The Last Shot (2004)
-starring Alec Baldwin, Matthew Broderick, Toni Collette, Tony Shaloub, Ray Liotta, Calista Flockhart, and Joan Cusack
-directed by Jeff Nathanson
-For reasons that are more or less obvious, films reportedly based on true stories seem to be placed on a higher pedestal than most others. There's a slight feeling that a film based on actual events contains more credibility and in turn, deserves to be taken much more seriously than those which are purely works of fiction. Perhaps its the fact that reality is so much starker than fiction most of the time that makes moviegoers look at true life films with a much more sturdy eye. Although The Last Shot is based on true events, no audience member can ever actually take the proceedings seriously.
The Last Shot is the true story of how an FBI agent named Joe Devine (Baldwin) decided to go undercover as a film producer in order to catch the Rhode Island mob for racketeering. He decides to 'produce' aspiring director Steven Schat's (Broderick)unsold screenplay about a woman dying of cancer and convinces him that going into business with shady Tommy Sanz (Shaloub) is a good idea. Steven is uncomfortable with the number of compromises he is required to make but is so excited at the prospect of his film being made, that he makes them regardless. Things start to get murky though when Joe gets close to nabbing Tommy but also finds himself getting more and more into his role as producer.
What proves to be most enjoyable about The Last Shot is just how absurd and outrageous the story is given the fact that the events on screen actually transpired in real life. Indeed, the "true" aspect is perhaps the film's most unique quality; without it, there'd actually be very little to distinguish it from the standard Hollywood comedy format. Its highly amusing to watch scenes where Joe proposes the operation to his superiors only to receive a lackluster approval until later when the plan appears to be working at which point his superiors are advising him on what direction the film he is producing should take. On the flip side is Steven who finds himself in a dizzying wave of glee as his project comes to life, yet is perplexed by the number of strange comprimises he must make such as filming the Arizona-set film in Rhode Island. As the story progresses, situations collide, misunderstandings occur, and genuine laughs come rolling out one after the other.
Its a shame this title wasn't more well-known becuase it contains within it some of the best comic work most of these actors has ever done. While Baldwin delivers his usual deadpan delivery and Broderick has little else to do but act clueless and naive, its the supporting cast including Shaloub as the gangster kingpin, Collette as the film's leading lady, and Flockhart as Steven's frustrated girlfriend (so hell bent on securing a role in the film she even stabs herself with a fork to show she can demonstrate pain) who project a true flair for comedy that has rarely been tapped in this way. Yet its Cusack, who plays a Hollywood producer that deliver's the film's most side-splitting scenes. Although her role is only 2 scenes long, Cusack embodies the sort of burned out producer who has seen her share of the business and has been burned by it many times.
One of the most compelling true stories converted to film that I've seen recently was Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon (yes, its true). I enjoyed that film's exploration into a subject matter that had become part of television's history and was a landmark moment in both the medium as well as in politics. Although it rests on the opposite side of the spectrum, The Last Shot is almost just as compelling for its sheer lunacy. Indeed plots in a similar vein have probably been made at a bevy of bad studio pitch meetings and there's little doubt that a number of lesser ideas have made it onto the screen. It might be easy to dismiss The Last Shot as just another form of recycled Hollywood junk if it wasn't for the fact...that its all true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gD-ofy5NuA
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Needful Things- Movie of the Day (1/27/10)
Needful Things (1993)
-starring Ed Harris, Max Von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, J.T. Walsh and Amanda Plummer
-directed by Fraser C. Heston
-If there's one author that has lived long enough to see his name become synonymous with a particular genre of film, its Stephen King. The horror maestro has seen nearly 100 of his novels, short stories, and poems adapted to film and television ever since Brian De Palma adapted King's debut novel Carrie to great critical and audience acclaim in 1976. Alongside Carrie, other titles such as The Shining, Cujo, Pet Semetary, It, Misery, and The Green Mile, among countless others, have all gone on to cement the author as his own sub-genre of horror films.
One such title however that probably doesn't come up too often whenever King's name is brought up is the 1993 thriller Needful Things. Set against the backdrop of a quiet New England town (a familiar setting in King stories), the story deals with a mysterious stranger named Mr. Leland Gaunt (Max Von Sydow) who comes to comes to the small town of Castle and opens up an antiques shop called Needful Things. Inside the store lies each person's most desired possession. A signed first edition novel, a painting from a world famous artist, a charmed necklace, a vintage board game; whatever a person's most desired item is, Needful Things has it in stock. As far as the price is concerned, all Mr. Gaunt asks for payment is a bit of money and a favor which differs from customer to customer and which he asks to keep a secret. At first everything seems fine until a double murder makes the local sherrif (Harris) question who Mr. Gaunt really is.
On the surface, Needful Things does not read as a typical entry into the Stephen King genre of horror films. More of a thriller than a horror, the film serves to remind us of the ordinary person's feelings of greed, hate and fear. I suppose the original novel might have been written as a sort of attack on the materialistic 80s, but the film's release in the early 90s, after the country was recovering from a recession, seemed a bit out of place. And yet the motif of the film rings true. The idea of how even the most moral and good person could suddenly turn bad, how a good man would slay his neighbor in an instant for the promise of his most desired object is indeed a frightening prospect. In this sense, Needful Things is one of the more psychologically and spiritually horrifying King entries to date. Also, though its never outwardly mentioned, it doesn't take long to discover the Mr. Gaunt is indeed the devil himself, who with copius amounts of charm and sophistication, is able to sit back and watch the good people of Castle Rock tear each other apart. The scene in which two local women who each believe the other to be responsible of crimes neither has committed, kill each other with a butcher's knife and an axe while superimposed shots of Mr. Gaunt smiling and laughing slightly as Ave Maria plays in the background is both well-made and equally disturbing.
While the completely game Harris is meant to be the star of the film (as is evident by his requisite speech at the climax), its Von Sydow who steals the show. As Mr. Gaunt, Von Sydow is extremely convincing as the mysterious stranger who skillfully straddles the line between an evil being and a kind, worldly old gentleman. The supporting characters also do noteworthy work with their roles. Walsh, as a local businessman who becomes Mr. Gaunt's puppet impressively goes from pompous oaf to sniffling weakling while Plummer gives one of her better screen performances as the timid and vulnerable baker Nettie. Only Bedelia as Harris' girlfriend fails to bring any life to her role; a shame given the actress' past track record.
It should be noted that before the release of Needful Things, the studio made the decision of trimming over an hour's worth of footage from the film; leaving the final running time at just over an hour and a half. While the original cut has been broadcast on cable, I feel the loss of the footage, which included more screen time for certain characters' stories and an exciting chase scene, was the reason for the film's failure with both critics and audiences. Although, a film about the devil taking over a small town is not one which I'm sure was an easy sell to begin with. And yet Needful Things does stand out as a truly entertaining psychological thriller about the age old battle between good and evil. If anything, the film should leave each viewer pondering: what is our needful thing...and what would we do to get it??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ9n4Md16PE
-starring Ed Harris, Max Von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, J.T. Walsh and Amanda Plummer
-directed by Fraser C. Heston
-If there's one author that has lived long enough to see his name become synonymous with a particular genre of film, its Stephen King. The horror maestro has seen nearly 100 of his novels, short stories, and poems adapted to film and television ever since Brian De Palma adapted King's debut novel Carrie to great critical and audience acclaim in 1976. Alongside Carrie, other titles such as The Shining, Cujo, Pet Semetary, It, Misery, and The Green Mile, among countless others, have all gone on to cement the author as his own sub-genre of horror films.
