disgraced Black Sox scandal Shoeless Joe Jackson ( Ray Liotta) playing on a baseball field at the Kinsella farm. So Ray convinces his wife (Amy Madigan) he should build the field. And they come. James Earl Jones portrays Terrence Mann, whose books have been summarily banned in Iowa. Ray is a fan and gets Mann to come to the ball field. The rest is, well, magic!

Sommersby (1993) stars Richard Gere as Jack Sommersby (or not) who has been missing from home for six years after fighting in the Civil War. Laurel Sommersby (Jodie Foster) begins to suspect this guy isn’t her husband. But- she likes him a whole lot better than the original. Jack winds up charged with murder and desertion before Judge Isaacs (James Earl Jones). The judge gives him the choice of choosing the name that will hang him or the one that will just try him for desertion. This film is the American take on the look alike French classic The Return of Martin Guerre. 

Cry, The Beloved Country (1995) is a star turn for Jones, as he portrays Rev. Stephen Kumalo. He is called to Johannesburg by the church and discovers that his son is accused of murdering a white man. James Jarvis (Richard Harris) is the father of the murdered boy. The two meet and against all odds find they share certain aspects of humanity. The film is based on Alan Paton’s novel of the same name. It is also the second configuration of this story. The 1951 version with Sidney Poitier is just as good.

James Earl Jones has a hat trick as Admiral Greer in the thrilling Hunt For Red October (1990), and in Patriot Games (1982) and in Clear and Present Danger (1994). He’s good in all of them.  

All of the movies in this article are for grown-ups. 

                                                                 James Earl Jones

                                                                 Part 2

Last week’s article dealt with the incredible, unmistakable voice of James Earl Jones. But that only scratched the surface of his film resume’. Today we begin his movie roles.

    The first Jones appearance of note is as Lt. Luther Zogg in the madcap classic Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). Jones was 33. This film is regarded as one of the greatest. A crazed general unleashes a B-52 nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. The mistake is discovered and the Russians are notified. They respond that they have a Doomsday Device that will effectively kill everyone on earth if Russia is bombed.  The attempts to stop the bombers works on all but one. Lt. Zogg is the bombardier and Slim Pickens (Major “King” Kong) is the pilot. They make it to the target. Best of many quotes “You can’t fight in here- this is the war room!” 

End Of The Road (1970) from the John Barth novel, is definitely not to all tastes. Stacy Keach carries the thing as Jake Horner, a returned Vietnam vet who has descended into catatonia. He winds up in the hospital of the demonstrably crazy Doctor D (JE Jones) and is “cured” and sent out to teach unsuspecting college kids. A summary really doesn’t tell you much about this strange film. While I can’t really recommend it, I will say that Jones is superb.

The Great White Hope (1970) brings Jones to the top. He plays Jack Jefferson, based on real life Jack Johnson. A black man struggling in the white world of championship boxing in the early 20th century, he defeats every white challenger put before him. White fans are looking for a “white hope”, a white boxer who can defeat Jefferson. Jones revealed he had never boxed before appearing in this film. He was nominated for Best Actor Oscar, but lost to George Scott for Patton. Jane Alexander was also nominated for her role as Jefferson’s white love affair, but also lost.

James Earl Jones is The Man (1972).This is a made-for-TV movies, but the screenplay is by Rod Serling and the cast is first-rate. As president pro tem of the Senate, he becomes president of the United States through a series of mishaps to the president and the rest of the succession. Douglas Dillman thus becomes the first black president. This is nearly forty years before Barack Obama. He encounters many problems, most of them racially motivated, but most people reluctantly agree he does a good job. He decides to run for election and strives to get his party’s nomination. 

The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings (1976) is about an all black baseball team in the 1930's, most of whom are good enough to play in he Major Leagues, which are lily white. Billy Dee Williams is Bingo Long, owner of the team, and Jones is Leon Carter, star catcher and slugger. Their adventures as they barnstorm and play all comers is delightful and entertaining. 

All of the movies in this article are available for streaming somewhere. All are for grown-ups. Next time more James Earl Jones movies. 

