Hispanic writer & director José Gutiérrez Maesso has helped pen screenplays for several exciting actioneers, including "Ricco, The Mean Machine," "Train from Durango," "The Hellbenders," "Minnesota Clay" and "Django." Maessco's co-scenarist Massimo De Rita has an interesting list of screenplay credits: "The Valachi Papers," "Companeros," "Violent City," and "Hell's Brigade: The Final Assault." If this surfeit of talent weren't enough, Eugenio Martino of "Bad Man's River," "The Ugly Ones," and "Horror Express" contributed to the "Order to Kill" screenplay. Arduino Maiuri co-scripted De Rita's credits. Finally, Santiago Moncada added his pen to "Ricco, The Mean Machine" as well as "Hatchet for a Honeymoon." As collaborators, this talented quintet should have delivered more exciting showdowns between more colorful characters with enough last-minute reversals to distract us from the obvious ending. Instead, they have concocted a routine potboiler. "Order to Kill" (** out of ****) is enlivened by occasional outbursts of violence. Essentially, this lackluster crime and corruption melodrama concerns a feud between a veteran cop, Inspector Fred Reed (José Ferrer of "The Caine Mutiny") and a wealthy villain, Ed McLean (Kevin McCarthy of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") who loves to fly around in a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter like the one on the Tom Selleck TV show “Magnum, P.I.”
"Order to Kill" shows initial promise. Appropriately, it opens with a murder, a rather elaborate but far-fetched execution. An assassin, Albert Webster (Romano Puppo of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"), relies on a gadget that will indicate when the railway car in which his target is riding in will align itself with his own railway carriage. At the precise instant, when the two railway cars are opposite each other, Albert squeezes off a burst of machine gun fire into the opposing carriage, killing his target. Albert later describes his target as a McLean
competitor. No sooner has Albert carried out this assignment than he finds himself the target of a manhunt. Clyde Hart (Helmut Berger of "The Damned") has trouble killing his friends.
Clyde's girlfriend Anne Holden (Sydne Rome of "Sundance and the Kid") tries to persuade him not to accept the murder contract. This will be Clyde's first actual hit-man contract, and Clyde reminds Anne that they need the money. Clyde has orders to kill Albert, but he balks when he recognizes his old friend Albert. This doesn't stop another assassin from shooting Albert. Afterward, Clyde goes to the casino to pick up his money. Peter Costello already knows Clyde didn't liquidate Albert. Gastel wants to know why Clyde wants out. "I'm tired of palm trees," Clyde groans. Gastel reminds Clyde about Jamaica, "Try and remember this is an island. No one can leave it unless McLean says it's okay. And in your case, I'm afraid he's not going to say it's okay." A brief gunfight erupts in the casino, and Clyde kills three of Peter's men. Later, another McLean mobster, ruthless Richard Prentice (Howard Ross) shows up and kills Gastel in cold-blood because McLean is not happy with Gastel.
Meanwhile, Clyde relaxes with Anne at the beach. He assures his blond girlfriend that they will make it off the island. The following day they go to get their boat and discover that McLean's thugs have not only beat up the boat owner but destroyed the outboard engine. Clyde doesn't get far before McLean's ruffians beat him down to the ground and leave him sprawled unconscious in the street. Anne takes him to a native woman they both know and Clyde recuperates there. Plainclothes police turn up and they take Clyde into custody. Inspector Fred Reed (José Ferrer) pulls strings and has Clyde put into his custody. Reed knows everything about Clyde's background. For example, Reed knows Clyde emigrated to America with his German parents. After spending to two years at USC, Clyde went to Vietnam, deserted and then got on McLean's payroll. He is tired of running when Reed picks him up. Reed shows Clyde that there is no way off the island. Reed wants Clyde to train three other men--Juan, Danielle, and Hugo--and then hit McLean and kill him. Clyde observes that he has never been asked to kill anybody by the police. Reed warns Clyde that one of the three will kill him if he tries to make a break for it.
Meanwhile, Reed has a telephone conversation with McLean. McLean knows
that Reed plans to retire in a couple of months. Instead of leaving McLean alone, Reed still wants to kill him. McLean accuses the inspector of nursing a 15-year personal grudge against him. He points out to Reed that Reed refuses to accept bribes and doesn't abide by the orders of his superiors to leave Mclean alone. Clyde and the three men practice getting atop a 18-wheeler without being seen. Reed has laid out a plan for them to break into McLean's compound, blow-up the big rig, and kill him. By now Anne regards Clyde as "a walking corpse" and wants nothing to do with him. She hates going to bed with Richard but fears that he will kill her if she doesn't accommodate him.
Later, Richard locates Reed and lines up the cross-hairs of his sniper scope on the old cop. Clyde and his men sneak aboard the 18-wheeler heading into McLean's place. They blow up the tractor-trailer, wipe out McLean's men, but Clyde doesn't kill McLean. Hugo winds up having to shoot McLean. When Clyde calls Reed to inform him of their success, he gets Richard to shoots and kills Reed on the phone so Clyde can hear it. Clyde heads off to tangle with Richard. Basically, everybody bites the dust in this cynical melodrama.
The obvious moral of this conventional but cynical shoot'em up is if you live by
the gun, then you will die by the gun. "Order to Kill" never generates any momentum. Everything is rather matter-of-fact. The quintet of scribes do serve up some spicy dialogue: "It's funny, whenever they give me a dirty job to do, they wish me good luck." "It's too late for doubt." "You're under orders to do it." The premise about a cop resorting to illegal means to dispose of a high-level mobster is mildly intriguing, but the film falls apart half-way into the second act that not even the sloppily handled combat scenes in act three can salvage. Interestingly, there are no zoom shots here back when zoom shots were the rage.
CINEMATIC REVELATIONS allows me the luxury of writing, editing and archiving my film and television reviews. Some reviews appeared initially in "The Commercial Dispatch" and "The Planet Weekly" and then later in the comment archives at the Internet Movie Database. IMDB.COM, however, imposes a limit on both the number of words and the number of times that an author may revise their comments. I hope that anybody who peruses these expanded reviews will find them useful.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''INVICTUS'' (2009)
Morgan Freeman has so much talent that he makes acting look easy. In director Clint Eastwood's latest movie "Invictus,"(***1/2 out of ****) based on John Carlin's non-fiction book "Playing the Enemy," Freeman impersonates controversial South African President Nelson Mandela. Interestingly, Mandela said that Freeman was the only actor who he felt could do him justice on the big-screen. Basically, this inspirational sports saga about rugby concerns more than just capturing the 1995 World Cup. "Sherlock Holmes" scenarist Anthony Peckham and Eastwood have produced a solemn, straightforward, but contemplative film about how Mandela shrewdly appropriated a hated symbol of apartheid and wielded it so that he could unite a racially torn nation. In other words, the savvy politician pulled the ultimate public relations ploy and used a rugby team. This factual social activist melodrama with its liberal perspective seems rather predictable at times, but it is remains nevertheless as reassuring as it is absorbing. Essentially, two minds meet in "Invictus" and forge a change that solidified a country. The performances by Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as a conscientious rugby coach are flawless. Damon appears physically fit for such a demanding role and his accent sounds reasonable. Some scenes seem almost too good to be true, particularly the camaraderie between a young black teen and two gruff-looking South African beat cops during the World Cup game. Unlike most sports films, "Invictus" dwells more on how the game of rugby engineered racial harmony in a repressive society than about the game itself.