One such title however that probably doesn't come up too often whenever King's name is brought up is the 1993 thriller Needful Things. Set against the backdrop of a quiet New England town (a familiar setting in King stories), the story deals with a mysterious stranger named Mr. Leland Gaunt (Max Von Sydow) who comes to comes to the small town of Castle and opens up an antiques shop called Needful Things. Inside the store lies each person's most desired possession. A signed first edition novel, a painting from a world famous artist, a charmed necklace, a vintage board game; whatever a person's most desired item is, Needful Things has it in stock. As far as the price is concerned, all Mr. Gaunt asks for payment is a bit of money and a favor which differs from customer to customer and which he asks to keep a secret. At first everything seems fine until a double murder makes the local sherrif (Harris) question who Mr. Gaunt really is.
On the surface, Needful Things does not read as a typical entry into the Stephen King genre of horror films. More of a thriller than a horror, the film serves to remind us of the ordinary person's feelings of greed, hate and fear. I suppose the original novel might have been written as a sort of attack on the materialistic 80s, but the film's release in the early 90s, after the country was recovering from a recession, seemed a bit out of place. And yet the motif of the film rings true. The idea of how even the most moral and good person could suddenly turn bad, how a good man would slay his neighbor in an instant for the promise of his most desired object is indeed a frightening prospect. In this sense, Needful Things is one of the more psychologically and spiritually horrifying King entries to date. Also, though its never outwardly mentioned, it doesn't take long to discover the Mr. Gaunt is indeed the devil himself, who with copius amounts of charm and sophistication, is able to sit back and watch the good people of Castle Rock tear each other apart. The scene in which two local women who each believe the other to be responsible of crimes neither has committed, kill each other with a butcher's knife and an axe while superimposed shots of Mr. Gaunt smiling and laughing slightly as Ave Maria plays in the background is both well-made and equally disturbing.
While the completely game Harris is meant to be the star of the film (as is evident by his requisite speech at the climax), its Von Sydow who steals the show. As Mr. Gaunt, Von Sydow is extremely convincing as the mysterious stranger who skillfully straddles the line between an evil being and a kind, worldly old gentleman. The supporting characters also do noteworthy work with their roles. Walsh, as a local businessman who becomes Mr. Gaunt's puppet impressively goes from pompous oaf to sniffling weakling while Plummer gives one of her better screen performances as the timid and vulnerable baker Nettie. Only Bedelia as Harris' girlfriend fails to bring any life to her role; a shame given the actress' past track record.
It should be noted that before the release of Needful Things, the studio made the decision of trimming over an hour's worth of footage from the film; leaving the final running time at just over an hour and a half. While the original cut has been broadcast on cable, I feel the loss of the footage, which included more screen time for certain characters' stories and an exciting chase scene, was the reason for the film's failure with both critics and audiences. Although, a film about the devil taking over a small town is not one which I'm sure was an easy sell to begin with. And yet Needful Things does stand out as a truly entertaining psychological thriller about the age old battle between good and evil. If anything, the film should leave each viewer pondering: what is our needful thing...and what would we do to get it??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ9n4Md16PE
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
The Big White- Movie of the Day (1/26/10)
The Big White
-starring Robin Williams, Holly Hunter, Giovanni Ribisi, Alison Lohman, and Woody Harrelson
-directed by Mark Mylod
-Dark comedy can be a touchy genre to venture into. For starters, it caters to a very specific taste. The average moviegoer will probably fail to see the humor in what would be considered morbid or grotesque in real life. Yet for many this brand of comedy which ranges from dead bodies being tossed into dumpsters or housewives being abducted, seems devoid of laughter. Yet there are those who can appreciate the hilarity in the morbid. In keeping with this tradition, The Big White serves itself up as a quintessential dark comedy.
Alaskan travel agent Paul Barnell (Williams) leads a worry-filled life. His travel agency business is not booming and his wife Margaret (Hunter), who suffers from tourret's has recently been denied the financial assistance she needs. After accidentally dropping his cell phone into a nearby dumpster, Paul notices the dead body of a man inside without identification. Thinking quickly, Paul decides to pass the body off as his long lost brother Raymond (Harrelson), who has been missing for years. With Raymond gone, Paul can cash in his brother's life insurance, leave his fledgling business and take his wife away to get her the help she deserves. The plan seems to work at first until Paul encounters a few obstacles including an insurance agent (Ribisi), his phony psychic girlfriend (Lohman), two criminals (Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown) who claim ownership of the dead body, and Raymond himself, who shows up after years away and who is clearly not dead.
It is known from the offset that The Big White has dark intentions and for this, the movie deserves much praise since some dark comedies tend to tread the line of "safe" and "dark" comedy. This film however knows what its audience expects and delivers it. This is a movie where all the characters are, in one way or another, guilty of something in one way or another. Even Ted Waters, the insurance agent, who goes beyond the parameters of typical procedure in order to expose Paul's lies is questionable as the voice of authority. Ted himself, lies, cheats and goes beyond what some might call, moral boundaries to prove Paul is a crook and earn himself a promotion. The Big White is filled with lines that in the real world should make ppl cringe, but instead provoke laughter. When Margaret is tied up after the two criminals trace their body back to Paul's house, she looks hard and cold into her kidnapper's eyes and very calmly and cooly says: "if you try to rape me, I'll swear to God I'll bite it off." Later on the same kidnapper and his partner call Paul with thier demands. He lists them quickly and before Paul has a chance to respond, hangs up exclaiming to his partner: thank God!! We avoided the trace!!" To which his partner replies: "we're at his house!!" When Ted is forced to hand over Paul's check, which he does so while holding onto it for dear life, the lights go out in Paul's office. He takes the check and says to his secretary: "Avis, can you use your cell phone and let the electric company know I'll be stopping by on the way home??" Such laughs occur throughout The Big White and range from subtle to hilarious. Although the comedy may be subtle, it never rings false and works beautifully with the grim circumstances.
The performances in The Big White are also highly noteworthy with everyone meeting the necessary requirements of their characters. Yet its Williams and Hunter who prove the most surprising. As Paul, Williams allows himself to be gently restrained in what is clearly the film's most subtle role. Paul is a man that is the sole voice of reason amongst all the ludicy and therefore must maintian his composure. Despite this, Williams manages to evoke laughs from the audience; albeit it in a different way than he is normally used to. Hunter meanwhile has a ball with her character's many explitives and physical actions. The actress really excels when asked to play comedy and The Big White is proof of that.