                                                               James Earl Jones

                                                                 Part 1

It took Hollywood a while, but once they caught on to his distinctive booming bass voice he was the go-to narrator guy. This famous voice first appeared in the first Star Wars movie, which is actually number IV in the Star Wars cycle. You never forgot the villainous Darth Vader and his rumbling, terrifying voice. Jones voiced Darth Vader in all the Star Wars films. He did so once again in number V. If you scroll through the credits in those two films, you will not see the name of James Earl Jones. It was him, ok, but he refused the credit, not wanting to over shine his friend David Prowse, the actor who played Vader. After that film, Jones was always credited. Strangely, the correct sequence of Star Wars movies in the order of their release is 4,5,6,1,2,3,7. That seems to bother absolutely no one. 

The Star Wars galaxy of films is not based on a book, but on a series of screen outlines developed by George Lucas. So the very first release is titled Star Wars IV: A New Hope. The next two films follow in sequence. Then they return to number 1, which is actually a prequel. I will never forget watching the first Star Wars film in 1977. I was completely blown away, and so was most everyone else. The complete Star Wars movie package has made more than 10 billion dollars. Yoda, Princess Leah, Wookie, Luke, Hans Solo,  R2D2 and CP3O are all legends now. 

Returning now to James Earl Jones and his unmistakable voice. Who will ever forget “Luke, I am your father” ? Jones probably made more money from his voice- overs and narrations than from his acting. And there’s another movie franchise that utilized Jones’ unique voice. The Lion King first appeared as an animated musical in 1994. Hugely popular, it went on to sire many film offspring, and a hit Broadway Musical.

That first version contained a host of famous voices: Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, Whoppi Goldberg et al. But the one everyone remembers is James Earl Jones, voicing Mufasa, the King of the title and the leader of the pride of lions. He is killed by the treacherous Scar, who replaces Mufasa and does an expectedly terrible job as leader.  Mufasa with the Jones voice is heard once again in the real life version in 2019. And there are lots of other Lion King opportunities for Jones. 

He was born with a debilitating stutter. He hardly spoke at all until he was 8 years old and spoke very little until high school. A high school voice teacher taught him how to deal with his problem. Jones had written poetry and the teacher convinced him to read it aloud in front of the class. He did so and didn’t stutter at all. The rest, as they say, is history.  His overcoming this condition all the way to narrating films is an inspiring story. He can also be heard in The Sandlot, Our Friend Martin, Merlin and several other films. He has recorded the entire New Testament.

Next time: James Earl Jones the actor. 

                                                     YET MORE SPORTS!

    There’s another good bunch of sports movies recommended by my editor, Ray.Any other readers who feel called up to furnish material should step right up!

    North Dallas Forty (1979) is based on a book by Peter Gent, who was a genuine NFL player (also a good writer). Nick Nolte stars as wide receiver Phil Ellliott, who still has good hands but not much else as he ages ungracefully. The film, and book, expose the seamy underside of pro football, where players are encouraged to play hurt and just take more pain pills. Has that much changed in 45 years? 

    Rush (2013) is recalls a real rivalry between Formula 1 racers. James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is a canny Brit who takes huge risks but often wins. Nikki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) is a sophisticated Austrian who is a technical genius and an exceptional driver. They both win often in the 1976 season, only a few points from each other. The racing sequences in this film are just outstanding and the personal stories are almost as fascinating. Ron Howard (yep, Opie) directed superbly well.

    Ford vs. Ferrari (2017) has Christian Bale as British Formula 1 driver Ken Miles and Matt Damon as Carol Shelby, former driver and now race car designer and builder. Lee Iacocca, then head of Ford Motor Co. tries to buy Ferrari racing and is foiled at the last minute. He then hires Shelby to challenge Ferrari’s domination of Formula 1 and the race is on! Both companies suffer mishaps and failures but the competition creates a media sensation. The 24 hours of Les Mans is the goal of both companies. 

    Any Given Sunday (1999) is entirely fictitious and boasts a field full of A-list stars. Al Pacino is Tony D’Amato, coach of the Miami Sharks. Cameron Diaz is Christina Pagniacci, owner and general manager of the team. Dennis Quaid is Cap Rooney, the starting, but aging, starting quarterback. James Wood is Dr. Mandrake, unscrupulous team doctor, well versed in hiding sever injuries and patching up badly injured players. Jamie Foxx is Willie Beaman, third string quarterback who gets his chance because of the injuries of those ahead of him. Also appearing are real players Lawrence Taylor and Jim Brown, both of whom can act convincingly. The story involves a season in the league, with the requisite passes and completions. 

