COURTROOMS
Hollywood loves courtroom stories, (1) because the sets are cheap and (2) because Americans must love them too- after all there’s a whole cable channel devoted to nothing else. Picking the best courtroom movies is hard (but fun!)
Inherit The Wind (1960), with Spencer Tracy as the great Clarence Darrow and Frederic March as the great William Jennings Bryan, is a wonder. Schoolteacher John Scopes is on trial for teaching evolution. The dialogue is brilliantly sharp. This is an issue we’re still fighting about, and this great film sets the stage well.
Witness For The Prosecution (1957), directed by the legendary Billy Wilder from an Agatha Christie play, features Charles Laughton as a barrister defending Tyrone Power for murder. Marlene Dietrich, John Williams and Elsa Lanchester complete a stellar cast. This taut London courtroom thriller twists and turns deliciously, with a surprise that will knock your socks and shoes off!
My Cousin Vinny (1992) certainly is not a great movie, but certainly is a great deal of fun. Joe Pesci is one of the worst (and assuredly the worst-dressed!) lawyers in North America. He heads for the Deep South with girlfriend (and Oscar winner) Marisa Tomei in tow to defend his nephew and a friend in Judge Fred Gwynn’s court. The culture clash couldn’t be louder, or funnier.
One of Tom Hanks’ Oscar-winning roles is as a lawyer released from his top-notch job because he is HIV positive, in Philadelphia (1993). Denzel Washington is excellent as an ambulance chasing shyster, but the only lawyer who will take Mr. Hanks’ case when he decides to sue over his firing.
In 1959, Anatomy of a Murder was a huge financial and critical success, and it holds up well today. Long (160 minutes) but worth it, it stars James Stewart as the sly, folksy defense lawyer. An impossibly young Ben Gazzarra is the defendant, Lee Remick his wife, and Joseph Welch (yes, the real lawyer from the Army-McCarthy hearings) is the judge. Also on board are Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, Orson Bean, and George C. Scott. This film features a defense that was quite controversial at the time (no, I’m not going to tell you; you’ll have to see for yourself).
One of my best 2016 sleepers was the under appreciated Denial. American author Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) has her lecture on the Holocaust loudly interrupted by a very combative David Irving (Timothy Spall). He then sues her in an English court for libel, as she has publicly called him a Holocaust denier. In England the burden of proof in a libel case is on the one who published the statement, not the other way around. Much of the film takes place in the courtroom, but there is plenty of outside footage, including a harrowing trip to Auschwitz. Tom Wilkinson has a fine role as Lipstadt’s British lawyer. Spall is hateful and splendid.
Other courtroom films worth a look include The Caine Mutiny (1954), To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), Compulsion (1959) and A Few Good Men (1992). All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
###
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
BEST OF THE BARD
As best as I can tell, there are about 250 movies of Shakespeare’s plays. Here’s one man’s vote for the very best.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) is about the most fun of any Shakespearian movie. It was produced and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars along with his then-wife Emma Thompson. Also along for the ride are Denzel Washington, Keanu Reaves, Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale (her first part!). The plot is a wonderful mish-mash of mistaken identities, mistaken partnering, and much hilarity. You could not do better for an introduction to the Bard than this film. And it so happens that 20 years later (2013) we had a new version, spiffed up and modern, but pretty good. But featuring actors even I never heard of!
There are at least a dozen adaptations of Hamlet. But my money is on the splendid 1948 version with the iconic Lawrence Olivier as the prince torn by indecision over revenge and love. This British film has a fine ensemble cast you’ve never heard of and cuts about two hours off the usual running time. But-well- there is Olivier and no one does Hamlet better. And, there is an Oscar for Best Movie to boot!
There are a double handful of movies featuring the star-struck and doomed teen-age lovers, Romeo And Juliet. It seems to me that many casting directors don’t pay attention to the fact that these were really young people (Juliet was 14), and so my vote goes to the 1968 Franco Zefferelli version staring unknowns Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. (The film didn’t seem to be a launching pad for either of these kids.) It drips with romance as it should and there’s not a dry eye in the house at the end.
There are two great versions of the martial favorite Henry V. Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 version is very good. But I have to vote for the 1946 version with the redoubtable Lawrence Olivier. This play has great lines and when Henry urges on the British at Agincourt, you are ready to take up arms against the villainous French!
