“You’re rich — you’re dirty rich, and nothing but laughter can make you clean.”
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Review: Note: Director Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast — who also wrote the Oscar-nominated script — helmed just seven films between 1927-1933, then was blackballed from Hollywood. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“I’m just an everyday dope fiend — registered, card-carrying, first class.”
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Most devastating is watching a teenage couple (listed simply as “Larry” and “Pam” in the credits) wasting their lives for the allure of smack; despite knowing that a doctor-supervised vitamin B-12 solution was used in the needles, the scene in which Larry shoots up Pam in the face remains particularly gruesome.
Dusty and Sweets (named after the street monikers of two of the film’s characters) was pulled from screens just one week after its release in 1971, and became somewhat of a cult hit after this. It’s hard to get ahold of these days — presumably because of copyright issues, considering the enormous number of popular songs used on the soundtrack. Ironically, it’s the uplifting soundtrack which saves this film from devolving into pure voyeuristic misery. I’d love to see a follow-up documentary about these folks, but my guess is that they weren’t long for this world. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“With all that gold here, how come they only have one man to guard it?”
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“Whatever has happened to Gerald is something evil.”
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The absurd denouement, however, brings us squarely into the realm of sci-fi camp: if you’re not too busy laughing, you’ll wonder how in the world the actors kept straight faces through it all. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“You wouldn’t last long cut off from the herd, McQueen. You’re branded clean to the bone.”
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and Colorado coming across as a cliche of every “bad girl trying to make good” we’ve ever seen.
The best aspect of the film by far is the beautiful cinematography of New Mexico locales, especially during the final climactic scenes.
Note: TNT produced an insipid colorized version, which you should try to avoid at all costs; instead, watch the film in its original b&w glory. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“Even with the hardest kind of driving, and every traffic break in my favor, any chance of making Riverdale by 1:30 was pretty dim!”
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while Mason is pretty much wasted as the brave father who does what he can to help notify the police.
The most impressive performances are given by the gang of terrorists, especially Steiger and Dickinson; we can’t help wishing they had more screen time. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“You were a bum in New York, and you’re a bum here! You’re useless — understand? Useless!”
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“Go ahead, lieutenant — prove yourself a hero!”
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“An Indian without land loses his soul; his heart withers.”
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Review: Although Taylor is unconvincing as an Indian (he simply doesn’t look the part), he does a decent job portraying a decorated war hero who bitterly refuses to give in to unjust laws.
Less impressive is Paula Raymond as the female lawyer Lance hires to assist him in his case; she’s all quivering lips and forlorn expressions, when surely any woman brave enough to become a lawyer during this early period in American history would have been made of tougher stuff.
And while Louis Calhern is appropriately sinister as the racist lawyer determined to chase Lance off his land, he’s ultimately a one-dimensional baddie.
Fortunately, the performances aren’t what really count here: the brave script, exciting action sequences, gorgeous cinematography, and historical relevance more than redeem this groundbreaking film. Note: Listen for Lance’s final line in the film: it’s a zinger. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“Wars are waged by kings; we are ordinary, simple folk.”
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Response to Peary’s Review: Despite the enormity of the subject matter, Ray characteristically takes a deeply personal approach, focusing primarily on the character arc of the main protagonist (Gangacharan), who gradually learns that, when it comes to survival in times of war, caste matters not at all. Equally compelling, however, are the subplots about Gangacharan’s wife Ananga (Babita) and her friends, who do what they can to bring food to their households — for Ananga, this means lowering herself enough to help mill rice, while her married friend Chutki (Sandhya Roy) sleeps with a disfigured man (Noni Ganguly) in exchange for some of his precious supply. Ultimately, Ray shows both the worst and the best sides of humanity in his film, as each character discovers what he or she is willing to compromise for his own survival — and for the survival of others. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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