    Dodge Ball (2004) is a hoot from start to finish. Vince Vaughan plays Pete LaFleur, unconscious owner of Joe’s Gym, which he is about to lose. Ben Stiller is White Goodman, owner of a rival gym and wannabe owner of Joe’s. Somehow this develops into a professional dodgeball game. ESPN 8 (not there quite yet!) covers the league and the championship game will determine Joe’s ownership. Memorable line: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball”. So, is there really such a thing as professional Dodgeball? Absolutely, you can look it up. 

    And finally, Ray wasn’t talking about the 2024 version of Victory, which I panned. He meant the 1981 outing, with Stallone and Michael Caine. And yep, I liked it! 

                                                                      OTHER SPORTS

                                                                          Part 

    People sometimes ask me: “Where do you get your ideas?”. Well, recently my source was my editor, Ray. After my articles about sports other than baseball, he emailed me a whole fistful of movies I had not included. He was right! So here, thanks to Ray, is another bunch of really good sports films.     Million Dollar Baby (2004) is so good it won four Oscars: Best Movie, Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Actress (Hillary Swank) and Best Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman). Eastwood portrays Frankie Dunn, a somewhat cranky and certainly older trainer of boxers, who swore he’d never train a girl. Hillary Swank is Maggie Fitzgerald, maybe a little old for the fight game, but determined to make it. Freeman is Scrap Iron Dupris, Frankie’s corner man and assistant. Swank put on 19 pounds of muscle preparing for this role. Maggie makes it into the professional ranks. She is terribly damaged in a bout. The ending sparked controversy. You’ll have to watch it. I’m not telling.     

    The Replacements (2000) are a ragtag bunch of former football players who get a second chance when the regular players go on strike. Keanu Reaves plays Falco, a beat up quarterback who lives on a houseboat. Gene Hackman is Jimmy McGinty, the grizzled coach of the replacements. Head cheerleader Annabelle Farrell has to replace the original cheerleaders who are striking in sympathy with the players. She hires strippers. The season is played out with many a laugh. The replacements surprise everyone by playing well. 

Tin Cup (1996) stars Kevin Costner as Roy “Tin Cup” McAvoy, a failed pro golfer who owns a ragged driving range. Don Johnson plays David Simms, a top pro golfer who thinks a lot of himself. Rene Russo is Dr. Molly Griswold a psychologist who comes to Roy’s course looking for golf lessons. She has been dating Simms. She and Roy are attracted to each other and a rivalry is born. Roy has always lost by taking risky shots. He qualifies for the US Open and has a chance to win with a nearly impossible shot. 

Creed  (2015) , as Ray said in his email, is a lot better than you thought it would be. It is, after all, yet another Rocky offspring. And Sylvester Stallone shows up in this one as a trainer. Michael B. Jordan is Adonis Creed, illegitimate son of the late, great Apollo Creed who fought Rocky years ago. Stallone was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies.

Bend It Like Beckham (2002) is really more about a Sikh family dealing with ancient prejudices and a daughter wanting to break out as a soccer player. The title comes from star David Beckham’s ability to curve the ball into the goal. There’s lots of interplay with the girls an the team and their friends. The daughter turns out to be a superb player, and is offered a scholarship in the US. This is a charmer!

Ray also recommended Victory (2024). Alas, I cannot. 

All of the films in this article are available to stream. Only Bend It is ok for kids.

                                                                        Alain Delon

    Alain Delon parlayed his smoldering good looks and considerable acting ability into a very good career. Though most of his films were French in origin and language, he made a big dent in American cinema as well. 

    He first appeared on the American film-goer’s radar in Purple Noon (1960). Delon portrays Tom Ripley. He is hired by Phillipe Greenleaf’s father to go to Italy and persuade Phillipe to return home and run the family business. Phillipe isn’t interested. Tom hatches a plot to murder Phillipe and pretend to be him. This works for most of the film, with Delon acting up a storm as he switches personae constantly. Things come apart for Tom at the ending. No more from me. The film is based on Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. It was made as a movie in America in 1999. I don’t think it is as good as the French film. 