After 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman of "Unforgiven") emerges and wins the presidency of South Africa. Mandela's victory ushered in many striking changes, and his fellow blacks wanted to disband the South African team, the Springboks, because it reminded them of racial oppression. No sooner does Mandela hear about this rash decision than he races out to appeal to his constituents about the error of their ways. Of course, they hate the Springboks, but Mandela urges them to support him and his request to leave the Springboks alone. Mandela convinces them that this represents a splendid opportunity to allay white fears about black power. Initially, Mandela's closest adviser warns him about this kind of activism. Meanwhile, the Springboks are doing themselves no favors with their abysmal performance on the playing fields. A Mandela adviser observes that winning the World Cup would create a lot of ppsitive publicity for the new government and Mandela summons blond Afrikaner, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon of "The Bourne Ultimatum") who bears no political crosses, and encourage him to win the World Cup. The messiah-like Mandela exerts considerable influence on Pienaar and the coach takes his pampered team on promotional tours into the most squalid of black ghettos to teach the children the basics of the game. Early in "Invictus," one of Mandela's white bodyguards describes to his black cohorts the essentials of rugby: "Soccer is a gentleman's game played by hooligans, rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen."
When Peckham and Eastwood aren't concentrating on Mandela's cagey political maneuvers, they depict the changes that occurred all over South Africa with a subplot about the president's integrated team of bodyguards. Mandela's chief of security had requested more bodyguards, so the president obliges him with British-trained, Afrikaner cops. Indeed, Mandela discourages any whites from leaving government service because he needs them as examples of unity within his administration. Time gradually erodes white anxieties about black aspirations as reflected by grudging cooperation between the black and white bodyguards. Again, rugby takes center stage with the whites explaining the rules of rugby to their colleagues.
Nelson Mandela comes off looking as slippery as James Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Mandela doesn't miss a trick in his political calculations and he impresses his closest adviser. Indeed, Mandela emerges in "Invictus" as an Abraham Lincoln of sorts. He survived 24 years of brutal, back-breaking imprisonment on an island and slept on a mat for a bed. This same individual, who endured enormous hardship, later ascended from the lowest position in society—a prison inmate—and attained the highest post—president of the same country that had incarnated him. Mandela realized from his pinnacle of power that the only way to thwart an immanent civil war that threatened to tear South Africa apart that he had to exercise accommodation toward his fellow whites.
Wisely, director Clint Eastwood doesn't have much truck with politics in "Invictus." Peckham and he provide the basic ground work about the sudden changes that rocked South Africa with Mandela's election as president. They present us with the struggles that the Springbox with their green and gold outfits endure. Mandela demonstrates true insight into his fellow men when he decides to let a predominantly white rugby team become a rallying cry for intolerance and unity. No, "Invictus" is not the kind of movie that you would expect from Clint Eastwood and—like his protagonist who prefers to make risks—Eastwood has helmed and honed another classic. "Invictus" ranks as a sentimental sports saga that never gets sappy. Incidentally, "Invictus" translated means as invincible.
After 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman of "Unforgiven") emerges and wins the presidency of South Africa. Mandela's victory ushered in many striking changes, and his fellow blacks wanted to disband the South African team, the Springboks, because it reminded them of racial oppression. No sooner does Mandela hear about this rash decision than he races out to appeal to his constituents about the error of their ways. Of course, they hate the Springboks, but Mandela urges them to support him and his request to leave the Springboks alone. Mandela convinces them that this represents a splendid opportunity to allay white fears about black power. Initially, Mandela's closest adviser warns him about this kind of activism. Meanwhile, the Springboks are doing themselves no favors with their abysmal performance on the playing fields. A Mandela adviser observes that winning the World Cup would create a lot of ppsitive publicity for the new government and Mandela summons blond Afrikaner, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon of "The Bourne Ultimatum") who bears no political crosses, and encourage him to win the World Cup. The messiah-like Mandela exerts considerable influence on Pienaar and the coach takes his pampered team on promotional tours into the most squalid of black ghettos to teach the children the basics of the game. Early in "Invictus," one of Mandela's white bodyguards describes to his black cohorts the essentials of rugby: "Soccer is a gentleman's game played by hooligans, rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen."
When Peckham and Eastwood aren't concentrating on Mandela's cagey political maneuvers, they depict the changes that occurred all over South Africa with a subplot about the president's integrated team of bodyguards. Mandela's chief of security had requested more bodyguards, so the president obliges him with British-trained, Afrikaner cops. Indeed, Mandela discourages any whites from leaving government service because he needs them as examples of unity within his administration. Time gradually erodes white anxieties about black aspirations as reflected by grudging cooperation between the black and white bodyguards. Again, rugby takes center stage with the whites explaining the rules of rugby to their colleagues.
Nelson Mandela comes off looking as slippery as James Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Mandela doesn't miss a trick in his political calculations and he impresses his closest adviser. Indeed, Mandela emerges in "Invictus" as an Abraham Lincoln of sorts. He survived 24 years of brutal, back-breaking imprisonment on an island and slept on a mat for a bed. This same individual, who endured enormous hardship, later ascended from the lowest position in society—a prison inmate—and attained the highest post—president of the same country that had incarnated him. Mandela realized from his pinnacle of power that the only way to thwart an immanent civil war that threatened to tear South Africa apart that he had to exercise accommodation toward his fellow whites.
Wisely, director Clint Eastwood doesn't have much truck with politics in "Invictus." Peckham and he provide the basic ground work about the sudden changes that rocked South Africa with Mandela's election as president. They present us with the struggles that the Springbox with their green and gold outfits endure. Mandela demonstrates true insight into his fellow men when he decides to let a predominantly white rugby team become a rallying cry for intolerance and unity. No, "Invictus" is not the kind of movie that you would expect from Clint Eastwood and—like his protagonist who prefers to make risks—Eastwood has helmed and honed another classic. "Invictus" ranks as a sentimental sports saga that never gets sappy. Incidentally, "Invictus" translated means as invincible.
Monday, December 14, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''EVERYBODY'S FINE" (2009)
Somebody lied! Nobody is fine in "Waking Ned Devine" writer & director Kirk Jones' family problem potboiler "Everybody's Fine." This maudlin soap opera about a retired widower who embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery is occasionally contrived, constantly predictable, and wholly forgettable. Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate
Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell were simply picking up paychecks when they made this mundane melodrama. Nevertheless, "Everybody's Fine" (** out of ****) belongs to De Niro and his performance is appropriately solemn. There are no outbursts of the primitive rage that occur in his crime pictures. Jones scatters a modicum of humor throughout this 99-minute, PG-13 yarn, replete with low impact surprises. The overall effect is rather bland. We the audience see everything from the father's perspective. Often we are several steps ahead of Frank because Jones allows us to eavesdrop on telephone conversations among the siblings. The most important character here is the deceased off-screen wife who served as the intermediary between the father and his children. Ultimately, "Everybody's Fine" amounts to everybody's bored. Too much bathos and not enough humor paralyze this yawner.
When we meet Frank Goode (Robert De Niro of "Goodfellas"), he is dutifully vacuuming the carpet in his living room, watering the flowers, and mowing the grass. He has a stone cherub fountain on his lawn and the water spouts from the little guy's peter. Clearly, writer & director Kirk Jones must have adored this statue because he sticks it in three shots. This is as close as "Everybody's Fine" comes to irreverent humor. When none of his four grown-up children can make their annual pilgrimage to his house, Frank--who lost his wife eight months earlier--sets out on a cross-country journey to surprise them. He delivers mysterious envelopes to each that contain an old family photograph of his wife and he when the children were youngsters. Frank's conscientious physician, Dr. Ed (James Murtaugh of "Romeo Is Bleeding") warns his patient that he should settle down in the garden and work on his green thumbs rather than go gallivanting all over the country. Most of the surprises that Frank encounters have already been revealed in the trailer.