My final Shakespearian vote goes to the brilliant 1995 version of Richard III. Ian McKellan has the title role and is wonderfully villainous. This version is set at the time of World War II and if McKellan reminds you of another dictator with a funny moustache, that’s as it should be. A glorious supporting cast includes Annette Bening, Robert Downey Junior, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Since Elizabethan-era English can be difficult to follow, may I suggest using the wonderful subtitle feature when viewing the Bard’s best. I don’t think I could understand the dialog very well without this.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. Much Ado is suitable for all ages; the rest are for grown-ups.
###
As best as I can tell, there are about 250 movies of Shakespeare’s plays. Here’s one man’s vote for the very best.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) is about the most fun of any Shakespearian movie. It was produced and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars along with his then-wife Emma Thompson. Also along for the ride are Denzel Washington, Keanu Reaves, Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale (her first part!). The plot is a wonderful mish-mash of mistaken identities, mistaken partnering, and much hilarity. You could not do better for an introduction to the Bard than this film. And it so happens that 20 years later (2013) we had a new version, spiffed up and modern, but pretty good. But featuring actors even I never heard of!
There are at least a dozen adaptations of Hamlet. But my money is on the splendid 1948 version with the iconic Lawrence Olivier as the prince torn by indecision over revenge and love. This British film has a fine ensemble cast you’ve never heard of and cuts about two hours off the usual running time. But-well- there is Olivier and no one does Hamlet better. And, there is an Oscar for Best Movie to boot!
There are a double handful of movies featuring the star-struck and doomed teen-age lovers, Romeo And Juliet. It seems to me that many casting directors don’t pay attention to the fact that these were really young people (Juliet was 14), and so my vote goes to the 1968 Franco Zefferelli version staring unknowns Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. (The film didn’t seem to be a launching pad for either of these kids.) It drips with romance as it should and there’s not a dry eye in the house at the end.
There are two great versions of the martial favorite Henry V. Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 version is very good. But I have to vote for the 1946 version with the redoubtable Lawrence Olivier. This play has great lines and when Henry urges on the British at Agincourt, you are ready to take up arms against the villainous French!
My final Shakespearian vote goes to the brilliant 1995 version of Richard III. Ian McKellan has the title role and is wonderfully villainous. This version is set at the time of World War II and if McKellan reminds you of another dictator with a funny moustache, that’s as it should be. A glorious supporting cast includes Annette Bening, Robert Downey Junior, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Since Elizabethan-era English can be difficult to follow, may I suggest using the wonderful subtitle feature when viewing the Bard’s best. I don’t think I could understand the dialog very well without this.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. Much Ado is suitable for all ages; the rest are for grown-ups.
###
Sunday, May 14, 2017
2016 Sleepers
Part 5
Good grief, a friend muttered. Can you possibly have any more good 2016 sleepers? Well, yes, as a matter of fact I do.
I’m not usually a Jim Jarmusch fan. I have struggled through several of his films, awarding them anywhere from 3 to 6 (out of 10). But I just really liked Paterson. Adam Driver is a city bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. Every day he walks to work, gets on his bus, does his route and goes home. Then he walks his wife’s bulldog and stops at the local bar for a beer. But he is always listening to conversations around him, and he takes notes and writes poems. They are pretty bad. Once in a while he hits a really nice line, but usually not. Something happens to his poetry and I won’t spoil that plot device, and the very cool finish. Certainly not for everyone, Paterson is a true sleeper.
Gleason is a documentary that is frankly hard to take. It reminded me of an old ad for a children’s hospital: “Don’t look if you can’t stand the sight of courage.” Steve Gleason was a celebrated defensive back for the New Orleans Saints. A few years after retirement, he developed ALS (Lou Gherig’s Disease), becoming one of many former football players afflicted with problems of the brain. This film takes us from the onset of the problem all the way through to the end. Gleason’s courage is heart-warming, but also gut-wrenching.
Hunt For The Wilder-People is billed as a New Zealand adventure comedy-drama. I could not have said it any better. Left an orphan, Ricky goes to live with foster mother Bella and her taciturn husband Hec. Bella dies, and the child welfare people want Ricky back. Neither he nor Hec are keen on this, so they take to the woods and for most of the movie hide out from the authorities and meet interesting people. Aussie Sam Neill is good as Hec and newcomer Julian Dennison is just fine as Ricky.