In that same year Alain Delon plays the title character in Rocco and His Brothers. Rocco is one of five brothers in a poor Italian family. They head for Milan to get work and change their circumstances. Each brother has an adventure of a different kind, while Rocco works to hold the family together. Finally Rocco agrees to become a professional boxer to make the much-needed money for the family. This film got a shaky start but as time passed became a much loved Italian classic. 

The Leopard (1963) is considered a great film. OK, a warning: It was released in America with 35 vital minutes cut and with dubbed dialog. Mr. Movie hates cutting and dubbing. So be sure you watch a version of at least 195 minutes and with subtitles. Burt Lancaster is the Prince of Salina who considers himself as a leopard, a dying breed of powerful aristocrats being replaced by  bureaucratic jackals and hyenas. Alain Delon is his headstrong, ambitious and very opportunistic nephew. Italian Claudia Cardianle, is the love interest. With a good bit of authentic Italian history and a good story, this is a winner.

A signature Delon role is as the deadpan contract killer Jef Costello in Les Samourai (1976). Managing to look devastatingly menacing and handsome, Delon carries this thing on his back. The machinations leading up to the grand finale are fun to watch. 

Is Paris Burning? (1966) are the words Hitler famously asked his commanders toward the end of World War II. The film is a faithful recreation of the novel about the liberation of Paris and the saving of most of the city’s iconic buildings. Alain Delon is quite good as a Free French Colonel. Not a great film, but good enough. 

Alain Delon’s appearance in The Swimming Pool (1969), as a somewhat laid back murderer and bon vivant, is strictly for Delon fans. 

All of the films in this article are available somewhere. They are all for adults. 

                                                               Gena Rowlands

    Like so many actors (e.g. Steve Martin, Angela Lansbury, James Earl Jones) Gena Rowlands was awarded one of those “lifetime achievement” Oscars instead of for the roles for which she was nominated. This is often the Academy’s way of saying “oops, we should make this up to her”. 

Gena Rowlands died at 94. She had over 200 movie and TV appearances, and she worked until 2017 when ill health finally sidelined her. She famously married maverick director John Cassavetes and acting in his films brought her two Oscar nominations. In all she appeared in 10 of his films. They were together until his death in 1989. In 2004 she got to act in a film directed by her son, Nick. 

Her acting in A Woman Under The Influence (1974), directed by Cassavetes, brought her first Oscar nomination. She lost to Ellen Burstyn for Alice Doesn’t Live Here Any More. As Mabel, Rowlands runs the emotional gamut from calm and loving to drunk and disorderly. She is institutionalized and returns home different, but not in a good way. She makes you believe this damaged, hurting woman. 

As the title figure Gloria (1980) Ms. Rowlands is the neighbor of a couple in trouble with the mob. She is convinced to take their son, Phil, and try to look after him. She also takes the incriminating ledger the neighbors had given her. Gloria and Phil run and hide from the gangsters and she proves as tough as the pursuers. Cassavetes also directed this one. Though again nominated for Oscar, this time Ms. Rowlands lost to Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner’s Daughter. 

Later Ms. Rowlands got the actor's chance of a lifetime, acting in a film directed by her son, Nick. The Notebook (2004) is a real tear-jerker based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel. Allie, Ms. Rowland’s character, was once in love with Noah, a boy from a wealthy high society family. They part when he goes to fight in World War II, still much in love. He writes to her every day but his hateful mother intercepts all the letters and Allie becomes engaged to another man. But when she sees his picture in a newspaper story, she realizes she still loves him. Allie goes off the deep end and is institutionalized. Her memory comes and goes, but she manages to reunite with Noah. 

In Cassavetes’ far-out Faces (1968) Ms. Rowlands portrays Jeannie, a friend of Maria, whose marriage is dissolving. Another Cassavetes outing with Ms. Rowlands is the frenetic Minnie and Moscovitz (1971). She plays the title character, a museum curator with multiple romantic entanglements. 

Ms. Rowlands’ last appearance of note is as Violet Deveraux in The Skeleton Key (2005). She plays the matron of a decrepit southern mansion (haunted, of course). She does a good job but this one is not my cup of tea. If you like spooky, dig in.

All of the films in this article are available somewhere for streaming. All are for grown-ups. 

                                                      OTHER SPORTS- PART 2

As promised, here is the rest of my list of the best sports movies that are not about baseball. 

6. Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). Believe it or not, this is a movie that is based on an original television play.  Both were written by Paddy Chayefsky, one of the best.  Only a cut below Raging Bull, if that.  Anthony Quinn is excellent as the used and abused fighter, and Jackie Gleason is good as his manager, and user. Gleason was about the biggest TV star of them all when I was growing up. It seems almost unfair that he was also a very gifted actor! 

7. The Hustler (1961). This movie made Paul Newman a star and demonstrated that Jackie Gleason was more than a comedian. Loosely based on a true story, it is about a pool player who wants to beat the best and strike it rich.  This film is superbly shot in smoky black and white; color would ruin it. The character Gleason plays, the legendary Minnesota Fats, died at 82 but certainly lived to see the movies based loosely on his life.  The Color Of Money (1986) is a worthy successor, with Paul Newman now a middle-aged Fast Eddie Felson, mentor to Tom Cruise as his cocky student.

8. Heart Like a Wheel (1983) features Bonnie Bedelia as drag racer Shirley Muldowney.  This is as good a film as we have about a woman trying to make it in a man's world.  It is reasonably close to the facts of Muldowney's life. A superb antidote to the “girls can’t do that” crowd. Excellent action footage. Beau Bridges is fine as her husband.

9. White Men Can't Jump (1992). Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes having a big time as basketball hustlers, and throw in Rosie Perez as a Jeopardy hustler.  A funny story without much substance, it is just plain fun. 

10. Rocky (1976). Because Stallone cranked out so many sequels that the whole thing became sort of a national joke, you tend to forget just how good the first one was.  Rocky is the American hero story, about the little guy winning against impossible odds with a little luck and talent and a lot of hard work.  The wonderful theme music lives on. Forget the sequels.

Honorable Mention: Phar Lap (1983) horse racing; Semi-Tough (1977) football; The Harder They Fall (1956) boxing; The Longest Yard (1974) football; Hoosiers (1986) basketball;, Rudy (1993) football, This Sporting Life (1963) soccer, Invictus (2009) rugby.

All of the films in this column are available for streaming.  Google the title and click on “watch movie”. All are really for adult audiences. 

                                                                NOT JUST BASEBALL

Many of the best sports movies are set on the baseball diamond, but there are excellent films about other sports. Most of them are about that particular sport about like Forest Gump is about shrimping, but they make a fine basis for a good story. Here are my top five movies about “other sports.”

1. Chariots of Fire (1981). Deservedly won the Oscar.  Ben Cross and Ian Charleson are superb as Olympic runners.  It is about being the best, and about principles and priorities. It’s hard to imagine the princely Ben Cross, who died at 72,  as an Olympic-quality sprinter, but he was really good in this movie. Charleson portrays a devout Christian who refuses to compete on the sabbath. 

2. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993). Please watch this movie. Nobody much did when it came out, and it is a fabulous film about a child prodigy chess player,  what to do with gifted children and how to let them be children.  Lawrence Fishburne is great as a park speed player; Max Pomeranc is wonderful as the kid and Joe Mantegna does a nice turn as his dad. 

3. Breaking Away (1979). Bicycle racing? Why not. The quirky humor and good characterizations make this a fine film.  The underdog against the world story is as old as the movies, but usually works anyway and certainly does here. Dennis Christopher (whatever happened to him?) is good as the young bike racer, smitten by the glamour of the Italian grand prix team. Paul Dooley gives a career performance as his father and Barbara Barrie is very good as his mom.

4. Hoop Dreams (1994). There was quite a controversy when this splendid movie not only wasn't nominated as Best Picture but didn't even get nominated as Best Documentary.  They wuz robbed.  This is about two inner-city kids who dream of making it big in the NBA.  But it's really about dreams and families and making the best of things.  It follows the two main characters from elementary school into college. It is over three hours long but you'll never notice. 

5. Raging Bull (1980). With Martin Scorcese directing and Robert DeNiro acting, this is arguably the best boxing movie ever made.  Not for the faint of heart, as the fight scenes are graphic.  The story is about what men do to women and each other and what happens when you used to be famous.  The movie is shot in black and white, and it’s hard to imagine otherwise. An Oscar for DeNiro, at the absolute top of his game. 

More winners about other sports next time. All of the movies in this column are available  for streaming. Google the title and click on “watch movie”. The first three are fine for all ages; the rest are for mature audiences.