First, Frank visits his artist son David (Austin Lysy of "Hitch") in New York City, but nobody answers the door. We catch only a couple of glimpses of David, but he figures prominently in this tale. Frank's genuinely troubled son went off to the Big Apple to make a name for himself as an artist. Initially, David wanted only to paint. Frank warns him that painters only paint walls and dogs pee on those walls so
David becomes an artist. When Frank cannot hook-up with David, he slips his letter under his door and heads off to his next stop. Second on Frank's list is Amy (Kate Beckinsale of "Underworld"), his oldest daughter. She works as an advertising executive with a spacious office and has a son, Jack (Lucien Maisel of "Fast Track"), but things are far from right at home. Amy and her husband have separated because she caught him cheating on her with another woman. Jack and his father
don't get along together during a family dinner. Naturally, Frank has no idea why Jack behaves in such an unfriendly fashion toward his father at the table. Amy has to cut short Frank's visit because she has to fly out of town the following day, and Frank hits the road again. Third on his list is his oldest son, Robert (Sam Rockwell of "The Green Mile"), who Frank mistakenly believes is the conductor of a symphony orchestra. Actually, Robert does nothing more than bang the drum. Robert points out to Frank that he is a conductor in other musical venues, but nobody will pay him to be a conductor. He isn't married and he doesn't have children. Fourth, Frank meets his daughter Rosie (Drew Barrymore of "Whip It") in Las Vegas. He learns later during a surreal scene around a picnic table that Rosie is a lesbian with an infant child. Rosie claims that she works as a casino dancer. Despite his medical condition, Frank has no problem riding trains and buses to see his children. He has a brush with a pathetic mugger at a depot, but he manages nicely by himself.Finally, after he sees Rosie, Frank decides to fly home. Frank has a fear of flying, but he is so upset by all the revelations about his children that he just wants to clear out of town pronto. Once he is aboard the plane, he suffers a heart attack and
winds up in the hospital.
More often than not, "Everybody's Fine" seems like a made-for-cable Lifetime movie for old guys. Frank learns that he pushed his kids too hard and that they related better to his now defunct wife than to him. It seems that she kept several important things about their children from him. The most imagination thing about "Everybody's Fine" is when Frank sees his grown-up kids, he sees them as they were when they were
munchkins, very sweet and adorable. No, Frank doesn't die at fadeout, but the ending qualifies as only semi-happy. Eventually, Frank learns what happened to his talented but troubled youngest son. Nevertheless, three out of four isn't bad. This tame tearjerker is only for those who enjoy wiping their eyes and nose with Kleenex every twenty or so minutes. Incidentally, "Everybody's Fine" is a remake of Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore's "Stanno Tutti Bene" (1990). The cinematography is spectacular and the settings are scenic. Nothing memorable happens in this Miramax underachiever.
Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell were simply picking up paychecks when they made this mundane melodrama. Nevertheless, "Everybody's Fine" (** out of ****) belongs to De Niro and his performance is appropriately solemn. There are no outbursts of the primitive rage that occur in his crime pictures. Jones scatters a modicum of humor throughout this 99-minute, PG-13 yarn, replete with low impact surprises. The overall effect is rather bland. We the audience see everything from the father's perspective. Often we are several steps ahead of Frank because Jones allows us to eavesdrop on telephone conversations among the siblings. The most important character here is the deceased off-screen wife who served as the intermediary between the father and his children. Ultimately, "Everybody's Fine" amounts to everybody's bored. Too much bathos and not enough humor paralyze this yawner.
When we meet Frank Goode (Robert De Niro of "Goodfellas"), he is dutifully vacuuming the carpet in his living room, watering the flowers, and mowing the grass. He has a stone cherub fountain on his lawn and the water spouts from the little guy's peter. Clearly, writer & director Kirk Jones must have adored this statue because he sticks it in three shots. This is as close as "Everybody's Fine" comes to irreverent humor. When none of his four grown-up children can make their annual pilgrimage to his house, Frank--who lost his wife eight months earlier--sets out on a cross-country journey to surprise them. He delivers mysterious envelopes to each that contain an old family photograph of his wife and he when the children were youngsters. Frank's conscientious physician, Dr. Ed (James Murtaugh of "Romeo Is Bleeding") warns his patient that he should settle down in the garden and work on his green thumbs rather than go gallivanting all over the country. Most of the surprises that Frank encounters have already been revealed in the trailer.
First, Frank visits his artist son David (Austin Lysy of "Hitch") in New York City, but nobody answers the door. We catch only a couple of glimpses of David, but he figures prominently in this tale. Frank's genuinely troubled son went off to the Big Apple to make a name for himself as an artist. Initially, David wanted only to paint. Frank warns him that painters only paint walls and dogs pee on those walls so
David becomes an artist. When Frank cannot hook-up with David, he slips his letter under his door and heads off to his next stop. Second on Frank's list is Amy (Kate Beckinsale of "Underworld"), his oldest daughter. She works as an advertising executive with a spacious office and has a son, Jack (Lucien Maisel of "Fast Track"), but things are far from right at home. Amy and her husband have separated because she caught him cheating on her with another woman. Jack and his father
don't get along together during a family dinner. Naturally, Frank has no idea why Jack behaves in such an unfriendly fashion toward his father at the table. Amy has to cut short Frank's visit because she has to fly out of town the following day, and Frank hits the road again. Third on his list is his oldest son, Robert (Sam Rockwell of "The Green Mile"), who Frank mistakenly believes is the conductor of a symphony orchestra. Actually, Robert does nothing more than bang the drum. Robert points out to Frank that he is a conductor in other musical venues, but nobody will pay him to be a conductor. He isn't married and he doesn't have children. Fourth, Frank meets his daughter Rosie (Drew Barrymore of "Whip It") in Las Vegas. He learns later during a surreal scene around a picnic table that Rosie is a lesbian with an infant child. Rosie claims that she works as a casino dancer. Despite his medical condition, Frank has no problem riding trains and buses to see his children. He has a brush with a pathetic mugger at a depot, but he manages nicely by himself.Finally, after he sees Rosie, Frank decides to fly home. Frank has a fear of flying, but he is so upset by all the revelations about his children that he just wants to clear out of town pronto. Once he is aboard the plane, he suffers a heart attack and
winds up in the hospital.
More often than not, "Everybody's Fine" seems like a made-for-cable Lifetime movie for old guys. Frank learns that he pushed his kids too hard and that they related better to his now defunct wife than to him. It seems that she kept several important things about their children from him. The most imagination thing about "Everybody's Fine" is when Frank sees his grown-up kids, he sees them as they were when they were
munchkins, very sweet and adorable. No, Frank doesn't die at fadeout, but the ending qualifies as only semi-happy. Eventually, Frank learns what happened to his talented but troubled youngest son. Nevertheless, three out of four isn't bad. This tame tearjerker is only for those who enjoy wiping their eyes and nose with Kleenex every twenty or so minutes. Incidentally, "Everybody's Fine" is a remake of Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore's "Stanno Tutti Bene" (1990). The cinematography is spectacular and the settings are scenic. Nothing memorable happens in this Miramax underachiever.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''EXECUTIVE ACTION" (1973)
This landmark movie--the first to tackle this controversial issue--integrates authentic black & white newsreel footage of John F. Kennedy before and after his assassination with a dramatized conspiracy to kill the President. "Executive Action" (*** out of ****) unfolds with the following prologue:"Before his death, former President Lyndon B. Johnson gave a three hour interview to a well-known television commentator. On May 2, 1970, when the interview was shown on a national television network, it included the message that certain material had been deleted at President Johnson's insistence. It has been revealed that in the censored section, Johnson had expressed misgivings about the finding that Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone, and that in fact, he (LBJ) suspected that a conspiracy had been involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy." The fascinating thing about this modest little picture is that the protagonists are all villains. Typically, a hero arises to defeat the adversaries, but no hero emerges in "Executive Action." Indeed, it is interesting to speculate whether this film could not have been produced before 1973 under the inflexible Production Code Administration simply because the villains win and nobody punishes them for their horrendous crime.
