“Once in a while, when I stop fighting it, I get a flash of — I’d guess you’d call it philosophy. Suddenly I realize that what really matters isn’t how long we live, but how.”
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“There are enough decent men here to wipe Fourteenth Street off the map — if you’ll tell ’em to!”
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Review: Unfortunately, the inclusion of a 13-minute newsreel at the beginning of the movie — featuring interviews with real people from Phenix City — lessens the impact of the docudrama somewhat, simply because it’s impossible not to notice their strong accents, which the actors make no attempt to imitate. Indeed, when compared with Paul Greengrass’s recent docudramas — which are filmed so authentically you truly feel you’re there — Phenix City comes across as stagy and heavyhanded. Nonetheless, this remains a well-acted, heartfelt movie, one which tells an important American story with bravery and grit, and deserves a wider audience. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Links: |
“I knew that sooner or later you’d be taking that little girl off alone.”
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Review: In the second half of the film, when Jim finds himself the unfair object of a scathing witch hunt, we are clearly meant to sympathize with him — yet it’s difficult to feel warmly towards a pedophile, and thus, our loyalties are divided. If only life were as nice and neat as in the movies, every “Jim” in the world would deserve a second chance, and there would be no need to penalize a sex criminal for his past crimes; unfortunately, however, this is merely wishful thinking. For a much more authentic look at a pedophile struggling with life after prison, see Kevin Bacon in The Woodsman (2004). Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“I’m pregnant, and I have to go to the city to have an abortion. It’s not my husband’s baby, and he doesn’t know!”
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Potts’s character is whiny and annoying, and her dilemma — while interesting — is quickly overshadowed by a lame subplot about Rita’s crush on an Italian named Marcello (Winston Rekert). We are meant to root for these ladies, but they’re simply not sympathetic: Potts cuckolded her unsuspecting husband, and Rita is downright obnoxious in her pursuit of an unavailable man. Peary probably lists Heartaches in the back of his book because of Kidder, whose performance he nominates as one of the best of the year in his Alternate Oscars (1991); but I don’t find it all that impressive. While Kidder has lots of energy, her character comes across as a cliche of working class eccentricity rather than someone we really care about.
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“I’m so far out already, I’m on another planet!”
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“Help me — I don’t want to be half a woman!”
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Claire Bloom (always the consummate actress) gives a nuanced performance with hints of unrevealed depth:
and Glynis Johns provides welcome comedic relief.
Winters’ performance alone is rather half-hearted, but this seems to be primarily a function of her under-written character.
Indeed, the film’s worst scenes are those when the women aren’t present — nearly every interaction between the researchers themselves, for instance, comes across as dry and stiffly written. At first glance, The Chapman Report appears to be preaching heavy-handedly against sex surveys in general — since, rather than remaining a “neutral” collection of data, Dr. Chapman’s work (as predicted by a concerned “member of society”) stirs up deeply uncomfortable feelings in each of its leading participants. Yet this moral attitude gradually shifts, once we realize that participating in the interviews simply pushed these women to confront what was buried not-so-deeply inside of themselves all along. By the end — in typical mid-century fashion — the ideal of marriage in America prevails, with sex put in its “rightful” place as an act of love between man and wife. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“The cover’s unbelievable — it’s a natural, the dream of a lifetime. The daughter of a diplomat can go anywhere she wants!”
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Review: Kathy Dunn — Louisa in the original Broadway version of “The Sound of Music” — is excellent in the lead role: her cheery good looks, blonde tresses, and all-around pluck are reminiscent of her more famous counterpart, Hayley Mills. Though she finds herself in a heap of trouble again and again — and some scenes are genuinely tense — the film’s cartoonish score fortunately reassures us that our heroine won’t ever suffer serious harm. If you’re able to accept the improbable details of the story (why are all the diplomats’ children teenage girls of the same age?); awful performances by the “girls” (most of their acting careers went nowhere after this film); and occasionally stilted dialogue (“Candy, you must go– There is much danger!”), you might find yourself guiltily enjoying this innocuous Cold War trifle. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“Hulot: H — U — L — O — T.”
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Response to Peary’s Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Links: |
“It’s the greatest hoax of the century — it’s nefarious as Fu Manchu, and as practical as a zipper!”
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Review: Karlson maintains genuine tension and interest throughout the movie, thanks to fine performances by most of the actors, clever dialogue, and a nicely shot casino heist. The emphasis on character and friendship is refreshing — rather than watching seasoned crooks hoping to make “one final score” (an overused trope if there ever was one), we see a drama which may revolve around a heist, but is ultimately about pride (Ronnie), survival (Brick), and loyalty (Madison). Note: Ronnie’s cool, calculated plotting is reminiscent of John Dall’s character in Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) — though ultimately Five Against the House is more concerned with the veterans’ stories than with Ronnie’s potential psychopathy. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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