While some may point out some reminiscent elements from Fargo, The Big White is truly a one of a kind show with genuine laughs. Some dark comedies such as Big Trouble, Death to Smoochy, Duplex, Nothing But Trouble, etc...mostly fail at the box office for reasons which I have outlined earlier. While The Big White suffered a similar fate financially and critically, where the film does rise above the ones before it is in its heart. At the core of The Big White is a love story. It is the story of Paul, who is willing to sacrifice everything and go against his ideals and beliefs for the woman he loves. It is a rare combination to find not only dark comedy, but also real heart in film. Fortunately, The Big White has both.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKUsmT9P7TA
-starring Robin Williams, Holly Hunter, Giovanni Ribisi, Alison Lohman, and Woody Harrelson
-directed by Mark Mylod
-Dark comedy can be a touchy genre to venture into. For starters, it caters to a very specific taste. The average moviegoer will probably fail to see the humor in what would be considered morbid or grotesque in real life. Yet for many this brand of comedy which ranges from dead bodies being tossed into dumpsters or housewives being abducted, seems devoid of laughter. Yet there are those who can appreciate the hilarity in the morbid. In keeping with this tradition, The Big White serves itself up as a quintessential dark comedy.
Alaskan travel agent Paul Barnell (Williams) leads a worry-filled life. His travel agency business is not booming and his wife Margaret (Hunter), who suffers from tourret's has recently been denied the financial assistance she needs. After accidentally dropping his cell phone into a nearby dumpster, Paul notices the dead body of a man inside without identification. Thinking quickly, Paul decides to pass the body off as his long lost brother Raymond (Harrelson), who has been missing for years. With Raymond gone, Paul can cash in his brother's life insurance, leave his fledgling business and take his wife away to get her the help she deserves. The plan seems to work at first until Paul encounters a few obstacles including an insurance agent (Ribisi), his phony psychic girlfriend (Lohman), two criminals (Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown) who claim ownership of the dead body, and Raymond himself, who shows up after years away and who is clearly not dead.
It is known from the offset that The Big White has dark intentions and for this, the movie deserves much praise since some dark comedies tend to tread the line of "safe" and "dark" comedy. This film however knows what its audience expects and delivers it. This is a movie where all the characters are, in one way or another, guilty of something in one way or another. Even Ted Waters, the insurance agent, who goes beyond the parameters of typical procedure in order to expose Paul's lies is questionable as the voice of authority. Ted himself, lies, cheats and goes beyond what some might call, moral boundaries to prove Paul is a crook and earn himself a promotion. The Big White is filled with lines that in the real world should make ppl cringe, but instead provoke laughter. When Margaret is tied up after the two criminals trace their body back to Paul's house, she looks hard and cold into her kidnapper's eyes and very calmly and cooly says: "if you try to rape me, I'll swear to God I'll bite it off." Later on the same kidnapper and his partner call Paul with thier demands. He lists them quickly and before Paul has a chance to respond, hangs up exclaiming to his partner: thank God!! We avoided the trace!!" To which his partner replies: "we're at his house!!" When Ted is forced to hand over Paul's check, which he does so while holding onto it for dear life, the lights go out in Paul's office. He takes the check and says to his secretary: "Avis, can you use your cell phone and let the electric company know I'll be stopping by on the way home??" Such laughs occur throughout The Big White and range from subtle to hilarious. Although the comedy may be subtle, it never rings false and works beautifully with the grim circumstances.
The performances in The Big White are also highly noteworthy with everyone meeting the necessary requirements of their characters. Yet its Williams and Hunter who prove the most surprising. As Paul, Williams allows himself to be gently restrained in what is clearly the film's most subtle role. Paul is a man that is the sole voice of reason amongst all the ludicy and therefore must maintian his composure. Despite this, Williams manages to evoke laughs from the audience; albeit it in a different way than he is normally used to. Hunter meanwhile has a ball with her character's many explitives and physical actions. The actress really excels when asked to play comedy and The Big White is proof of that.
While some may point out some reminiscent elements from Fargo, The Big White is truly a one of a kind show with genuine laughs. Some dark comedies such as Big Trouble, Death to Smoochy, Duplex, Nothing But Trouble, etc...mostly fail at the box office for reasons which I have outlined earlier. While The Big White suffered a similar fate financially and critically, where the film does rise above the ones before it is in its heart. At the core of The Big White is a love story. It is the story of Paul, who is willing to sacrifice everything and go against his ideals and beliefs for the woman he loves. It is a rare combination to find not only dark comedy, but also real heart in film. Fortunately, The Big White has both.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKUsmT9P7TA
Monday, 25 January 2010
Shattered (01/25/10)
Movie of the Day (1/25/10)- Shattered (1991)
starring Tom Berenger, Gretta Scacchi, Corbin Bernsen, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, and Bob Hoskins
directed by Wolfgang Petersen
-For those who have heard the term neo-noir, but never had a decent enough illustration of it, Shattered is a perfect example. Although many (including perhaps myself) will press the point the Polanski classic Chinatown remains the quintessential neo-noir offering due to its stark closeness to the original blueprint of the anti-hero/avg. joe finding himself entangled in plots involving murder brought on by a seductive, yet dangerous woman (aka the femme fatale). Yet this 1991 offering from well-established director Wolfgang Petersen is a more than worthy addition to this sub-genre of film.
Shattered opens on a deserted mountainous road where is a car is speeding along, swerving back and forth. After several very near misses, the car finally crashes into a railing and falls off a cliff. As the car plumets to the ground we notice a woman being tossed out of the vehicle, tumbling down the cliff as well. While the car continues to make its way down, we notice a man behind the wheel who is trapped inside; helpless as the car goes down. It is soon discovered that the couple in the car are Dan and Judith Merrick (Berenger and Scacchi); a well-to-do husband and wife from San Francisco. Judith escapes with various injuries including a broken arm while Dan not only requires complete facial reconstruction, but also needs help regaining his memory, which has been erased due to the accident. When the two return home, Dan discovers that his wife, his business partner (Bernsen), his neighbor (Whalley-Kilmer), and a private detective (Hoskins) all hold clues to what had occurred in Dan's life before the wreck and that what seemed like an accident, might not have been at all.
From the getgo, Shattered is shrouded in mystery as the audience somehow instinctively knows not to take anything they see as the truth and must learn right along with Dan about the world he has found himself in. The plot itself, adapted from the novel by Richard Neely, provides a requisite number of twists to ensure that the proceedings never become tiresome and mundane. At times however, it seems that the plot be required to stand still while characters such as Jenny, the wife of Jeb, Dan's business partner tries to rekindle a past affair or when Jeb takes time to reintroduce Dan to their business. Thankfully these moments take up very little screentime in favor of the real matter at hand. Many questions arise during Shattered: why did Dan feel the need to hire a detective prior to his accident? what is troubling Judith so much that she dashes off mysteriously several times throughout the course of the film, who is the mysterious stranger from Dan's past that keeps re-appearing, and most importantly, who was Dan Merrick before his accident?? All these questions plague Shattered, leading up to an ending that's truly unforseen and well worth the wait!!