Director David Miller of "Lonely Are the Brave," "The Flying Tigers," and "Billy the Kid" helmed this provocative yarn that consists ostensibly of distinguished gentlemen--Washington power brokers acting as intermediaries--who assemble behind closed doors and discuss the plan to terminate JFK with extreme prejudice. The first meeting convenes on June 5, 1963. Affluent businessmen James Farrington (Burt Lancaster of "Elmer Gantry")and Foster (Robert Ryan of "The Proud Ones")spend a third of the time trying to convince influential Southern businessman Harold Ferguson (Will Greer of CBS-TV's "The Waltons") that Kennedy has put America on the wrong course. A professor warns them about the enormous power that the Kennedy dynasty wields, and they have laid out a time table that has JFK serving two terms as President and his two brothers Robert and Teddy serving two terms. "And in each administration, the brothers who are not president will take over the most powerful cabinet posts. They have several hundred million dollars and the best brains on earth to carry them through. They have put together a powerful coalition of big city machines, labor, Negroes, Jews, and that press that will make him unbeatable in 1964." Initially Ferguson shows skepticism. He points out that Kennedy "has appointed Republicans to the Treasury, the Navy, and another is head of the CIA. His brother Bobby worked on Joe McCarthy;s committee." Finally, he observes that Kennedy's father Joseph "is farther to the right than I am." The professor states that JFK will call for a test-ban treaty with the Soviets, lead the black revolution which will trigger a white backlash and blood in the streets and withdraw from Vietnam.
Before Farrington and Foster win Ferguson over to their cause, they explain that Europeans kill heads of state with conspiracies. In America, however, lone assassins with no familiarity with firearms have consistently either killed or tried to kill Presidents. First, the conspirators design an elaborate scenario to incriminate a fall guy--Lee Harvey Oswald--as the assassin. They study Oswald's troubled history and even suspect that he has been used by intelligence outfits for his jaunts to the USSR. Second, they decide to kill Kennedy while he is riding in a motorcade. Foster explains that "motorcades are scheduled well in advance and they give you a chance to fire from cover and getaway in the confusion." Farrington states that they will use "trained, reliable professionals." He elaborates: "They only possible scenario is three rifles with triangulated gunfire. Two firing at the retreating target. The third firing as the target advances." Interspersed among these exposition heavy conference scenes are scenes of two sniper teams practicing on dummies in a car drawn through remote locations. Ed Lauter of "The Longest Yard" plays the Operations Chief of Team A, and veteran character actor Dick Miller of "The Terminator" plays one of the snipers on the B Team. Indeed, this semi-documentary approach creates some question about the findings of the Warren Report that concluded beyond a doubt that a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, gunned down the President on November 22,1963.
The top-notch cast, headed by Academy Award winner Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan,and Will Greer as the conspirators, is seasoned with many familiar character actors populating the supporting roles. Producer Edward Lewis was no slouch either, having produced the volatile political thriller "Seven Days in May" with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, but the clincher is that former blacklisted Hollywood 10 scenarist Dalton Trumbo penned the script. Initially, Trumbo said that he did not believe in a conspiracy, but after he read several books on the assassination as well as the Warren Commission Report, he changed his opinion. No, "Executive Action" is not a conventional assassination thriller. Everything about it is pretty straightforward and suspense is lacking, but the audacious subject matter compensates for these departures from the norm. After all, we know that the assassins didn't miss and Kennedy died. Essentially, this is a clevely edited, quasi-documentary with a superb cast. Nevertheless, "Executive Action" did not stir up the controversy that the sensational Oliver Stone movie "JFK" with Kevin Costner generated many years later. Nonetheless, in light of everything, "Executive Action" constituted a bold move and there hasn't been a film comparable to it. Producer Edward Lewis claims that threats were made against him in an effort to dissuade him from making the picture. This was actor Robert Ryan's final film appearance. Randy Edelman wrote the haunting theme music. The film ends with the observation that an inordinate number of eye witnesses to the assassination died afterward of unusual causes. I remember seeing this movie when it came out originally in theaters.
Director David Miller of "Lonely Are the Brave," "The Flying Tigers," and "Billy the Kid" helmed this provocative yarn that consists ostensibly of distinguished gentlemen--Washington power brokers acting as intermediaries--who assemble behind closed doors and discuss the plan to terminate JFK with extreme prejudice. The first meeting convenes on June 5, 1963. Affluent businessmen James Farrington (Burt Lancaster of "Elmer Gantry")and Foster (Robert Ryan of "The Proud Ones")spend a third of the time trying to convince influential Southern businessman Harold Ferguson (Will Greer of CBS-TV's "The Waltons") that Kennedy has put America on the wrong course. A professor warns them about the enormous power that the Kennedy dynasty wields, and they have laid out a time table that has JFK serving two terms as President and his two brothers Robert and Teddy serving two terms. "And in each administration, the brothers who are not president will take over the most powerful cabinet posts. They have several hundred million dollars and the best brains on earth to carry them through. They have put together a powerful coalition of big city machines, labor, Negroes, Jews, and that press that will make him unbeatable in 1964." Initially Ferguson shows skepticism. He points out that Kennedy "has appointed Republicans to the Treasury, the Navy, and another is head of the CIA. His brother Bobby worked on Joe McCarthy;s committee." Finally, he observes that Kennedy's father Joseph "is farther to the right than I am." The professor states that JFK will call for a test-ban treaty with the Soviets, lead the black revolution which will trigger a white backlash and blood in the streets and withdraw from Vietnam.
Before Farrington and Foster win Ferguson over to their cause, they explain that Europeans kill heads of state with conspiracies. In America, however, lone assassins with no familiarity with firearms have consistently either killed or tried to kill Presidents. First, the conspirators design an elaborate scenario to incriminate a fall guy--Lee Harvey Oswald--as the assassin. They study Oswald's troubled history and even suspect that he has been used by intelligence outfits for his jaunts to the USSR. Second, they decide to kill Kennedy while he is riding in a motorcade. Foster explains that "motorcades are scheduled well in advance and they give you a chance to fire from cover and getaway in the confusion." Farrington states that they will use "trained, reliable professionals." He elaborates: "They only possible scenario is three rifles with triangulated gunfire. Two firing at the retreating target. The third firing as the target advances." Interspersed among these exposition heavy conference scenes are scenes of two sniper teams practicing on dummies in a car drawn through remote locations. Ed Lauter of "The Longest Yard" plays the Operations Chief of Team A, and veteran character actor Dick Miller of "The Terminator" plays one of the snipers on the B Team. Indeed, this semi-documentary approach creates some question about the findings of the Warren Report that concluded beyond a doubt that a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, gunned down the President on November 22,1963.
The top-notch cast, headed by Academy Award winner Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan,and Will Greer as the conspirators, is seasoned with many familiar character actors populating the supporting roles. Producer Edward Lewis was no slouch either, having produced the volatile political thriller "Seven Days in May" with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, but the clincher is that former blacklisted Hollywood 10 scenarist Dalton Trumbo penned the script. Initially, Trumbo said that he did not believe in a conspiracy, but after he read several books on the assassination as well as the Warren Commission Report, he changed his opinion. No, "Executive Action" is not a conventional assassination thriller. Everything about it is pretty straightforward and suspense is lacking, but the audacious subject matter compensates for these departures from the norm. After all, we know that the assassins didn't miss and Kennedy died. Essentially, this is a clevely edited, quasi-documentary with a superb cast. Nevertheless, "Executive Action" did not stir up the controversy that the sensational Oliver Stone movie "JFK" with Kevin Costner generated many years later. Nonetheless, in light of everything, "Executive Action" constituted a bold move and there hasn't been a film comparable to it. Producer Edward Lewis claims that threats were made against him in an effort to dissuade him from making the picture. This was actor Robert Ryan's final film appearance. Randy Edelman wrote the haunting theme music. The film ends with the observation that an inordinate number of eye witnesses to the assassination died afterward of unusual causes. I remember seeing this movie when it came out originally in theaters.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE" (2009)
"Shadowboxer" director Lee Daniels deserves every award and honor that Hollywood and critics around the world can bestow on him for his electrifying African-American social problem movie “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” (**** out of ****) that casts newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as the troubled heroine. This R-rated, 110-minute urban nightmare probably could not have been made without the help of both Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry. Imagine what derisive comments must have greeted this venture when the filmmakers pitched their idea for a theatrical release chronicling a year in the life of an abused obese soul sister? Who would want to suffer through a thoroughly depressing, often offensive opus about a big fat loser trapped in the ghetto? Indeed, when you watch the trailer for this film, you want to cringe because everything about this poor girl’s hopeless existence is so dreadfully appalling. She contends with an incredibly monstrous mother who treats her as if she were own personal slave. Nevertheless, despite its uncompromising subject matter, “Precious” qualifies as an inspiring film that doesn’t rely on sugar-coating and a happy ending. The bisexual African-American poet and novelist Sapphire penned her 1996 novel “Push” in first-person and adopted a rough, stylized dialect to enhance its verisimilitude. Reportedly, “Push” was Sapphire’s homage to “The Color Purple.” Ostensibly, Lionsgate—the company distributing the Daniels film--changed the title from “Push” to “Precious” to avoid any confusion between this groundbreaking film and the lackluster science fiction epic “Push” (2009) that starred Chris Evans & Dakota Fanning.