Japan’s Studio Ghibli, home of the marvelous anime films, produced the splendid The Red Turtle, a gentle fairy tale about people marooned on an island. The red turtle morphs into a beautiful girl. She and the guy conceive a son, who wants to set off and see the world. After a terrible storm destroys the island’s forest, the lad eventually sails away. The man and woman grow old together and there’s a heart-catching ending.
Julieta is Spanish Grand Master Pedro Almodovar’s 20th film and he is in fine fettle here. The film is based on three chapter’s of Alice Munro’s book, Runaway. The wonderful Ariana Ugarte shines as the title character. She may or may not have indirectly caused the death of her husband (you decide). In any event, this causes her daughter’s complete estrangement. Julieta spends the movie trying to re-establish contact with the daughter, only to be repulsed at every turn. There is a semi-happy Almodovar ending that sort of leaves you guessing.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Part 5
Good grief, a friend muttered. Can you possibly have any more good 2016 sleepers? Well, yes, as a matter of fact I do.
I’m not usually a Jim Jarmusch fan. I have struggled through several of his films, awarding them anywhere from 3 to 6 (out of 10). But I just really liked Paterson. Adam Driver is a city bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. Every day he walks to work, gets on his bus, does his route and goes home. Then he walks his wife’s bulldog and stops at the local bar for a beer. But he is always listening to conversations around him, and he takes notes and writes poems. They are pretty bad. Once in a while he hits a really nice line, but usually not. Something happens to his poetry and I won’t spoil that plot device, and the very cool finish. Certainly not for everyone, Paterson is a true sleeper.
Gleason is a documentary that is frankly hard to take. It reminded me of an old ad for a children’s hospital: “Don’t look if you can’t stand the sight of courage.” Steve Gleason was a celebrated defensive back for the New Orleans Saints. A few years after retirement, he developed ALS (Lou Gherig’s Disease), becoming one of many former football players afflicted with problems of the brain. This film takes us from the onset of the problem all the way through to the end. Gleason’s courage is heart-warming, but also gut-wrenching.
Hunt For The Wilder-People is billed as a New Zealand adventure comedy-drama. I could not have said it any better. Left an orphan, Ricky goes to live with foster mother Bella and her taciturn husband Hec. Bella dies, and the child welfare people want Ricky back. Neither he nor Hec are keen on this, so they take to the woods and for most of the movie hide out from the authorities and meet interesting people. Aussie Sam Neill is good as Hec and newcomer Julian Dennison is just fine as Ricky.
Japan’s Studio Ghibli, home of the marvelous anime films, produced the splendid The Red Turtle, a gentle fairy tale about people marooned on an island. The red turtle morphs into a beautiful girl. She and the guy conceive a son, who wants to set off and see the world. After a terrible storm destroys the island’s forest, the lad eventually sails away. The man and woman grow old together and there’s a heart-catching ending.
Julieta is Spanish Grand Master Pedro Almodovar’s 20th film and he is in fine fettle here. The film is based on three chapter’s of Alice Munro’s book, Runaway. The wonderful Ariana Ugarte shines as the title character. She may or may not have indirectly caused the death of her husband (you decide). In any event, this causes her daughter’s complete estrangement. Julieta spends the movie trying to re-establish contact with the daughter, only to be repulsed at every turn. There is a semi-happy Almodovar ending that sort of leaves you guessing.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
JONATHAN DEMME
He directed one of the scariest, most tension-filled films of all time, and won an Oscar for his efforts. He turned sweet but competent Jodie Foster into a perfect vulnerable, albeit capable, FBI agent. And he turned beloved play-anything Anthony Hopkins into one of the scariest screen villains ever. Yep, Jonathan Demme was a consummate pro and showed it in The Silence Of The Lambs (1991). Disclaimer- Do Not Watch This Movie By Yourself! Never has the line, “I’m having him for lunch” had such a dreadful meaning.
Jonathan Demme died recently at 73. He had a lot of good films left in him, I’m sure. But his legacy is very good indeed.
Melvin And Howard (1980) displays Mr. Demme’s comedy chops in a most engaging way. Jason Robards plays the mysterious, irascible Howard Hughes. Hughes wrecks his motorcycle and is rescued by Melvin Dummar (Paul Le Mat), a good-old-boy from Texas. He has no idea who Hughes is until much later. After Hughes’ death, a will shows up at Melvin’s workplace in which he inherits a piece of the Hughes estate. A lawsuit follows (what a surprise!). Dabney Coleman is appropriately nasty as the trial judge. The film is based on a true story. The real life Melvin never got a dime from the Hughes estate.
