Okay this is easy to mock - dialogue where they talk about the impossibility of taming mountains, Mountain Men forcing Jim Craig to go down to the low lands until he becomes a man (huh?), Jim running off with his horse at the end instead of a girl.
But so much of it is wonderful - the gorgeous scenery, the sumptuous production design and costuming, the photography, the sheer novelty of a story with this setting and locale, the rousing music. Tom Burlinson is perfect in the title role - he was never as good when he grew up a little bit more; Sigrid Thornton is very pretty, and well cast, even it's a shame she didn't have more to do (for all her character talks about feminism she's still stuck at home); Lorraine Bayley grapples with her exposition expertly enough and Chris Haywood provides a decent enough villain; Jack Thompson adds genuine star power as Clancy, but not as much as Kirk Douglas does, glowering his way through twin roles. He's very effective, imposing, and was missed in the sequel.
The horse riding still takes the breath away, the story holds (it is in the melodramatic tradition of early 20th century Australian stage plays). A film of heart and excitement - real cinema.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Movie review - "Dirty Dancing" (1987) ****
I was never that much of a fan of this movie when it came out, despite it being a late 80s phenomenon, but it really holds up. Jennifer Grey's performance is genuinely good, and makes one frustrated she didn't get better parts later (or refuse to take them) and got her nose done; Patrick Swayze is charismatic, not as good but he is meant to be an object of desire, and he is a good dancer - it makes one frustrated he didn't do a few more musicals.
I'd forgotten the importance of the support cast, for this isn't a star vehicle, and others were allowed to shine: warm Cynthia Rhodes as the nice if "fast" girl (part of the brilliantly successful wish fulfilment aspect of this movie was that Baby didn't just get the guy, and to be the star of the show, she also got to be friends with the cool girl); Jerry Orbach as Baby's father, strict but decent and loving and strong (she still gets his approval at the end); Jane Brunker as the daggy sister.
The dancing is exciting, the tunes are well done (even if not very period), the script may have its cliches but its full of heart and there's not a wasted scene in the whole film. It is a genuine crowd pleaser, something nearly impossible to achieve, and it has aged well.
I'd forgotten the importance of the support cast, for this isn't a star vehicle, and others were allowed to shine: warm Cynthia Rhodes as the nice if "fast" girl (part of the brilliantly successful wish fulfilment aspect of this movie was that Baby didn't just get the guy, and to be the star of the show, she also got to be friends with the cool girl); Jerry Orbach as Baby's father, strict but decent and loving and strong (she still gets his approval at the end); Jane Brunker as the daggy sister.
The dancing is exciting, the tunes are well done (even if not very period), the script may have its cliches but its full of heart and there's not a wasted scene in the whole film. It is a genuine crowd pleaser, something nearly impossible to achieve, and it has aged well.
Radio review - Suspense # 313 - "Death Sentence" (1948) *** (warning: spoilers)
John Garfield is sometimes an actor overlooked when talking of the great days of Hollywood despite an early death - he is overshadowed by other Warners tough guys like Cagney and Bogart - but he was good actor, as shown in this installment. A tough no-nonsense entry with Garfield as a dodgy guy involved with a shady lady. Raymond Burr is in it too.
TV review - "How to Make it in America - Season 1" (2010) ***
Entertaining escapism heavily reminiscent of Entourage (several of the same key creatives worked on it, and it too is about a bunch of guys who seem to know everyone in an exciting town, and sleep with attractive women, and have a relationship with an older mentor). It isn't as good though - it's less focused (Entourage was centered around Vinnie Chase whereas this has three separate strands - jeans, hotel designs, and energy drinks), less aspirational (do people really dream of setting up a jean line) and feels clunky (why is the black friend in this? couldn't they find anything decent for Shannyn Sossamon's character to do?).
But it's good energy, likeable actors, a really interesting part for Luis Guizman, Lake Bell is charming as always, New York looks like lots of fun (it captures the mood and atmosphere of the city), the stories aren't bad.
But it's good energy, likeable actors, a really interesting part for Luis Guizman, Lake Bell is charming as always, New York looks like lots of fun (it captures the mood and atmosphere of the city), the stories aren't bad.
Movie review - "To Rome with Love" (2012) ***
Another location shift again offers another energy boost for Woody Allen - even if it's too long and there's a scene that's clunky, it at least has Rome scenery to help out. This was funded by Italian distributors and is actually really Italian - there are several stories, two of which focus on locals and are in Italian (is this the most subtitled Woody Allen film since What's Up Tiger Lily?).