"Precious" depicts in semi-documentary fashion the plight of an illiterate, grotesquely overweight 16-year old Harlem girl poised to give birth to her second child. Ironically, Claireece 'Precious' Jones (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe) has never had a boyfriend. Indeed, her first child was a four-year-old girl afflicted with Down’s syndrome, and her tyrannical, potty-mouthed mother Mary (Mo’Nique of "Soul Plane") despises the adolescent and forces her mother to keep her. At school, Precious’ classmates ridicule her Buddha-like physique, but she maintains a stoic imperturbability and ignores their insults. Meanwhile, Mary lets her incestuous boyfriend Carl (Rodney ‘Bear’ Jackson of “Inside Man”) rape her daughter while she stands in the background and observes this act of child abuse. No, these harrowing scenes contain no nudity, but the content may be disturbing enough to alienate some audiences. In fact, Mary has allowed her out-of-control boyfriend to take advantage of Precious since the girl was three years old when mother and daughter shared the same bed with him. As the film unspools, Precious finds herself expelled from her high school because she is pregnant again. The conscientious school principal arranges for Precious to attend an alternative school called Each One Teach One where drop-outs can earn their GED. Precious learns to read and write there under the tutelage of her instructor Blu Rain (Paula Patton of “Hitch”), a dedicated but kind teacher who inspires her to keep a journal about her life. Meantime, Mary never misses an opportunity to insult, torment, and batter her obsequious daughter. Precious takes everything that her wicked mother can dish out until our heroine comes home with her infant son Abdul. Mary knocks Abdul out of her arms and begins to assault her daughter. Precious fights back, seizes baby Abdul and flees. Precious is in such a hurry that she loses her footing and topples down the stairs. Moments later, the mother hurls her portable TV at her daughter. The television narrowly misses hitting Precious and smashes into a million pieces. Precious goes to stay temporarily with Ms. Patton. She discovers that Ms. Patton is a lesbian, but she doesn’t criticize her for her sexual orientation. If all this drama weren’t overwhelming enough, Precious learns from her mother that Carl has the AIDS virus. A brave social worker, Mrs. Weiss (pop singer Mariah Carey without make-up), helps Precious escape the abuse that her villainous mother doles out with a vengeance. Eventually, Precious embarks on a life of her own without her mother and plans to enroll in college. Indeed, it is through the intervention of both Ms. Rain and Mrs. Weiss that Precious is able to find a future beyond her mother. Sure, this melodrama sounds as depressing as you can imagine because there is nothing far-fetched about it.
“Precious” ranks as a compelling and gripping cinematic experience with its kitchen-sink realism about intolerance, incest and abuse. What takes "Precious" to another level of celluloid sophistication is that Daniels takes us into the head of his protagonist, and we see everything from Precious' perspective in terms of her dreams and aspirations. Precious yearns to have a light-skinned boyfriend, beautiful clothes, and fame. Daniels stages some incredibly surreal moments. We see Precious' thoughts turned into a movie that she is watching on her mom’s television, Vittorio De Sica’s “Two Women,” about Italian refugees during World War II that adds another dimension to her wretched predicament. Precious has to cook all of Mary’s meals and if Mary doesn’t like the food she makes Precious eat it. Apparently, Precious gained weight because Mary made her eat food even when she was not hungry. This abuse is alluded to in “Two Women” as Precious watches it from her warped perspective. Another extraordinary scene occurs in Precious’ bedroom as she is applying her make-up. The image reflected in the mirror is of a blond poster girl that occupies space on her wall. This ironic moment captures the escapist fantasies that fuel Precious’s life and she falls back on her imagination to evade the constant harassment of her mother and her ugly physical environment. Musician Lenny Kravitz appears a supporting role as a sympathetic male hospital nurse who takes care of Precious while she is in the hospital. Movies about social workers and the victims of parental abuse will never be the same after "Precious." Who would have thought that such an unrelentingly dire story with a first-time actress would have the sledgehammer impact that it delivers!
"Precious" depicts in semi-documentary fashion the plight of an illiterate, grotesquely overweight 16-year old Harlem girl poised to give birth to her second child. Ironically, Claireece 'Precious' Jones (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe) has never had a boyfriend. Indeed, her first child was a four-year-old girl afflicted with Down’s syndrome, and her tyrannical, potty-mouthed mother Mary (Mo’Nique of "Soul Plane") despises the adolescent and forces her mother to keep her. At school, Precious’ classmates ridicule her Buddha-like physique, but she maintains a stoic imperturbability and ignores their insults. Meanwhile, Mary lets her incestuous boyfriend Carl (Rodney ‘Bear’ Jackson of “Inside Man”) rape her daughter while she stands in the background and observes this act of child abuse. No, these harrowing scenes contain no nudity, but the content may be disturbing enough to alienate some audiences. In fact, Mary has allowed her out-of-control boyfriend to take advantage of Precious since the girl was three years old when mother and daughter shared the same bed with him. As the film unspools, Precious finds herself expelled from her high school because she is pregnant again. The conscientious school principal arranges for Precious to attend an alternative school called Each One Teach One where drop-outs can earn their GED. Precious learns to read and write there under the tutelage of her instructor Blu Rain (Paula Patton of “Hitch”), a dedicated but kind teacher who inspires her to keep a journal about her life. Meantime, Mary never misses an opportunity to insult, torment, and batter her obsequious daughter. Precious takes everything that her wicked mother can dish out until our heroine comes home with her infant son Abdul. Mary knocks Abdul out of her arms and begins to assault her daughter. Precious fights back, seizes baby Abdul and flees. Precious is in such a hurry that she loses her footing and topples down the stairs. Moments later, the mother hurls her portable TV at her daughter. The television narrowly misses hitting Precious and smashes into a million pieces. Precious goes to stay temporarily with Ms. Patton. She discovers that Ms. Patton is a lesbian, but she doesn’t criticize her for her sexual orientation. If all this drama weren’t overwhelming enough, Precious learns from her mother that Carl has the AIDS virus. A brave social worker, Mrs. Weiss (pop singer Mariah Carey without make-up), helps Precious escape the abuse that her villainous mother doles out with a vengeance. Eventually, Precious embarks on a life of her own without her mother and plans to enroll in college. Indeed, it is through the intervention of both Ms. Rain and Mrs. Weiss that Precious is able to find a future beyond her mother. Sure, this melodrama sounds as depressing as you can imagine because there is nothing far-fetched about it.