                                                                     Pedro Almodovar

                                                                 Part One

My friend Jim was pretty much a mainstream guy about most things. Like all of us, he had some quirks. Like Cuban music (!). And, he was just enamored with the films of Spanish director and screenwriter Pedro Almodovar. He could have done worse! Almodovar has churned out one strange but good film after another. Let’s look at some of his best.

Almodovar has won dozens of award for his screenplays. He even has an American Academy Award for his screenplay Talk To Her (2003). You can count on him for something out of the envelope and this one is way out. Benigno and Marco have a strange thing in common. Each is in love with a different woman who is hospitalized in a coma. Benigno convinces Marco  that he should constant talk to the unconscious Lydia because people in a coma can hear what is said to them even though they don’t appear to react at all. From there it gets, well, very complicated. Stick with it. You won’t think “that’s just like another movie I’ve seen”. 

One of the all-time great titles is Almodovar’s Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (1989). Antonio Banderas is well-known to American audiences and is the star of this off-kilter film. He portrays Ricky, a recently released mental patient who becomes obsessed with Marina, a star in questionable movies. Ricky breaks into her apartment and takes her captive, assuring her that she will fall in love with him. And guess what? She does! When her sister Lola finds where she is being held, Marina tells her she does not want to escape, that she is in love with her captor. 

Another great Almodovar title is Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown (1988). Pepa Marcos is one of these women. She is a television actress whose main work is dubbing Spanish in foreign movies. Her boyfriend Ivan has the same job, dubbing male parts. He tells her to pack his things, he is leaving. She thinks he means forever. Her friend Candela enters the plot, with all sorts of complications. There is spiked gazpacho, and an apparent Arab terrorist plot to hijack a plane. Do not expect me to explain this. Just go with it!

Perhaps the most accessible Almodovar film is the fairly recent Parallel Mothers (2021). Janis (Penelope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) meet at the hospital where both are delivering babies. Somehow their babies are switched and each departs with the other one’s baby. No one suspects anything until Arturo, who impregnated Janis, comes to see the baby and reacts strangely, saying he doesn’t think the baby is his. Janis conducts a DNA test which reveals she is not this baby’s mother. She runs into Ana who tearfully tells her that her baby is dead- crib death. What should Janis do?

So, if you decide to dive in, should you watch Almodovar films in any particular order. No. They’re all frenetic, weird and stand alone. All of the movies in this article are definitely for mature adults. The standard reaction after seeing one of them is to be puzzled but delighted. All of the films in this article are available for streaming, though few are free. Just Google the title and click on “watch movie”. Good luck!

                                                                      The Olympics In Film

Most everybody I talk to has been watching the Olympics from Paris. Last time, in Tokyo, it was during the pandemic and there were No Fans At All. It has been lots of fun and our American athletes have done so well. So it’s time for Mr. Movie to weigh in with the best movies that involve the Olympics.

I’ll start with the very best. Chariots Of Fire (1981) is a wonderful movie that won every award in sight. It deserved and won four Oscars, including Best Film. Ben Cross portrays Harold Abrahams, a Jewish student at Cambridge. He overcomes intense anti-semitism and is named to the 1924 British Olympics team. Ian Charleson portrays Eric Lidell, a devout Christian who stuns the world when he refuses to run on the Sabbath. The running shots and the celestial music by Vangelis are just great!

Miracle (2004) is about exactly that. The entire United States is transported into ecstacy when an underdog bunch of American college kids unite to take down the juggernaut  Russian squad, winner of four consecutive gold medals.  We hear Al Michaels’ famous call: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes”. Then they go on to win the gold medal by defeating heavily favored Finland. Kurt Russell is very good as Herb Brooks, the legendary American coach. Patricia Clarkson, good as always, plays Herb’s wife.

Munich (2005) goes well beyond the closing ceremony, but is a dramatic film about revenge and redemption. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, 11 Israeli athletes are systematically murdered by Black September, a Palestinian terrorist group. Two are killed at first. After 9 of the Israelis are taken hostage and we hoped against hope, they were all killed. I still remember Jim McKay saying: “They’re all gone. Every one.” The story does not end there, as most of the movie covers the action of Mossad and its cohorts tracking down and killing every known Palestinian participant. 