There have been many movies involving the AIDS epidemic. But to my mind, Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia (1993) is the polar star. Tom Hanks as Andrew Beckett is the afflicted attorney in a big Philadelphia law firm. On discovering his condition, he is let go by the bigoted partners, after drumming up a fake missed deadline. The only lawyer he can find who will take his case is Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) a street lawyer just shy of being an ambulance chaser. The partners testify at the trial that Beckett was incompetent and AIDs had nothing to do with his firing. I will reveal nothing further!
The 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate is different, and very close to as good, as Jonathan Demme’s 1994 version. You won’t go wrong with either (what a great double feature they would be!). The earlier black and white version with Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey is really good. And so is the 1994 outing with Denzel Washington and Liev Schrieber. The story involves the brainwashing of an American POW by the evil Chinese so that he becomes a walking death machine. The ending of both films will leave you breathless.
Somewhat lesser, but still very enjoyable, works by Jonathan Demme include Rachel Getting Married (2008) with Oscar-nominated Anne Hathaway as the family black sheep, recently released from rehab for her sister’s wedding. And, finally, there is the whimsical Ricki And The Flash (2015) with Meryl Streep. She abandoned her family to become a rock star and wants to make amends. This was Mr. Demme’s last film.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
He directed one of the scariest, most tension-filled films of all time, and won an Oscar for his efforts. He turned sweet but competent Jodie Foster into a perfect vulnerable, albeit capable, FBI agent. And he turned beloved play-anything Anthony Hopkins into one of the scariest screen villains ever. Yep, Jonathan Demme was a consummate pro and showed it in The Silence Of The Lambs (1991). Disclaimer- Do Not Watch This Movie By Yourself! Never has the line, “I’m having him for lunch” had such a dreadful meaning.
Jonathan Demme died recently at 73. He had a lot of good films left in him, I’m sure. But his legacy is very good indeed.
Melvin And Howard (1980) displays Mr. Demme’s comedy chops in a most engaging way. Jason Robards plays the mysterious, irascible Howard Hughes. Hughes wrecks his motorcycle and is rescued by Melvin Dummar (Paul Le Mat), a good-old-boy from Texas. He has no idea who Hughes is until much later. After Hughes’ death, a will shows up at Melvin’s workplace in which he inherits a piece of the Hughes estate. A lawsuit follows (what a surprise!). Dabney Coleman is appropriately nasty as the trial judge. The film is based on a true story. The real life Melvin never got a dime from the Hughes estate.
There have been many movies involving the AIDS epidemic. But to my mind, Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia (1993) is the polar star. Tom Hanks as Andrew Beckett is the afflicted attorney in a big Philadelphia law firm. On discovering his condition, he is let go by the bigoted partners, after drumming up a fake missed deadline. The only lawyer he can find who will take his case is Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) a street lawyer just shy of being an ambulance chaser. The partners testify at the trial that Beckett was incompetent and AIDs had nothing to do with his firing. I will reveal nothing further!
The 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate is different, and very close to as good, as Jonathan Demme’s 1994 version. You won’t go wrong with either (what a great double feature they would be!). The earlier black and white version with Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey is really good. And so is the 1994 outing with Denzel Washington and Liev Schrieber. The story involves the brainwashing of an American POW by the evil Chinese so that he becomes a walking death machine. The ending of both films will leave you breathless.
Somewhat lesser, but still very enjoyable, works by Jonathan Demme include Rachel Getting Married (2008) with Oscar-nominated Anne Hathaway as the family black sheep, recently released from rehab for her sister’s wedding. And, finally, there is the whimsical Ricki And The Flash (2015) with Meryl Streep. She abandoned her family to become a rock star and wants to make amends. This was Mr. Demme’s last film.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
2016 SLEEPERS
Part 4
Here are five more pretty good movies from last year that didn’t get much attention. Perhaps you will find one you would like to try...
Miss Sloane is a cautionary tale for our times. Jessica Chastain plays a very rough and unprincipled lobbyist. She refuses to work for the passage of a gun control bill and instead works for its defeat. She is hailed before a Congressional committee alleging improper practices. She has to decide whether to take the fall and take down a crooked Senator, which means her own indictment. This is Chastain’s film and she carries it well, assisted by veteran John Lithgow and newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw. (No, I did not make up that name).