“Precious” ranks as a compelling and gripping cinematic experience with its kitchen-sink realism about intolerance, incest and abuse. What takes "Precious" to another level of celluloid sophistication is that Daniels takes us into the head of his protagonist, and we see everything from Precious' perspective in terms of her dreams and aspirations. Precious yearns to have a light-skinned boyfriend, beautiful clothes, and fame. Daniels stages some incredibly surreal moments. We see Precious' thoughts turned into a movie that she is watching on her mom’s television, Vittorio De Sica’s “Two Women,” about Italian refugees during World War II that adds another dimension to her wretched predicament. Precious has to cook all of Mary’s meals and if Mary doesn’t like the food she makes Precious eat it. Apparently, Precious gained weight because Mary made her eat food even when she was not hungry. This abuse is alluded to in “Two Women” as Precious watches it from her warped perspective. Another extraordinary scene occurs in Precious’ bedroom as she is applying her make-up. The image reflected in the mirror is of a blond poster girl that occupies space on her wall. This ironic moment captures the escapist fantasies that fuel Precious’s life and she falls back on her imagination to evade the constant harassment of her mother and her ugly physical environment. Musician Lenny Kravitz appears a supporting role as a sympathetic male hospital nurse who takes care of Precious while she is in the hospital. Movies about social workers and the victims of parental abuse will never be the same after "Precious." Who would have thought that such an unrelentingly dire story with a first-time actress would have the sledgehammer impact that it delivers!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''COMMANDOS'' (ITALIAN-1968)
"Autopsy" director Armando Crispino's historically inaccurate but nevertheless gripping World War II behind-enemy-lines, secret-mission thriller "Commandos" (***1/2 out of ****) qualifies as a rugged, gritty, suspenseful combat epic. This cynical Italian produced melodrama about a group of Italian-Americans masquerading as Royal Italian infantry so they can capture an oasis on the eve of the North African campaign in early 1942 removes any traces of glamour about war. Crispino and fellow scenarists Lucio Battistrada of "Crime Boss," Stefano Strucchi, and Dario Argento of "Suspiria" drew their robust screenplay from a short story by Israel filmmaker Menahem Golan as well as a story by Don Martin of "The Storm Rider" and Teutonic producer Arthur Brauner. Brauner is a landmark German filmmaker who refurbished the "Dr. Mabuse" franchise in the early 1960s. Lee Van Cleef of “For A Few Dollars More” delivers a riveting performance as a belligerent, battle-scarred Bataan hero who survived, along with two other companions, a death-defying ordeal. He relives the horror of the experience throughout “Commandos.” Van Cleef has a lot to sink his teeth into and he dominates the action.
The supporting cast is good, particularly Joachim Fuchsberger as Oberleutnant Heitzel Agen, nicknamed the professor because he studied insects at the university. Götz George shines as Oberleutnant Rudi, the type who could have excelled as dedicated Hitler Youth. The most unusual role—as it says something about the difference between the Allied armies and the Axis foe—belongs to actress Marilù Tolo who plays a prostitute named Adriana. Although she doesn't play a major part, she poses an interesting complication for our heroes. Interestingly, she points out that she canearn more money in the army camp than back home. The two characters who triumph over adversity at the conclusion were well known character actors. Giovanni Scratuglia played in many Spaghetti westerns, while Heinz Reincke played one of the two German pilots that strafed the beaches in “The Longest Day.”
The conceit of "Commandos" is that our heroes are descendents of genuine Italians, and Sergeant Sullivan and his right-hand man Dino (Romano Puppo of "Death Rides A Horse") have spent a month training them for the mission. Sullivan has little regard for most of them, but he has nothing but sheer contempt for his superior officer, Captain Valli (Jack Kelly of "To Hell & Back") who has never baptized in combat. Sullivan and Valli get off to a bad start when Sullivan describes their objective as “some harebrained mission you made up yourself.” Valli defends the mission and his knowledge. “I know this operation exactly, right down to the last detail.” Sullivan criticizes Valli’s shortage of experience. “You got a lot of bright ideas, Captain, but do you know what killing is—exactly—with these (makes gestures with his hands) and (brandishing a bayonet) this?”
Later, during the inevitable briefing session,Valli explains they will parachute near their destination. They will drop two or three miles from the objective and then take an hour to march to the Italian garrison and occupy it. Arriving after dark, they encounter soon opposition and have to resort to their machine guns instead of knives. Captain Valli refuses to watch Sullivan turn the raid into a massacre and he spares the lives of Italian Lt. Tomassini (Marino Mase of "The Five Man Army") and many of his troops. Valli warns Tomassini that the lives of his men depend on his cooperation with Sullivan and him. “I mean exactly what I say so you better get that through your head.” Germans from a nearby base show up for spaghetti and our heroes struggle to suppress any suspicious behavior, especially from Rudi who wants to locate his missing engineers. Sullivan kills the surviving German engineer, but during the struggle the German fires Sullivan's pistol. Everybody stops what they are doing and disperses into the open with guns drawn. A soldier apologizes for shooting at a jackal. No sooner do the Germans leave than the Italian hatch a plan of escape.
They rig up a hook that enables them to shut off the electricity in the barracks where they are being held. They jump the guards, disarm them, disable a couple of transports and take off in another truck to the German camp. Early the next day, Valli and Sullivan cut them off and gun them down. Meanwhile, the Germans are about to pull out and the German commanding officer lets Oberleutnant Heitzel Agen inform the Italians to blow up the wells before they leave. Initially, Agen believes that he is just going to visit an old friend. After Agen leaves, one of the wounded Italians makes it to the German lines and informs them that the Italians are impostors. Agen is wearing the headset and talking to his commandant when he learns this alarming news. Eventually, the Germans arrive and it turns into a pitched battle. Only one Italian and one German survive the firefight and they throw away their guns and march off into the desert at fade-out
The themes of "Commandos" include the inhumanity of war, experienced versus inexperienced combatants, battlefield shock, and the duty that an officer has both to his men and the mission. The irony is that the Germans and the Italians are depicted with greater sympathy than the tough guy Americans. The German soldiers get along with each other as do the Italians, but the Americans clash, principally Sullivan and Valli. Other instances of irony occur that heighten the philosophical mindset of “Commandos.” The ending summarizes the madness of war as depicted here. Allied command scrubs the mission that Captain Valli has carefully orchestrated and he cannot accept this change of mind. Surprisingly, Sergeant Sullivan refuses to obey higher authority. Consequently, "Commandos" concludes with the Americans exploding the water holes and fighting the Germans with tragic results for both Sullivan and Valli.
Mind you, the authenticity of the action doesn't bear close scrutiny. Most military
enthusiasts will recognize the flaws immediately. For example, the Afrika Korps tanks are not the genuine vehicles. Instead, they are repainted U.S. Army Chaffee and Walker Bulldog tanks with German insignia, and the M3A1 submachine guns that the Americans tote weren't available for another year. Allowances must be made, however, and the Cold War tanks overlooked since the German tanks were long since kaput, while the "Dirty Dozen" machine guns look cool. Incidentally, the first American commandos were the U.S. Rangers as portrayed in the James Garner World War II movie "Darby's Rangers."
The sun-scorched widescreen photography of "Taste of Death" lenser Benito Frattari makes this desert-locked minor war film look sprawling and the nocturnal actions scenes have a perilous, primitive quality. The strident music of composer Mario Nascimbene enhances the suspense, especially when Sullivan and his men search for a wounded German engineer who remains at large in the compound. Nascimbene makes superb use of classical music from composer Edvard Grieg, specifically "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Whatever the case, “Commandos” neither glorifies nor glamorizes combat. Fighting is a hard sweaty business. Sergeant Sullivan summarizes it succinctly to Captain Valli in an earlier scene. “Do you know what blood smells like, Captain? It’s a hot smell, and it can get things messed up, too, because most men die hard.”
The supporting cast is good, particularly Joachim Fuchsberger as Oberleutnant Heitzel Agen, nicknamed the professor because he studied insects at the university. Götz George shines as Oberleutnant Rudi, the type who could have excelled as dedicated Hitler Youth. The most unusual role—as it says something about the difference between the Allied armies and the Axis foe—belongs to actress Marilù Tolo who plays a prostitute named Adriana. Although she doesn't play a major part, she poses an interesting complication for our heroes. Interestingly, she points out that she canearn more money in the army camp than back home. The two characters who triumph over adversity at the conclusion were well known character actors. Giovanni Scratuglia played in many Spaghetti westerns, while Heinz Reincke played one of the two German pilots that strafed the beaches in “The Longest Day.”