Icarus (2017) won Best Documentary at the 2014 Academy Awards. Brian Fogel, a talented American cyclist, begins a study of athletic doping. He befriends and works with Grigory Rodchenkov, head of Russian testing. The Russian turns on his bosses and defects to America. He and Fogel disclose the Russians’ total and complete doping of their athletes, revealing how they do it and have been doing it for many years. The Russian goes into Witness Protection and the Russian government denies any knowledge of the scandal. What a surprise!

The Boys In The Boat (2023) is one of the best books I’ve ever read about sports. It details the University of Washington rowing team competing for gold at the 1936 Olympics. The movie, alas, is just so-so. What a waste! The movie isn’t bad, it’s just mediocre and could have been so great. Oh well. Read the book!

I am also recommending Tokyo Olympiad (1965), a Japanese doc about as good as it gets in filming the games. Some might like Hitler’s Olympics (2016) a good doc about how Jesse Owens and others spoiled the 1936 Olympics for The Fuherher.

The first two films herein are fine for all ages. The rest are for adults. All of these films are available for streaming, most at a price.  Google the title and click on “watch movie”. 

                                                                 Shelley Duvall

She was no great beauty. In fact, when someone said “Popeye” you would immediately think “Olive Oyl”. She was reluctant to play that part in the Popeye movie, having been teased with the name in school. And yet, who else would you casr?

Popeye (1980), like so many films made from comic strip characters, is just sort of okay. Robin Williams is fine as the legendary sailor, and those familiar with the comics will recognize Wimpy, Bluto, Sweet Pea and Pappy. Shelley Duvall simply IS Olive Oyl, and she does justice to the skinny heroine. The story meanders around and finally ends on Scab Island, with Popeye being saved by, of course, spinach. 

Shelley Duvall’s first important role was as L.A. Joan in Robert Altman’s Nashville (1977). She went on to become a part of Altman’s stable of quality actors. This film is Altman’s brilliant snapshot of America. It is unlike anything before or since. It’s a crazy quilt of seemingly unrelated incidents, with a great ensemble cast (Keith Carradine, Henry Gibson, Karen Black, Geraldine Chaplin, Lily Tomlin), which somehow coalesce into a picture of how we were and how we are. A combination political rally and country music show is the backdrop.

Ms. Duvall had a minor role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977). She is Pam, a friend of the couple. Diane Keaton is super as the title character, and Woody, as Alvy Singer,  shambles through the thing playing himself. As usual, Woody is a mess saved by women. The kooky clothing Ms. Keaton wore became a fad for a while. Ms. Keaton won the Best Actress Oscar and the film won three more statues including Best Picture.  Woody was nominated, but alas was bested by Richard Drefuss for The Goodbye Girl.

Shelley Duvall is so very good in Altman’s Three Women (1980). She is Millie, the self-absorbed, talky center of the film. She won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her performance. The story is supposedly derived from a dream Altman had. I believe that. The film also stars Sissy Spacek and Janice Rule as the other two women. They all live in a dusty western town, and their interactions shift and change as the film progresses. It is more than a little strange; not to all tastes but vintage Altman.

The Shining (1980) pretty much belongs to Jack Nicholson, totally scary as Jack Torrance, a sometimes writer hired as caretaker in a spooky mountain hotel. Shelley Duvall portrays Wendy, Jack’s long suffering wife. Jack slides into madness and tries to trap and murder his wife and son. Jack comes after them with an axe, shattering the door and uttering the now-famous line “Here’s Johnny!”. Wendy and her son somehow escape her now murderous and crazy husband, fleeing on a snow mobile and leaving Jack to freeze. 

All of the movies in this article are available to stream somewhere. Google the title and click on “watch movie”. All of these films are for grown-ups.

                                                           Zoos

    The biggest natural habitat zoo in the world is right here in my county! So of course Mr. Movie should go on a safari to round up movies about zoos. So he did. With, I’m afraid, very mixed results. Let’s begin by saying there are around 50 movies that fit this category. Over 40 aren’t very good. On with the show!

     We Bought A Zoo (2017) is just so good-natured and fun that you have to like it. It is, strangely, based on a memoir by the guy who actually did buy a zoo. Matt Damon plays a widowed father (Benjamin Mee) of teen-agers, and the whole family is despondent without their wife and mother. Looking for a new residence, they find the perfect house and decide to buy it, even though they also have to buy the zoo that goes with the property. The zoo needs major repairs and money to make them. Stay tuned for a very happy ending!