Mustangs is a strange but entertaining French-Turkish collaboration about a strict Muslim family with five young daughters. A couple of them have a lark playing in the water with some boys, completely innocently, but this results in their virtual house imprisonment. But these are feisty girls and they try various methods to fight against their lot, including sneaking out to meet boys. The plot gets a little complicated because there are so many stories, but there’s a nice ending twist involving two of the sisters.
The Family Fang features Nicole Kidman, Jason Bateman and Christopher Walken in a very weird film about a very weird family. The parents enjoy putting on “performance art” pieces, in which they try to fool onlookers. Later the children are drafted to add to the fun. They fake robbing a bank, giving a concert, and other crazy things. Then the children disappear and leave graphic evidence they were abducted and killed. But is it just more performance art? This film is much stranger than I have outlined here, but I think probably worth it.
Don’t Think Twice is a very fun movie about an improv comedy troupe. Their performances are worth the price of admission, as they are all very clever and extremely quick-witted and funny. Their signature opening line to the audience is, “Has anyone had particularly bad day?” And they riff on the audience response. There is no one in this film I’ve ever heard of, but that could be a plus! What happens when one of the group is auditioned for a role on Saturday Night Live? Watch and see!
City Of Gold is a very entertaining documentary about Los Angeles food critic Jonathan Gold. Contrary to most food critics’ approach, Gold makes no secret of his identity (it wouldn’t work anyway- just look at him!). He samples all sorts of interesting cuisine in his home city and takes us along. He is, I think, the only food critic to ever win the Pulitzer Prize.
Well, I realize on looking back that this is an extremely unusual bunch of movies, all of them far from the mainstream. But-I enjoyed each one or I wouldn’t be telling you about them!
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. The last one is OK for kids, but I doubt they would like it.
Part 4
Here are five more pretty good movies from last year that didn’t get much attention. Perhaps you will find one you would like to try...
Miss Sloane is a cautionary tale for our times. Jessica Chastain plays a very rough and unprincipled lobbyist. She refuses to work for the passage of a gun control bill and instead works for its defeat. She is hailed before a Congressional committee alleging improper practices. She has to decide whether to take the fall and take down a crooked Senator, which means her own indictment. This is Chastain’s film and she carries it well, assisted by veteran John Lithgow and newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw. (No, I did not make up that name).
Mustangs is a strange but entertaining French-Turkish collaboration about a strict Muslim family with five young daughters. A couple of them have a lark playing in the water with some boys, completely innocently, but this results in their virtual house imprisonment. But these are feisty girls and they try various methods to fight against their lot, including sneaking out to meet boys. The plot gets a little complicated because there are so many stories, but there’s a nice ending twist involving two of the sisters.
The Family Fang features Nicole Kidman, Jason Bateman and Christopher Walken in a very weird film about a very weird family. The parents enjoy putting on “performance art” pieces, in which they try to fool onlookers. Later the children are drafted to add to the fun. They fake robbing a bank, giving a concert, and other crazy things. Then the children disappear and leave graphic evidence they were abducted and killed. But is it just more performance art? This film is much stranger than I have outlined here, but I think probably worth it.
Don’t Think Twice is a very fun movie about an improv comedy troupe. Their performances are worth the price of admission, as they are all very clever and extremely quick-witted and funny. Their signature opening line to the audience is, “Has anyone had particularly bad day?” And they riff on the audience response. There is no one in this film I’ve ever heard of, but that could be a plus! What happens when one of the group is auditioned for a role on Saturday Night Live? Watch and see!
City Of Gold is a very entertaining documentary about Los Angeles food critic Jonathan Gold. Contrary to most food critics’ approach, Gold makes no secret of his identity (it wouldn’t work anyway- just look at him!). He samples all sorts of interesting cuisine in his home city and takes us along. He is, I think, the only food critic to ever win the Pulitzer Prize.
Well, I realize on looking back that this is an extremely unusual bunch of movies, all of them far from the mainstream. But-I enjoyed each one or I wouldn’t be telling you about them!
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. The last one is OK for kids, but I doubt they would like it.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
CHARLES DICKENS
I wondered how many films had been made from the works of Charles Dickens, perhaps the greatest story-teller who ever wrote. Would you believe more than 50? Would you believe that Mr. Movie can pull the very best ones up for you? But of course.