The conceit of "Commandos" is that our heroes are descendents of genuine Italians, and Sergeant Sullivan and his right-hand man Dino (Romano Puppo of "Death Rides A Horse") have spent a month training them for the mission. Sullivan has little regard for most of them, but he has nothing but sheer contempt for his superior officer, Captain Valli (Jack Kelly of "To Hell & Back") who has never baptized in combat. Sullivan and Valli get off to a bad start when Sullivan describes their objective as “some harebrained mission you made up yourself.” Valli defends the mission and his knowledge. “I know this operation exactly, right down to the last detail.” Sullivan criticizes Valli’s shortage of experience. “You got a lot of bright ideas, Captain, but do you know what killing is—exactly—with these (makes gestures with his hands) and (brandishing a bayonet) this?”
Later, during the inevitable briefing session,Valli explains they will parachute near their destination. They will drop two or three miles from the objective and then take an hour to march to the Italian garrison and occupy it. Arriving after dark, they encounter soon opposition and have to resort to their machine guns instead of knives. Captain Valli refuses to watch Sullivan turn the raid into a massacre and he spares the lives of Italian Lt. Tomassini (Marino Mase of "The Five Man Army") and many of his troops. Valli warns Tomassini that the lives of his men depend on his cooperation with Sullivan and him. “I mean exactly what I say so you better get that through your head.” Germans from a nearby base show up for spaghetti and our heroes struggle to suppress any suspicious behavior, especially from Rudi who wants to locate his missing engineers. Sullivan kills the surviving German engineer, but during the struggle the German fires Sullivan's pistol. Everybody stops what they are doing and disperses into the open with guns drawn. A soldier apologizes for shooting at a jackal. No sooner do the Germans leave than the Italian hatch a plan of escape.
They rig up a hook that enables them to shut off the electricity in the barracks where they are being held. They jump the guards, disarm them, disable a couple of transports and take off in another truck to the German camp. Early the next day, Valli and Sullivan cut them off and gun them down. Meanwhile, the Germans are about to pull out and the German commanding officer lets Oberleutnant Heitzel Agen inform the Italians to blow up the wells before they leave. Initially, Agen believes that he is just going to visit an old friend. After Agen leaves, one of the wounded Italians makes it to the German lines and informs them that the Italians are impostors. Agen is wearing the headset and talking to his commandant when he learns this alarming news. Eventually, the Germans arrive and it turns into a pitched battle. Only one Italian and one German survive the firefight and they throw away their guns and march off into the desert at fade-out
The themes of "Commandos" include the inhumanity of war, experienced versus inexperienced combatants, battlefield shock, and the duty that an officer has both to his men and the mission. The irony is that the Germans and the Italians are depicted with greater sympathy than the tough guy Americans. The German soldiers get along with each other as do the Italians, but the Americans clash, principally Sullivan and Valli. Other instances of irony occur that heighten the philosophical mindset of “Commandos.” The ending summarizes the madness of war as depicted here. Allied command scrubs the mission that Captain Valli has carefully orchestrated and he cannot accept this change of mind. Surprisingly, Sergeant Sullivan refuses to obey higher authority. Consequently, "Commandos" concludes with the Americans exploding the water holes and fighting the Germans with tragic results for both Sullivan and Valli.
Mind you, the authenticity of the action doesn't bear close scrutiny. Most military
enthusiasts will recognize the flaws immediately. For example, the Afrika Korps tanks are not the genuine vehicles. Instead, they are repainted U.S. Army Chaffee and Walker Bulldog tanks with German insignia, and the M3A1 submachine guns that the Americans tote weren't available for another year. Allowances must be made, however, and the Cold War tanks overlooked since the German tanks were long since kaput, while the "Dirty Dozen" machine guns look cool. Incidentally, the first American commandos were the U.S. Rangers as portrayed in the James Garner World War II movie "Darby's Rangers."
The sun-scorched widescreen photography of "Taste of Death" lenser Benito Frattari makes this desert-locked minor war film look sprawling and the nocturnal actions scenes have a perilous, primitive quality. The strident music of composer Mario Nascimbene enhances the suspense, especially when Sullivan and his men search for a wounded German engineer who remains at large in the compound. Nascimbene makes superb use of classical music from composer Edvard Grieg, specifically "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Whatever the case, “Commandos” neither glorifies nor glamorizes combat. Fighting is a hard sweaty business. Sergeant Sullivan summarizes it succinctly to Captain Valli in an earlier scene. “Do you know what blood smells like, Captain? It’s a hot smell, and it can get things messed up, too, because most men die hard.”
Saturday, November 14, 2009
FILM REVIEW OF ''ONLY THE VALIANT'' (1951)
“Only the Valiant” (***1/2 out of ****) qualifies as a gritty good western. This Gregory Peck cavalry versus the Indians oater is a solemn suicide mission without a trace of humor. Veteran director Gordon Douglas has helmed a grim, harrowing outdoors epic with an ideal cast of tough guys under considerable pressure; even Lon Chaney, Jr., registers superbly as a powerful Arab trooper. Ostensibly, “Colorado Territory” scenarist Edmund H. North & “A Place in the Sun” scribe Harry Brown drew their screenplay from western film maker Charles Marquis Warren’s taut novel about a group of die-hard cavalrymen cut off from any escape route who must prevent murderous redskins from launching a devastating raid against helpless white settlers. North and Brown stick to Warren’s novel for the most part and the last minute revelation--when it seems that there is no way that our heroes can survive another onslaught of Native Americans—is a corker! This turn-of-the-century tale develops an effective claustrophobic feeling in the second half of the action. Douglas and company take studio bound sets and make them look convincing during the nocturnal hours. The crisp black & white photography of “Going My Way” cinematographer Lionel Linden imbues this western a grim look that accentuates its tension and atmosphere. Actor Michael Ansara, who later played the chief villain in “Guns of the Magnificent Seven,” is extremely effective in a small role as the hated Indian leader Tucsos.
“Only the Valiant” opens with over-voice narration by Army Scout Joe Harmony.
“This is my stamping ground. I’m a scout for the Army. Had my work cut out for me for a long time. Behind that pass there is the whole ‘Pache nation. (There is a graphic of the territory with the Flinthead Mountains stretching across the screen with a bottleneck pass.) They used to come swarming out of the pass killing everything in sights. Then we built a fort—Fort Invincible. It plugged up the pass, just like a cork in a bottle. Things was fine for a while. But them ‘Paches is pretty smart. One day the bottle blew the cork plum apart.” We are shown the burning remains of Fort Invincible with a dead man pinned to a stockade wall and a lance sticking out of his belly. Captain Richard Lance (Gregory Peck of “12 O’Clock High”) and his men boil in on horseback and capture Tucsos (Michael Ansara), and Joe Harmony (Jeff Corey of “True Grit”) wants to shoot him on the spot. Harmony points out Tucsos is “the fella that started this whole business.” Captain Lance intervenes, “The Army doesn’t shoot prisoners, Joe.” Predictably, Harmony is aghast at this prospect. “He’s no common injun. He’s just as near to a god as a fella can get. If you shoot him now, things will quiet down. Without Tucsos stirring them up, the rest of those Indians will get reasonable, just as fast as they can. You take him in alive, you’ll have every ‘Pache in the territory coming after him. We have had three years of this, you can stop it now.” Just as predictably, Captain Lance refuses to execute Tucsos and Lance’s fateful decision to take the Indian warrior back sets into motion nothing but trouble.