One critic who reviewed Shattered observed: "people don't count as much as surprises in this film." Taking that very notion into consideration, Shattered lends itself even more into the vein of neo-noir. In many such films, it is often found that the characters seen on screen are oftentimes unremarkable and clearly one-dimensional. You more or less know thier motives, beliefs and attitudes. In most genres this lack of characterization would seem unforgivable. Yet here it works for the sheer reason that the plot and the many facets it contains, needs to be much larger than the characters within the film. It should be noted that the cast as a whole, play their parts well. Each one falls into the archtype of character that the genre expects them to be and do so admirably. Hoskins in particular is a standout as the detective/pet shop owner. Moreover, the look of Shattered greatly reflects the dark and moody tones of original film noir where most scenes were shrouded in darkness. Here, with its lush dark lighting, accompanying California locale, and greatly-plotted story, Shattered provides the perfect look and feel for a classic exercise in neo-noir.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVhiJ_ds2U
starring Tom Berenger, Gretta Scacchi, Corbin Bernsen, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, and Bob Hoskins
directed by Wolfgang Petersen
-For those who have heard the term neo-noir, but never had a decent enough illustration of it, Shattered is a perfect example. Although many (including perhaps myself) will press the point the Polanski classic Chinatown remains the quintessential neo-noir offering due to its stark closeness to the original blueprint of the anti-hero/avg. joe finding himself entangled in plots involving murder brought on by a seductive, yet dangerous woman (aka the femme fatale). Yet this 1991 offering from well-established director Wolfgang Petersen is a more than worthy addition to this sub-genre of film.
Shattered opens on a deserted mountainous road where is a car is speeding along, swerving back and forth. After several very near misses, the car finally crashes into a railing and falls off a cliff. As the car plumets to the ground we notice a woman being tossed out of the vehicle, tumbling down the cliff as well. While the car continues to make its way down, we notice a man behind the wheel who is trapped inside; helpless as the car goes down. It is soon discovered that the couple in the car are Dan and Judith Merrick (Berenger and Scacchi); a well-to-do husband and wife from San Francisco. Judith escapes with various injuries including a broken arm while Dan not only requires complete facial reconstruction, but also needs help regaining his memory, which has been erased due to the accident. When the two return home, Dan discovers that his wife, his business partner (Bernsen), his neighbor (Whalley-Kilmer), and a private detective (Hoskins) all hold clues to what had occurred in Dan's life before the wreck and that what seemed like an accident, might not have been at all.
From the getgo, Shattered is shrouded in mystery as the audience somehow instinctively knows not to take anything they see as the truth and must learn right along with Dan about the world he has found himself in. The plot itself, adapted from the novel by Richard Neely, provides a requisite number of twists to ensure that the proceedings never become tiresome and mundane. At times however, it seems that the plot be required to stand still while characters such as Jenny, the wife of Jeb, Dan's business partner tries to rekindle a past affair or when Jeb takes time to reintroduce Dan to their business. Thankfully these moments take up very little screentime in favor of the real matter at hand. Many questions arise during Shattered: why did Dan feel the need to hire a detective prior to his accident? what is troubling Judith so much that she dashes off mysteriously several times throughout the course of the film, who is the mysterious stranger from Dan's past that keeps re-appearing, and most importantly, who was Dan Merrick before his accident?? All these questions plague Shattered, leading up to an ending that's truly unforseen and well worth the wait!!
One critic who reviewed Shattered observed: "people don't count as much as surprises in this film." Taking that very notion into consideration, Shattered lends itself even more into the vein of neo-noir. In many such films, it is often found that the characters seen on screen are oftentimes unremarkable and clearly one-dimensional. You more or less know thier motives, beliefs and attitudes. In most genres this lack of characterization would seem unforgivable. Yet here it works for the sheer reason that the plot and the many facets it contains, needs to be much larger than the characters within the film. It should be noted that the cast as a whole, play their parts well. Each one falls into the archtype of character that the genre expects them to be and do so admirably. Hoskins in particular is a standout as the detective/pet shop owner. Moreover, the look of Shattered greatly reflects the dark and moody tones of original film noir where most scenes were shrouded in darkness. Here, with its lush dark lighting, accompanying California locale, and greatly-plotted story, Shattered provides the perfect look and feel for a classic exercise in neo-noir.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVhiJ_ds2U
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Movie of the Day (01/21/2010)- Til There Was You (1997)
Til There Was You (1997)
starring Dylan McDermott, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Sarah Jessica Parker
directed by Scott Winant
-I'm decidedly not the biggest fan of romantic comedies. This is mainly because aside from westerns, they are the one genre which I find rarely strays from its conventions. The setup is typical: boy and girl meet, love happens, obstacles get in the way, and by the end, the two come together to spend the rest of their lives together in cinematic bliss. While there is nothing wrong with this premise, the problem lies in the fact that there is very little room for deviation within this setup. However, the little-seen Til There Was You successfully managed to re-write the genre and offer up a new twist on romantic comedies.
Til There Was You deals with the lives of two characters: Nick (Dylan McDermott) and Gwen (Jeanne Tripplehorn), who as the romantic centerpoints, never really meet until the film's end. As children, the two came from different backgrounds: his family was poor, while hers was well off. One day while running away from a school bully, Nick crashes into Gwen, knocking her down. Though he'd like to stop and help her, he continues running to evade his tormentor. The story flashes forward years later when Nick, a young architect is making a presentation across the street from the university where Gwen attends graduate school. Nick accidentally knocks a model of one of his designs out the window where it ends up nearly hitting Gwen. She yells up at him then takes off. As more years pass we see Gwen become a successful ghost writer and Nick a prominent architect. We see the two of them date various men and women with distinct flaws while the two main characters must come to grips with their own issues. There are two elements linking Nick and Gwen together: 1)Francesca Lanfield (Sarah Jessica Parker); a former child star who spent time in rehab and who hires Gwen to write her biography and Nick to handle the design of her new apartment complex she is involved in, and 2) a bizzarely decorated restaurant named "The Awful Truth," which both Nick and Gwen frequent with various dates and which the former designed.
While most romantic comedies offer up their share of sentimentality, Til There Was You breaks the mold by offering up a genre film that is more true to life than most other entries in the canon. First off, the two characters are seen as real people with real issues, not ones that a bland Hollywood script allows them to have. Both Nick and Gwen are flawed individuals who recognize the problems within themselves and try to live their lives as best they can in spite of them. But on a larger scale, Til There Was You proves to be realistic in the sense that its the story about two stranger's journey toward meeting each other. The failed relationships, the professional setbacks, the family crises, and the differing views on life and romance as seen through the supporting cast which includes Jennifer Aniston, Ken Olin, Michael Tucker and Nina Foch.