Let’s start with Oliver Twist (1948) with Alec Guiness as Fagin and Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger. It’s the best of several versions. Roman Polanski’s 2005 version with Ben Kingsley as Fagin is not even close. I thought Polanski was a little nuts to even try a remake, and sure enough it is a tepid failure.
And then there’s the wonderful Oliver! (1968), a musical version that won Best Movie and five other Oscars. It features Mark Lester as Oliver, Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger, Ron Moody as Fagin and a menacing Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes. If you haven’t seen at least one of these films about the beloved orphan, your life really isn’t complete.
Of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, I vote for the 1951 version, which delightfully crams the story into 86 minutes and features Alistair Sim as the best Scrooge ever. Beware colorization of this classic and stay away from the dreadful modernized version, Scrooged (1988)
As well-loved (and well-known) is Dicken’s autobiographical masterpiece, David Copperfield. PBS has had at least two versions, both excellent, and the format of a mini-series is a good one for this rather long tale. But the 1935 Hollywood version is splendid, with W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber, Basil Rathbone as Mr. Murdstone, Freddie Bartholomew as the young David, and Robert Young as the loathsome Uriah Heep.
Nicholas Nickleby is Dickens’ scathing and moving revelation of 19th century British orphanages. There’s a 1982 Royal Shakespeare Company version that ran on PBS and can be found on DVD that’s one of the best things I ever saw. It has Roger Rees as Nicholas, Ben Kingsley as Squeers and an incredibly young (and hateful) Timothy Spall as young Wackford. So imagine my amazement when the Brits remade Nicholas in 2002, and did a bang-up job. When Nicholas joins a travelling theater company containing more hams than a Chicago slaughterhouse you’ll laugh, and when he helps the stricken Smike you may shed a tear.
Great Expectations features the intrepid Pip trying to make his way in a very hostile world. A modern version (1998) with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t too bad, but the 1946 version with John Mills, Finlay Currie and Alec Guiness is one of the finest movies of a Dickens work.
Also definitely worth a look are the 1935 version of A Tale of Two Cities with heart throb Ronald Coleman, and the episodic and loveable Pickwick Papers (1954).
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are fine for 8 and up.
I wondered how many films had been made from the works of Charles Dickens, perhaps the greatest story-teller who ever wrote. Would you believe more than 50? Would you believe that Mr. Movie can pull the very best ones up for you? But of course.
Let’s start with Oliver Twist (1948) with Alec Guiness as Fagin and Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger. It’s the best of several versions. Roman Polanski’s 2005 version with Ben Kingsley as Fagin is not even close. I thought Polanski was a little nuts to even try a remake, and sure enough it is a tepid failure.
And then there’s the wonderful Oliver! (1968), a musical version that won Best Movie and five other Oscars. It features Mark Lester as Oliver, Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger, Ron Moody as Fagin and a menacing Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes. If you haven’t seen at least one of these films about the beloved orphan, your life really isn’t complete.
Of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, I vote for the 1951 version, which delightfully crams the story into 86 minutes and features Alistair Sim as the best Scrooge ever. Beware colorization of this classic and stay away from the dreadful modernized version, Scrooged (1988)
As well-loved (and well-known) is Dicken’s autobiographical masterpiece, David Copperfield. PBS has had at least two versions, both excellent, and the format of a mini-series is a good one for this rather long tale. But the 1935 Hollywood version is splendid, with W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber, Basil Rathbone as Mr. Murdstone, Freddie Bartholomew as the young David, and Robert Young as the loathsome Uriah Heep.
Nicholas Nickleby is Dickens’ scathing and moving revelation of 19th century British orphanages. There’s a 1982 Royal Shakespeare Company version that ran on PBS and can be found on DVD that’s one of the best things I ever saw. It has Roger Rees as Nicholas, Ben Kingsley as Squeers and an incredibly young (and hateful) Timothy Spall as young Wackford. So imagine my amazement when the Brits remade Nicholas in 2002, and did a bang-up job. When Nicholas joins a travelling theater company containing more hams than a Chicago slaughterhouse you’ll laugh, and when he helps the stricken Smike you may shed a tear.
Great Expectations features the intrepid Pip trying to make his way in a very hostile world. A modern version (1998) with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t too bad, but the 1946 version with John Mills, Finlay Currie and Alec Guiness is one of the finest movies of a Dickens work.
Also definitely worth a look are the 1935 version of A Tale of Two Cities with heart throb Ronald Coleman, and the episodic and loveable Pickwick Papers (1954).