Ironically, Fort Winston Commandant Colonel Drum (Herbert Heyes of “Union Station”) surprises Lance when he tells him he should have shot Tucsos. As things stand, Drum wants to get Tucsos to another post. Everybody from the troopers to Joe Harmony knows that escorting Tucsos to Fort Grant is begging to get their hair lifted. The Apaches are poised in the mountains and the fort is under strength. Meantime, we are introduced to the daughter of Captain Eversham, lovely Cathy Eversham (Barbara Payton of “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye”) and young Lieutenant William Holloway (Gig Young of “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”) and they play a part in a major narrative complication. You see, Lance and Holloway both want to marry Cathy. Clearly, Cathy wants Lance. Colonel Drum refuses to let Lance take Tucsos to Fort Grant because Drum cannot spare Lance. Drum alters the orders and Holloway is given the mission at the last minute, and everybody is shocked. Lance has never changed an order. Furthermore, Lance saw Cathy and Holloway kissing in public, and everybody thinks Lance has reassigned Holloway out of jealousy. Indeed, one officer observes that rewriting orders is about a possible as rewriting the Bible. Predictably, Tucsos escapes and the surviving troopers and Harmony bring back a dead Holloway.
Although Drum expects a relief column of 400 troopers to arrive any day, Harmony points out to Lance that Tucsos will attack. Tucsos has seen the fort and knows their lack of strength. Lance requests to take 6 or 7 men of his choosing to man Fort Invincible and prevent Tucsos from assembling a war party. The bottleneck in the mountains keeps the Indians from riding through in strength; instead, they must come through one-at-a-time. Lance believes his men can thwart them until the relief column arrives. Drum gives him permission and Lance picks the worst men. All of them hate him and would willingly kill him. Foremost among the men are Trooper Kebussyan (Lon Chaney, Jr.), Sergeant Ben Murdock (Neville Brand of "D.O.A."),
Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist (Ward Bond of "The Searchers"), Trooper Rutledge (Warner Anderson of "Objective, Burma!"),Trooper Onstot (Steve Brodie of "Return of the Bad Men"), and Trooper Saxton (Terry Kilburn of "Lolita"). Douglas builds up some scalp-itching suspense, especially after dark when Lance has ordered torches placed on the bottleneck in the pass.
“Only the Valiant” exemplifies the new breed of military western that emerged after World War II. This is not a gung-ho John Ford cavalry western, even if it does have perennial Ford actor Ward Bond. Indeed, Lance’s own men want to kill him and this foreshadows the attitude of troops during the Vietnam War when they fragged their own officers. One tries to topple a heavy rock on him while another tries to shoot him with his carbine. One of the few moments of levity in "Only the Valiant" occurs when they move into Fort Invincible. Sgt. Murdock puts the troops in the old barracks, but establishes Lance's quarters in the guard house. Lance bears the onus of all—except the few who know about the circumstances that brought about the change of orders putting Holloway in charge of the detail. The black & white photography enhances the dire nature of this western. “Only the Valiant” amounts to a last stand western until the last minute reprieve. Reportedly, Peck hated this movie, but then this is not a spit-and-polish western in Technicolor. If anything, “Only the Valiant” lives up to its Warner Brothers origins. It is small but significant and it is grubby with loads of drama and unsavory characters, virtually a “Dirty Dozen” western. "Only the Valiant" just falls short of being a masterpiece because it is such a compact western about one tiny operation. Anything that came between Cathy and Lance no longer assumes any importance when he returns to the fort to discover that she now knows the truth.
“Only the Valiant” opens with over-voice narration by Army Scout Joe Harmony.
“This is my stamping ground. I’m a scout for the Army. Had my work cut out for me for a long time. Behind that pass there is the whole ‘Pache nation. (There is a graphic of the territory with the Flinthead Mountains stretching across the screen with a bottleneck pass.) They used to come swarming out of the pass killing everything in sights. Then we built a fort—Fort Invincible. It plugged up the pass, just like a cork in a bottle. Things was fine for a while. But them ‘Paches is pretty smart. One day the bottle blew the cork plum apart.” We are shown the burning remains of Fort Invincible with a dead man pinned to a stockade wall and a lance sticking out of his belly. Captain Richard Lance (Gregory Peck of “12 O’Clock High”) and his men boil in on horseback and capture Tucsos (Michael Ansara), and Joe Harmony (Jeff Corey of “True Grit”) wants to shoot him on the spot. Harmony points out Tucsos is “the fella that started this whole business.” Captain Lance intervenes, “The Army doesn’t shoot prisoners, Joe.” Predictably, Harmony is aghast at this prospect. “He’s no common injun. He’s just as near to a god as a fella can get. If you shoot him now, things will quiet down. Without Tucsos stirring them up, the rest of those Indians will get reasonable, just as fast as they can. You take him in alive, you’ll have every ‘Pache in the territory coming after him. We have had three years of this, you can stop it now.” Just as predictably, Captain Lance refuses to execute Tucsos and Lance’s fateful decision to take the Indian warrior back sets into motion nothing but trouble.
Ironically, Fort Winston Commandant Colonel Drum (Herbert Heyes of “Union Station”) surprises Lance when he tells him he should have shot Tucsos. As things stand, Drum wants to get Tucsos to another post. Everybody from the troopers to Joe Harmony knows that escorting Tucsos to Fort Grant is begging to get their hair lifted. The Apaches are poised in the mountains and the fort is under strength. Meantime, we are introduced to the daughter of Captain Eversham, lovely Cathy Eversham (Barbara Payton of “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye”) and young Lieutenant William Holloway (Gig Young of “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”) and they play a part in a major narrative complication. You see, Lance and Holloway both want to marry Cathy. Clearly, Cathy wants Lance. Colonel Drum refuses to let Lance take Tucsos to Fort Grant because Drum cannot spare Lance. Drum alters the orders and Holloway is given the mission at the last minute, and everybody is shocked. Lance has never changed an order. Furthermore, Lance saw Cathy and Holloway kissing in public, and everybody thinks Lance has reassigned Holloway out of jealousy. Indeed, one officer observes that rewriting orders is about a possible as rewriting the Bible. Predictably, Tucsos escapes and the surviving troopers and Harmony bring back a dead Holloway.
Although Drum expects a relief column of 400 troopers to arrive any day, Harmony points out to Lance that Tucsos will attack. Tucsos has seen the fort and knows their lack of strength. Lance requests to take 6 or 7 men of his choosing to man Fort Invincible and prevent Tucsos from assembling a war party. The bottleneck in the mountains keeps the Indians from riding through in strength; instead, they must come through one-at-a-time. Lance believes his men can thwart them until the relief column arrives. Drum gives him permission and Lance picks the worst men. All of them hate him and would willingly kill him. Foremost among the men are Trooper Kebussyan (Lon Chaney, Jr.), Sergeant Ben Murdock (Neville Brand of "D.O.A."),
Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist (Ward Bond of "The Searchers"), Trooper Rutledge (Warner Anderson of "Objective, Burma!"),Trooper Onstot (Steve Brodie of "Return of the Bad Men"), and Trooper Saxton (Terry Kilburn of "Lolita"). Douglas builds up some scalp-itching suspense, especially after dark when Lance has ordered torches placed on the bottleneck in the pass.
“Only the Valiant” exemplifies the new breed of military western that emerged after World War II. This is not a gung-ho John Ford cavalry western, even if it does have perennial Ford actor Ward Bond. Indeed, Lance’s own men want to kill him and this foreshadows the attitude of troops during the Vietnam War when they fragged their own officers. One tries to topple a heavy rock on him while another tries to shoot him with his carbine. One of the few moments of levity in "Only the Valiant" occurs when they move into Fort Invincible. Sgt. Murdock puts the troops in the old barracks, but establishes Lance's quarters in the guard house. Lance bears the onus of all—except the few who know about the circumstances that brought about the change of orders putting Holloway in charge of the detail. The black & white photography enhances the dire nature of this western. “Only the Valiant” amounts to a last stand western until the last minute reprieve. Reportedly, Peck hated this movie, but then this is not a spit-and-polish western in Technicolor. If anything, “Only the Valiant” lives up to its Warner Brothers origins. It is small but significant and it is grubby with loads of drama and unsavory characters, virtually a “Dirty Dozen” western. "Only the Valiant" just falls short of being a masterpiece because it is such a compact western about one tiny operation. Anything that came between Cathy and Lance no longer assumes any importance when he returns to the fort to discover that she now knows the truth.
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