On the production side, Til There Was You is top quality. While McDermott and Tripplehorn are unlikely choices for the leads, the two inhabit their characters beautifully, especailly the latter who nails Gwen's hopeful, yet surprisingly realistic optimism. All of the other elements of the film come together in a decent way. And even if the running time is a bit longer than the story deserves, there are still plenty of new characters to watch in the meantime.
While this is Nick and Gwen's story, the real surprise of the film is Parker who, as the narcissistic former child star/drug addict, gives what is perhaps her best screen performance to date. Her turn as Francesa is truly one of a kind. She is at all times vain, insecure, whimsical, self-aware, and surprisingly wise. The character is truly a mixed bag and Parker brings all these facets to life almost effortlessly. In fact had the film been more well-received, I'm convinced that the actress, who was praised for her performance in the film, would have garnered some major accolades, perhaps even an Oscar nomination. To some it might seem far-fetched, but Parker has yet to deliver a performance as stellar as this one.
This is a romantic comedy which shows how true romance really is. It isn't finding the love of your life in the first reel and encountering one wacky situation after another. Love is a journey that involves several twists of fate, different characters and life lessons you never expected to learn before finding the one you were truly meant to be with.
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi721289497/
starring Dylan McDermott, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Sarah Jessica Parker
directed by Scott Winant
-I'm decidedly not the biggest fan of romantic comedies. This is mainly because aside from westerns, they are the one genre which I find rarely strays from its conventions. The setup is typical: boy and girl meet, love happens, obstacles get in the way, and by the end, the two come together to spend the rest of their lives together in cinematic bliss. While there is nothing wrong with this premise, the problem lies in the fact that there is very little room for deviation within this setup. However, the little-seen Til There Was You successfully managed to re-write the genre and offer up a new twist on romantic comedies.
Til There Was You deals with the lives of two characters: Nick (Dylan McDermott) and Gwen (Jeanne Tripplehorn), who as the romantic centerpoints, never really meet until the film's end. As children, the two came from different backgrounds: his family was poor, while hers was well off. One day while running away from a school bully, Nick crashes into Gwen, knocking her down. Though he'd like to stop and help her, he continues running to evade his tormentor. The story flashes forward years later when Nick, a young architect is making a presentation across the street from the university where Gwen attends graduate school. Nick accidentally knocks a model of one of his designs out the window where it ends up nearly hitting Gwen. She yells up at him then takes off. As more years pass we see Gwen become a successful ghost writer and Nick a prominent architect. We see the two of them date various men and women with distinct flaws while the two main characters must come to grips with their own issues. There are two elements linking Nick and Gwen together: 1)Francesca Lanfield (Sarah Jessica Parker); a former child star who spent time in rehab and who hires Gwen to write her biography and Nick to handle the design of her new apartment complex she is involved in, and 2) a bizzarely decorated restaurant named "The Awful Truth," which both Nick and Gwen frequent with various dates and which the former designed.
While most romantic comedies offer up their share of sentimentality, Til There Was You breaks the mold by offering up a genre film that is more true to life than most other entries in the canon. First off, the two characters are seen as real people with real issues, not ones that a bland Hollywood script allows them to have. Both Nick and Gwen are flawed individuals who recognize the problems within themselves and try to live their lives as best they can in spite of them. But on a larger scale, Til There Was You proves to be realistic in the sense that its the story about two stranger's journey toward meeting each other. The failed relationships, the professional setbacks, the family crises, and the differing views on life and romance as seen through the supporting cast which includes Jennifer Aniston, Ken Olin, Michael Tucker and Nina Foch.
On the production side, Til There Was You is top quality. While McDermott and Tripplehorn are unlikely choices for the leads, the two inhabit their characters beautifully, especailly the latter who nails Gwen's hopeful, yet surprisingly realistic optimism. All of the other elements of the film come together in a decent way. And even if the running time is a bit longer than the story deserves, there are still plenty of new characters to watch in the meantime.
While this is Nick and Gwen's story, the real surprise of the film is Parker who, as the narcissistic former child star/drug addict, gives what is perhaps her best screen performance to date. Her turn as Francesa is truly one of a kind. She is at all times vain, insecure, whimsical, self-aware, and surprisingly wise. The character is truly a mixed bag and Parker brings all these facets to life almost effortlessly. In fact had the film been more well-received, I'm convinced that the actress, who was praised for her performance in the film, would have garnered some major accolades, perhaps even an Oscar nomination. To some it might seem far-fetched, but Parker has yet to deliver a performance as stellar as this one.
This is a romantic comedy which shows how true romance really is. It isn't finding the love of your life in the first reel and encountering one wacky situation after another. Love is a journey that involves several twists of fate, different characters and life lessons you never expected to learn before finding the one you were truly meant to be with.
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi721289497/
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Movie of the Day (1/19/2010)- The Moon-Spinners (1964)
The Moon-Spinners (1964)
-starring Hayley Mills, Peter McEnery, Eli Wallach, Joan Greenwood, and Pola Negri
-directed by James Neilson
-In the 1960s Hayley Mills reigned as Disney's most popular leading actress and during her time with the studio she managed to churn out performance after performance filled with charm, honesty, and delight. One of the projects that came along during this time was the adventure tale The Moon-Spinners which sought to cast Mills in a role outside her comfort zone of slapstick comedy and singing. If some have never heard of the little-seen Disney classic, that's because the film's failure at the box-office, despite the popularity of its star sealed, its fate and relegated it to television broadcasts before debuting meekly on home video and dvd. Yet there is much to like about Disney's sole foray into Hitchcock territory with a tale of intrigue, mystery and adventure.
The film was based on the novel of the same name by celebrated author Mary Stewart. The original story had a young twenty-something woman seeking a vacation filled with peace and quiet as she travels to the remote island of Crete in Greece. While there she encounters a man in hiding who warns her to keep away from him. She disobeys and soon finds herself in the middle of a plot involving murder and stolen jewels.
As with most star vehicles, the story was refashioned considerably. The age of the herione was brought down to accommodate the 16-year-old Mills, the violence was toned down, and the plot was re-worked in an effort to make the overall story more accessible for a Disney audience. The plot of The Moon-Spinners now became the story of a teenage tourist from London named Nikki Ferris (Mills) traveling with her aunt who decide to stop for a few days rest in Crete. Despite a noticeable objection from the inn owner's brother Stratos (Wallach), the two settle in a nice room by the sea. While there the two meet fellow brit-traveller Mark Camford (McEnery) who charms the two ladies. After hitting it off over dinner, Nikki and Mark decide to meet up the following morning for a swim. After saying goodnight to Nikky though, Mark is propositioned by Stratos to take a walk with him by the shore. Declining, Mark pretends to go to his room as Stratos goes on ahead. Silently following him, Mark notes Stratos' movements in the dark, but is not careful enough and is shot by Lambis, Stratos' assistant. The next morning Nikki can't seem to find any trace of Mark, and after believing that he's gone home, finds him in an abandoned church. It isn't long before Mark tells the real reason for his presence in Crete and soon Nikki becomes entangled in a dangerous plot with Mark that could end both their lives!