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are fine for 8 and up.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
2016 Sleepers
Part 3
Herewith the third batch of really good movies that flew well under most radars last year.
Perhaps stop motion animation is an acquired taste. Those of you old enough might remember the wretched Mr. Bill from Saturday Night Live, a crude example of the process. Believe it or not, stop motion is filmed by moving the figures a tiny bit between each shot until the result flows seamlessly. The French-Swiss My Life As A Zucchini is a superb example. It is about a little boy who accidently causes his mother’s death, goes to live in an orphanage and meets other kids like him. He has adventures including falling in love with a little girl and winning the heart of a policeman. I urge you give this a try. And stay with it past the end when the producers show how stop motion is achieved.
Over 50 years ago, in 1964, Kitty Genovese was murdered in a New York alley. News stories at the time, and forever after, insisted that at least 38 people witnessed the slaying and nobody did anything. Kitty’s brother Bill doesn’t believe that’s the way it was and he sets out to find out for himself in Witness, a fascinating documentary. Bill interviews as many people as he can find who were around at the time, including the killer. The film features Bill’s interviews, and archival footage of Kitty and of the media coverage. The result will surprise you!
Think of all those pols who step down beside a martyred wife in order to “spend more time with my family.” Andrew Weiner was once one of the rising stars in the Democratic party. A liberal congressman with wit and moxie, he frequently appeared on MSNBC and other news outlets. And then he posted a picture of his private parts and it went viral. Weiner is the story of this bright but twisted politician who ruined himself and finished his career. It seems like there’s a lot of this going around, but this documentary gets as close to the story as possible.
Mia Madre is an Italian film about a female movie director (Margherita Buy) trying to make a film about a factory strike. She is beset by many problems. There’s a balky American actor (John Turturo), a dying mother, an estranged daughter and a resentful brother. I think the film wants you to ask if a man would have handled the situation any differently (or better). A good look at a woman making the best of a lot of hard choices.
Finally, there is old pro Susan Sarandon at the absolute top of her game as The Meddler. Rose Byrne plays her quite capable and fully mature daughter, but she is about all that is left in her mother’s life and the mom just can’t stop-well-meddling. The film is funny and touching in many ways.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Part 3
Herewith the third batch of really good movies that flew well under most radars last year.
Perhaps stop motion animation is an acquired taste. Those of you old enough might remember the wretched Mr. Bill from Saturday Night Live, a crude example of the process. Believe it or not, stop motion is filmed by moving the figures a tiny bit between each shot until the result flows seamlessly. The French-Swiss My Life As A Zucchini is a superb example. It is about a little boy who accidently causes his mother’s death, goes to live in an orphanage and meets other kids like him. He has adventures including falling in love with a little girl and winning the heart of a policeman. I urge you give this a try. And stay with it past the end when the producers show how stop motion is achieved.
Over 50 years ago, in 1964, Kitty Genovese was murdered in a New York alley. News stories at the time, and forever after, insisted that at least 38 people witnessed the slaying and nobody did anything. Kitty’s brother Bill doesn’t believe that’s the way it was and he sets out to find out for himself in Witness, a fascinating documentary. Bill interviews as many people as he can find who were around at the time, including the killer. The film features Bill’s interviews, and archival footage of Kitty and of the media coverage. The result will surprise you!
Think of all those pols who step down beside a martyred wife in order to “spend more time with my family.” Andrew Weiner was once one of the rising stars in the Democratic party. A liberal congressman with wit and moxie, he frequently appeared on MSNBC and other news outlets. And then he posted a picture of his private parts and it went viral. Weiner is the story of this bright but twisted politician who ruined himself and finished his career. It seems like there’s a lot of this going around, but this documentary gets as close to the story as possible.
Mia Madre is an Italian film about a female movie director (Margherita Buy) trying to make a film about a factory strike. She is beset by many problems. There’s a balky American actor (John Turturo), a dying mother, an estranged daughter and a resentful brother. I think the film wants you to ask if a man would have handled the situation any differently (or better). A good look at a woman making the best of a lot of hard choices.
Finally, there is old pro Susan Sarandon at the absolute top of her game as The Meddler. Rose Byrne plays her quite capable and fully mature daughter, but she is about all that is left in her mother’s life and the mom just can’t stop-well-meddling. The film is funny and touching in many ways.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)