The next two films fall under the “apologizing for zoos” category. Harambe (2023) is a documentary that’s hard to take. A little boy falls into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. The gorilla never harms the child but seems to most to be taking care of him. The kid is rescued without injury. The gorilla, Harambe, is shot dead. The films opens a who can of worms about wild animals kept in enclosures. An Apology To Elephants (2013) is another documentary. This one details the mistreatment of our largest land animals. I don’t think our zoo’s elephants would fit here at all; they seem to have pretty good lives. 

Zoo (2017) also features an elephant. This one lives in the Belfast zoo and is terrorized by bombing all around the zoo. Several teen-agers decide to rescue the elephant (Buster) and keep it in a back yard. Yep. Really happened! How do you keep an elephant hidden? Well, it ain’t easy!

The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017) is also based on a true story. During Word War II the keeper of the Warsaw Zoo and his wife use the zoo to hide Jews from the Nazis. The Nazis systematically slaughter all the animals, but the keepers use the empty cages and habitats to hide escaping Jews. The Zabrinskas rescued over 300 Jews, and after Hitler’s surrender they rebuilt the Warsaw Zoo.

This falls in the “not as good as the book” category. Zoo (2015-17) is a tv streamer based on James Patterson’s book of the same name. The book is one of his best, a page-turning thriller. The tv series is just ok. So- what if all the animals in the world, in zoos and wild, suddenly turned into people killers? 

Only We Bought A Zoo and the 2017 Zoo are ok for kids. Most of these are available somewhere. Click around!

                                                             Donald Sutherland

                                                                 Part 3

    Herewith the last column on Donald Sutherland films. No, that isn’t all of his good roles, I just picked 15 I liked.

Max Dugan Returns (1983) is a whimsical tale of separation and love and Jason Robards has the title role, playing the estranged father of Nora McPhee (Marsha Mason).  Nora is a schoolteacher mom just barely getting by. Max shows up on her doorstep, having served a long prison sentence and then disappeared for six more years. He is flush with cash he has stolen from the mob, and proceeds to refurnish Nora’s home and bestow other gifts. She resists for a while but ultimately gives in to his largesse. Donald Sutherland has a fairly minor turn as Brian Costello. Son Kiefer debuts as a school kid.  As always, the Neil Simon screenplay delivers mirth and good feelings. 

Outbreak (1995) is a visionary,  fictional prediction of the ebola virus which scared the *^%# out of us in 2014. In this film the deadly virus is called Motaba and it sounds a lot like ebola. The outbreak spreads by accident and by misadventure and the army is called in. Donald Sutherland plays General McClintock, a totally loathsome character who tries to keep the virus around to use as a chemical weapon. Yikes!

A Time To Kill (1996) is a superb courtroom film based on the John Grisham novel. Carl Lee Hailey’s (Samuel L. Jackson) little daughter is abducted and raped by two white men. Realizing the perpetrators will never be punished in Mississippi, Car Lee guns them down. He is defended by Jake Brigance (Matthew McConahy), aided by his elderly mentor Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland). Jake tries to get Carl Lee to plead to second degree murder to prevent a death sentence, but Carl Lee refuses and the case goes to the all white jury. 

Pride And Prejudice (2005) has been filmed several times and Jane Austen’s story just gets better. In this one, Donald Sutherland portrays Mr. Bennett, father of five daughters. Their mother schemes and plots to secure “good matches”. Keira Knightley shines as Elizabeth, the main character. Unknown Matthew Mcfadyen is just fine as Mr. Darcy, scorned suitor of Elizabeth, but who won’t give up. There are numerous plot twists before getting to the satisfying finale. 

The Hunger Games became quite a franchise in the 2000's. From the original in 2012 through Catching Fire, Mockingjay 1 and 2 and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2023 these films were very successful, especially with young people. Donald Sutherland is cast as President Snow, who presides over and directs the games. Every year the 12 districts send a boy and a girl as tribute, and they all fight each other until only one survives. Katniss Everdeen is the signature girl character, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence. The first three entries set box office records. The last one is actually a prequel, and Sutherland appears in it only by archival footage. 

    All of these films are for grown-ups. Netflix has The Hunger Games. For the others, Google the title and click on watch movie.