Being a Disney movie, the violence is not as malicious as one would expect given the plot. Yet there are moments of genuine suspense to be had such as the windmill scene, and the on-going pursuit of Nikki and Mark by Stratos. Although the film runs longer than plot deserves, the overall story is intriguing enough to keep the pace flowing at a decent speed. This is due in part to the completely game turn by Mills who truly gives an energetic performance as do the rest of the cast including great supporting work from Irene Papas, Shelia Hancock, John Le Messurier, and silent film legend Pola Negri who came out of retirement to play Madame Habib; an elusive jewel collector. Indeed the sequence aboard her yacht is perhaps one of the most enjoyable throughout The Moon-Spinners as it blends both the comedy and mystery elements of the film together beautifully.
While the plot, acting and all other elements of the film work together quite admirably, and with no disrespect to Disney queen Mills, the true star of the film without a doubt is the isle of Crete
itself. The land is beautifully captured throughout the film with very little incorporation of a process screen. The water in the ocean is as crystal blue as can be, the mountains are grand in scale and the ruins present a dizzying maze of Greek history. Throughout all this though, the film never serves as a travel advertisement for the region, but skillfully incorporates Crete into the story to the point that it becomes a character itself.
While not on par with more masterful tales of suspense and intrigue such as Fleming's Bond, The Moon-Spinners is a lovely homage to the sort of Hitchcock thrillers with a Disney spin. Featuring one of Mills' trademark performances and beautiful shots of a far away land, The Moon-Spinners is one of the most delightfully escapist adventure outing of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3amIxSA7ZOU
-starring Hayley Mills, Peter McEnery, Eli Wallach, Joan Greenwood, and Pola Negri
-directed by James Neilson
-In the 1960s Hayley Mills reigned as Disney's most popular leading actress and during her time with the studio she managed to churn out performance after performance filled with charm, honesty, and delight. One of the projects that came along during this time was the adventure tale The Moon-Spinners which sought to cast Mills in a role outside her comfort zone of slapstick comedy and singing. If some have never heard of the little-seen Disney classic, that's because the film's failure at the box-office, despite the popularity of its star sealed, its fate and relegated it to television broadcasts before debuting meekly on home video and dvd. Yet there is much to like about Disney's sole foray into Hitchcock territory with a tale of intrigue, mystery and adventure.
The film was based on the novel of the same name by celebrated author Mary Stewart. The original story had a young twenty-something woman seeking a vacation filled with peace and quiet as she travels to the remote island of Crete in Greece. While there she encounters a man in hiding who warns her to keep away from him. She disobeys and soon finds herself in the middle of a plot involving murder and stolen jewels.
As with most star vehicles, the story was refashioned considerably. The age of the herione was brought down to accommodate the 16-year-old Mills, the violence was toned down, and the plot was re-worked in an effort to make the overall story more accessible for a Disney audience. The plot of The Moon-Spinners now became the story of a teenage tourist from London named Nikki Ferris (Mills) traveling with her aunt who decide to stop for a few days rest in Crete. Despite a noticeable objection from the inn owner's brother Stratos (Wallach), the two settle in a nice room by the sea. While there the two meet fellow brit-traveller Mark Camford (McEnery) who charms the two ladies. After hitting it off over dinner, Nikki and Mark decide to meet up the following morning for a swim. After saying goodnight to Nikky though, Mark is propositioned by Stratos to take a walk with him by the shore. Declining, Mark pretends to go to his room as Stratos goes on ahead. Silently following him, Mark notes Stratos' movements in the dark, but is not careful enough and is shot by Lambis, Stratos' assistant. The next morning Nikki can't seem to find any trace of Mark, and after believing that he's gone home, finds him in an abandoned church. It isn't long before Mark tells the real reason for his presence in Crete and soon Nikki becomes entangled in a dangerous plot with Mark that could end both their lives!
Being a Disney movie, the violence is not as malicious as one would expect given the plot. Yet there are moments of genuine suspense to be had such as the windmill scene, and the on-going pursuit of Nikki and Mark by Stratos. Although the film runs longer than plot deserves, the overall story is intriguing enough to keep the pace flowing at a decent speed. This is due in part to the completely game turn by Mills who truly gives an energetic performance as do the rest of the cast including great supporting work from Irene Papas, Shelia Hancock, John Le Messurier, and silent film legend Pola Negri who came out of retirement to play Madame Habib; an elusive jewel collector. Indeed the sequence aboard her yacht is perhaps one of the most enjoyable throughout The Moon-Spinners as it blends both the comedy and mystery elements of the film together beautifully.
While the plot, acting and all other elements of the film work together quite admirably, and with no disrespect to Disney queen Mills, the true star of the film without a doubt is the isle of Crete
itself. The land is beautifully captured throughout the film with very little incorporation of a process screen. The water in the ocean is as crystal blue as can be, the mountains are grand in scale and the ruins present a dizzying maze of Greek history. Throughout all this though, the film never serves as a travel advertisement for the region, but skillfully incorporates Crete into the story to the point that it becomes a character itself.
While not on par with more masterful tales of suspense and intrigue such as Fleming's Bond, The Moon-Spinners is a lovely homage to the sort of Hitchcock thrillers with a Disney spin. Featuring one of Mills' trademark performances and beautiful shots of a far away land, The Moon-Spinners is one of the most delightfully escapist adventure outing of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3amIxSA7ZOU
Monday, 18 January 2010
Movie of the Day (1/18/10)- The Last of Sheila (1973)
The Last of Sheila (1973)
-starring Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, James Mason, Raquel Welch, Ian McShane, Joan Hackett and James Coburn
-directed by Herbert Ross
-Not many have heard of this intriguing all-star murder mystery from 1974, but those who have seen it count it as one of the best in the canon of whodunnits. The Last of Sheila tells the story of Sheila Green who is first seen storming out of her own party at her Bel Air mansion. While walking along a darkened street, she is struck down by a moving car and killed instantly. A year later, a group of Hollywood figures and friends including, a high-powered agent (Cannon), a screenwriter (Benjamin), his wife (Hackett), a director (Mason), an actress (Welch) and her husband/manager (McShane) are all invited to a week on the yacht of famous producer Clinton Green (Coburn) to discuss making a film about his late wife. A noted gamesman, Clinton has also enlisted his guests into a guessing game involving true life secrets. Each person is handed a sealed envelope containg secrets ranging from shoplifter to homosexual. The object of the game is to discover each person's secret while trying to conceal your own but it doesn't take long to discover that each of the secrets being used in the game are actual one belonging to the players. When it is revealed that one of the secrets turns out to be hit-and-run-killer, the game turns decidedly ugly.
If the premise seems a bit straightforward, that's because at first gance it is. Yet as the story progresses, the mysteries delightfully pile on top of one another: who recieved what card, who is acutally guilty of what secret, who really killed Sheila, etc... This is perhaps one of the most clever mystery films of the 1970s due to its extremely clever plot. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent that the most minute of details provide answers to whole sub-plots and characters who apreared seemingly easy to read, are not!! One thing is for certain; no one is truly innocent during what Clinton calls "Sheila's Game" and even as the secrets begin to unfold, and the list of suspects begins to slim down, the mystery remains far from over.