The plot feels like its cobbled together from discarded bits and ideas Allen has collected over the years - a wealthy successful architect visits his younger self, a visiting American discovers a brilliant opera singer (these first two are magical realism), an average man becomes famous for no reason (Woody having a dig at his recent notoriety), a honeymooning couple split up (an Ingmar Bergman-style sex comedy).
Woody doesn't really make great strides in characterisation here - the lead of each of the four stories is a Woody Allen type (one is played by Woody Allen); the female characters are variations of recognisable tropes (a sexually voracious erratic actress, an American studying abroad, a hooker, a pretty sweet thing who turns out to be hot for a role in the hay with a thief). However there is a good cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Roberto Benigni, Alison Pill and Judy Davis. Woody is a bit rusty here as an actor - age has slowed his comic timing - but at least he is married to Davis who, while still young enough to be his daughter, at least has wrinkles and isn't young enough to be his granddaughter. Overlong, and a bit creaky but quite fun. As long as Woody keeps shifting locations for the rest of his career he should be okay.
The plot feels like its cobbled together from discarded bits and ideas Allen has collected over the years - a wealthy successful architect visits his younger self, a visiting American discovers a brilliant opera singer (these first two are magical realism), an average man becomes famous for no reason (Woody having a dig at his recent notoriety), a honeymooning couple split up (an Ingmar Bergman-style sex comedy).
Woody doesn't really make great strides in characterisation here - the lead of each of the four stories is a Woody Allen type (one is played by Woody Allen); the female characters are variations of recognisable tropes (a sexually voracious erratic actress, an American studying abroad, a hooker, a pretty sweet thing who turns out to be hot for a role in the hay with a thief). However there is a good cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Roberto Benigni, Alison Pill and Judy Davis. Woody is a bit rusty here as an actor - age has slowed his comic timing - but at least he is married to Davis who, while still young enough to be his daughter, at least has wrinkles and isn't young enough to be his granddaughter. Overlong, and a bit creaky but quite fun. As long as Woody keeps shifting locations for the rest of his career he should be okay.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Movie review - "Baby Take a Bow" (1934) **
A really odd film best remembered today for being an early star vehicle for Shirley Temple. She doesn't appear for a while - the first part of the movie sets up the story of her father getting out of prison, clashing with another prisoner and then going to marry his sweetheart. Fast forward a few years later and dad has little Shirley and a job as a chauffeur but gets drawn back into criminal land.
Shirley is very cute and sings a number or two but is an observer for most of the action, which centers around Dad. Things get serious at the end when gangsters come in with guns and there is a fair amount of shooting. James Dunn is fairly uninspired as Dad although I always liked Claire Trevor, who is mum. There are a bunch of indistinguishable character actors in it; fortunately Shirley Temple films got a lot better.
Shirley is very cute and sings a number or two but is an observer for most of the action, which centers around Dad. Things get serious at the end when gangsters come in with guns and there is a fair amount of shooting. James Dunn is fairly uninspired as Dad although I always liked Claire Trevor, who is mum. There are a bunch of indistinguishable character actors in it; fortunately Shirley Temple films got a lot better.
Movie review - "Fixed Bayonets" (1951) ***
Typically tough, no-nonsense Sam Fuller movie which reminded me a lot of Battleground because it concerns a fight by an American platoon in a snowy region. This time the region is Korea, and the action is conveyed believably and with great skill, although it does get a little dull in places.
It's not a classic as a drama - there is a corporal (Richard Basehart) who doesn't want to fight and is worried about taking command, but he comes good in the end. There's not as many as the melodramatic flourishes you find in other Fuller films, which is perhaps this is not as beloved by cultists as others. James Dean has a very small role as a soldier; Gene Evans is good value as a tough sergeant.
There's lots of talk about sore feet, smoking, freezing and shoot out in caves. Basehart finding himself leading the platoon is a little predictable, but this has a fair amount of integrity.
It's not a classic as a drama - there is a corporal (Richard Basehart) who doesn't want to fight and is worried about taking command, but he comes good in the end. There's not as many as the melodramatic flourishes you find in other Fuller films, which is perhaps this is not as beloved by cultists as others. James Dean has a very small role as a soldier; Gene Evans is good value as a tough sergeant.
There's lots of talk about sore feet, smoking, freezing and shoot out in caves. Basehart finding himself leading the platoon is a little predictable, but this has a fair amount of integrity.
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