It is more than evident that everyone in the film had a blast with the project as seen through the performances of an emsemble who give true life to all of their characters with Coburn as a true standout as the mastermind behind "Sheila's Game." The film itself is so self-referential with many side-references to Hollywood during the 1970s which not only proves to be entertaining, but adds an air of reality and credibility to the proceedings.
Equally as impressive as the talent on the screen is the crew behind the camera including notable film director Joel Shcumacher who worked as costumer on this film, Bette Midler whose song "Friends" was used as the film's closing theme, and most notably, Psycho star Anthony Perkins and composer Stephen Sondheim, both of whom wrote the screenplay!! With two such established names in the fields of acting and music respectively, it is completely mind-boggling how these men came up with a screenplay so cleverly-plotted as The Last of Sheila.
With an assortment of some of the hottest stars of the 1970s, and a clever mystery at hand, The Last of Sheila plays as a sort of counterpart to Murder on the Orient Express, another ingenous whodunnit of the 1970s filled with lavish stars. Unlike the latter film though, The Last of Sheila provides mystery after mystery throughout its 2 hour run. After its release, the film was awarded the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best picture, beating out classics such as The Sting, Serpico and Don't Look Now.
Yet in the years since, the title and reputation as one of the greatest mystery films of the 1970s has eluded The Last of Sheila. Some years back a film society held a special screening with a Q&A where stars Benjamin and Cannon answered questions from a packed house of fans and a standard dvd of the film was released with commentary from Benjamin, Cannon and Welch as the sole special feature.
Perhaps one day this dazzling whodunnit filled with fun performances and an intelligent story will be given the respect it truly deserves. Until then however, fans of the genre will continue to discover The Last of Sheila; a hidden gem of a mystery so clever that even the title itself is a clue!!
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2790522905/
-starring Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, James Mason, Raquel Welch, Ian McShane, Joan Hackett and James Coburn
-directed by Herbert Ross
-Not many have heard of this intriguing all-star murder mystery from 1974, but those who have seen it count it as one of the best in the canon of whodunnits. The Last of Sheila tells the story of Sheila Green who is first seen storming out of her own party at her Bel Air mansion. While walking along a darkened street, she is struck down by a moving car and killed instantly. A year later, a group of Hollywood figures and friends including, a high-powered agent (Cannon), a screenwriter (Benjamin), his wife (Hackett), a director (Mason), an actress (Welch) and her husband/manager (McShane) are all invited to a week on the yacht of famous producer Clinton Green (Coburn) to discuss making a film about his late wife. A noted gamesman, Clinton has also enlisted his guests into a guessing game involving true life secrets. Each person is handed a sealed envelope containg secrets ranging from shoplifter to homosexual. The object of the game is to discover each person's secret while trying to conceal your own but it doesn't take long to discover that each of the secrets being used in the game are actual one belonging to the players. When it is revealed that one of the secrets turns out to be hit-and-run-killer, the game turns decidedly ugly.
If the premise seems a bit straightforward, that's because at first gance it is. Yet as the story progresses, the mysteries delightfully pile on top of one another: who recieved what card, who is acutally guilty of what secret, who really killed Sheila, etc... This is perhaps one of the most clever mystery films of the 1970s due to its extremely clever plot. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent that the most minute of details provide answers to whole sub-plots and characters who apreared seemingly easy to read, are not!! One thing is for certain; no one is truly innocent during what Clinton calls "Sheila's Game" and even as the secrets begin to unfold, and the list of suspects begins to slim down, the mystery remains far from over.
It is more than evident that everyone in the film had a blast with the project as seen through the performances of an emsemble who give true life to all of their characters with Coburn as a true standout as the mastermind behind "Sheila's Game." The film itself is so self-referential with many side-references to Hollywood during the 1970s which not only proves to be entertaining, but adds an air of reality and credibility to the proceedings.
Equally as impressive as the talent on the screen is the crew behind the camera including notable film director Joel Shcumacher who worked as costumer on this film, Bette Midler whose song "Friends" was used as the film's closing theme, and most notably, Psycho star Anthony Perkins and composer Stephen Sondheim, both of whom wrote the screenplay!! With two such established names in the fields of acting and music respectively, it is completely mind-boggling how these men came up with a screenplay so cleverly-plotted as The Last of Sheila.
With an assortment of some of the hottest stars of the 1970s, and a clever mystery at hand, The Last of Sheila plays as a sort of counterpart to Murder on the Orient Express, another ingenous whodunnit of the 1970s filled with lavish stars. Unlike the latter film though, The Last of Sheila provides mystery after mystery throughout its 2 hour run. After its release, the film was awarded the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best picture, beating out classics such as The Sting, Serpico and Don't Look Now.
Yet in the years since, the title and reputation as one of the greatest mystery films of the 1970s has eluded The Last of Sheila. Some years back a film society held a special screening with a Q&A where stars Benjamin and Cannon answered questions from a packed house of fans and a standard dvd of the film was released with commentary from Benjamin, Cannon and Welch as the sole special feature.
Perhaps one day this dazzling whodunnit filled with fun performances and an intelligent story will be given the respect it truly deserves. Until then however, fans of the genre will continue to discover The Last of Sheila; a hidden gem of a mystery so clever that even the title itself is a clue!!
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2790522905/
Monday, 11 January 2010
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
starring Bette Davis, Monty Wolley, Ann Sheridan, and Jimmy Durante
directed by William Keighly
-Usually the holidays bring out the traditional array of Christmas-themed films; Its a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34 St. (either version, ) Christmas in Connecticut, etc...Yet there are very few films which can be prescibed for those post-holiday days of winter that seem to lie in limbo. One exception is the charming farcial comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner.
The film takes place in the mid-west a week before Christmas Eve and tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Stanley, a prominent Ohio couple who are due to have revered author and critic Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Wolley) over for dinner. While the Stanley's are thrilled about their esteemed guest, the feeling is nowhere near mutual as Sheridan, a flamboyant personality to say the least, complains to his secretary Maggie (Bette Davis) about the engagement. Nonetheless Whiteside relents and while walking up the steps to the Stanley's front door, slips on some ice and breaks his hip. Confined to a wheelchair, the acid-tounged Whiteside, along with the helo of his colorful entourage, takes over the Stanley's household, essentially presiding over thier lives, much to the chagrin of his hosts.
Why this film isn't more well known remains a mystery for it is one if the greatest comedy farces of the 1940s. Not only does The Man Who Came to Dinner contain plenty of inuendos and misunderstood situations to satifsy fans of the genre, but it also offers up dialogue that proves both witty and hilarious. Most of the one-of-a-kind lines comes from Sheridan himself who can turn a phrase quicker than a slap in the face; leaving everyone he encounters stunned and speechless. Within minutes of meeting him, it becomes quite clear that Sheridan Whiteside is a man who the average person will either hold in adoration or loathe with contempt.
With such a larger than life figure as the central character, one would think that the characterizations of the supporting players would suffer as a result. Yet this isn't so. The filmmakers have taken great care to ensure that every character who enters the story does so with enough individuality in order to avoid being classified as one-dimensional. Among the many characters who populate The Man Who Came to Dinner are a spoiled theater actress, a flamboyant leading man, a woman-chasing film actor, a down-home newspaper editor, and Mr. Stanley's eccentric spinster sister Harriet, whose handful of scenes standout as odd, yet delightful peculiarities in an otherwise fast-paced film.
Based on the Broadway play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, The Man Who Came to Dinner also serves as an excellent look into the theater and film communities of the 30s and 40s. References to Lana Turner, Zazu Pitts, Catherine Cornell, and others are tossed about while Sheridan, Durante, and Reginald Gardner play variations of Gertrude Lawrence, Harpo Marx and Noel Coward respectively. Hart and Moss also famousy based their main character on famed critic Alexander Wolcott, who proved to a be a larger than life version of Wolley's Whiteside to say the least.
It is interesting to note Davis' role in the film. On the surface this seems to be the exact opposite of the roles she associated herself with for so long. The character of Maggie is without question the least flashy of any of the main roles and for the entire first act remains somewhat complacent toward Whiteside's antics. Yet as the film progresses and Maggie falls for the leading man, we see Davis emerge and give life to her character. So many elements make this one of the more interesting footnotes in her career; the film is a comedy, she is not the focal point, and her character in the end is sweet, but unremarkable. Nevertheless the image of Davis happily ice skating with the local newspaper editor and clumsily falling into the snow is a delightful one. Rarely did the actress show such playfulness and dreamy-eyed sensibility on screen.
As previously mentioned, the story take place just before Christmas Eve, yet this is hardly a Christmas film. While the holiday does provide a background to help speed the plot along and give certain characters a reason to come and go, the film is first and foremost a cleverly written piece of comedic farce that bears viewing after viewing in order to catch the most minute of details that was surely overlooked the first time around. So while nothing of note is playing at the cinemas in the humdrum days of winter, The Man Who Came to Dinner is a fun romp that helps to make the season go by faster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fMcWKXVkQU
starring Bette Davis, Monty Wolley, Ann Sheridan, and Jimmy Durante
directed by William Keighly
-Usually the holidays bring out the traditional array of Christmas-themed films; Its a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34 St. (either version, ) Christmas in Connecticut, etc...Yet there are very few films which can be prescibed for those post-holiday days of winter that seem to lie in limbo. One exception is the charming farcial comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner.
The film takes place in the mid-west a week before Christmas Eve and tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Stanley, a prominent Ohio couple who are due to have revered author and critic Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Wolley) over for dinner. While the Stanley's are thrilled about their esteemed guest, the feeling is nowhere near mutual as Sheridan, a flamboyant personality to say the least, complains to his secretary Maggie (Bette Davis) about the engagement. Nonetheless Whiteside relents and while walking up the steps to the Stanley's front door, slips on some ice and breaks his hip. Confined to a wheelchair, the acid-tounged Whiteside, along with the helo of his colorful entourage, takes over the Stanley's household, essentially presiding over thier lives, much to the chagrin of his hosts.
Why this film isn't more well known remains a mystery for it is one if the greatest comedy farces of the 1940s. Not only does The Man Who Came to Dinner contain plenty of inuendos and misunderstood situations to satifsy fans of the genre, but it also offers up dialogue that proves both witty and hilarious. Most of the one-of-a-kind lines comes from Sheridan himself who can turn a phrase quicker than a slap in the face; leaving everyone he encounters stunned and speechless. Within minutes of meeting him, it becomes quite clear that Sheridan Whiteside is a man who the average person will either hold in adoration or loathe with contempt.
With such a larger than life figure as the central character, one would think that the characterizations of the supporting players would suffer as a result. Yet this isn't so. The filmmakers have taken great care to ensure that every character who enters the story does so with enough individuality in order to avoid being classified as one-dimensional. Among the many characters who populate The Man Who Came to Dinner are a spoiled theater actress, a flamboyant leading man, a woman-chasing film actor, a down-home newspaper editor, and Mr. Stanley's eccentric spinster sister Harriet, whose handful of scenes standout as odd, yet delightful peculiarities in an otherwise fast-paced film.
Based on the Broadway play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, The Man Who Came to Dinner also serves as an excellent look into the theater and film communities of the 30s and 40s. References to Lana Turner, Zazu Pitts, Catherine Cornell, and others are tossed about while Sheridan, Durante, and Reginald Gardner play variations of Gertrude Lawrence, Harpo Marx and Noel Coward respectively. Hart and Moss also famousy based their main character on famed critic Alexander Wolcott, who proved to a be a larger than life version of Wolley's Whiteside to say the least.
It is interesting to note Davis' role in the film. On the surface this seems to be the exact opposite of the roles she associated herself with for so long. The character of Maggie is without question the least flashy of any of the main roles and for the entire first act remains somewhat complacent toward Whiteside's antics. Yet as the film progresses and Maggie falls for the leading man, we see Davis emerge and give life to her character. So many elements make this one of the more interesting footnotes in her career; the film is a comedy, she is not the focal point, and her character in the end is sweet, but unremarkable. Nevertheless the image of Davis happily ice skating with the local newspaper editor and clumsily falling into the snow is a delightful one. Rarely did the actress show such playfulness and dreamy-eyed sensibility on screen.
As previously mentioned, the story take place just before Christmas Eve, yet this is hardly a Christmas film. While the holiday does provide a background to help speed the plot along and give certain characters a reason to come and go, the film is first and foremost a cleverly written piece of comedic farce that bears viewing after viewing in order to catch the most minute of details that was surely overlooked the first time around. So while nothing of note is playing at the cinemas in the humdrum days of winter, The Man Who Came to Dinner is a fun romp that helps to make the season go by faster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fMcWKXVkQU
Monday, 4 January 2010
2010: A year for new beginnings...
It seems like so much has kept me from achieving my goal of being an expert film blogger. First it was an endless string of illnesses coupled with the lack of a sturdy internet connection at my dorms that proved a setback. Then work got in the way, which is forgivable since I needed the money!! Then my 3 day Christmas traveling experience from hell proved yet another setback followed by the requisite catching up with family and friends back home while waiting for my internet to be established yet again.
Now my internet is strong, I have money, my friends and family have seen me and I'm feeling perfectly healthy. Therefore I am ready to resume my blogging activities once more. I would like to say that nothing will stop me now, but we are unfortunately powerless against certain forces of nature. I do however promise to do my best to keep up my daily appreciation of those films which have been disregarded and forgotten about.
I'm pretty sure that at this stage no one is reading this blog, but that's beside the point. I feel that this blog has less to do with feeding my ego by accumulating online followers and more to do with making sure that the films I write about are given the proper acknowledgements they deserve. If I manage to get people to read and follow my blog, that would be fantastic, but I'll be fine so long as I know that I'm paying homage to some truly great films.
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