Zack and Miri Make a Porno
written and directed by Kevin Smith
starring Seth Rogan, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Traci Lords, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Katie Morgan, Justin Long, Brandon Routh, Ricky Mabe
Life has turned on grade school friends Zack Brown (Rogan) and Miriam Linky (Banks). They have crummy jobs that don’t seem to pay their way, bills are piling up and they are facing the humiliation of their ten year high school reunion. As the film opens they are preparing to attend in the hopes that they might realize how much more of a loser their classmates turned out to be. After the letdown of the reunion they discover that their electricity and water have been shut off. Running out of ideas they hit on the one and only thing that makes any sense. They decide after knowing each other for twenty years that they will have sex with each other on film for money.
The film is basically a standard rate rom-com encased in a well-oiled Curved Jelly Rapture. It’s gooey, sticky sweet, and bound to leave cavities if precautions are not initiated. With all the fluids splashing about this turns out to be a heartwarming love story which should surprise nobody who has seen a single romantic comedy in the past thirty years.
The chemistry between the two leads works considerably well throughout the film. Their story is believable and their arcs are worth getting behind but not to do anything like what they promote in this film. For some reason, this type of film that employs numerous jokes about bodily secretions, is positively obsessed with all things anal. Perhaps its just to make audiences uncomfortable but the jokes do nothing to enhance the comedic value of the film. Still, they are ubiquitous and the film seems bent on exploiting them at every turn.
The sex in this film pokes fun at the robotic, unsexy sexual behavior in porn films. They manage to make sex even more ridiculous than it appears when the players are payed to lick, tease, and moan. Everything goes according to plan until Zack and Miri take their turn atop the bags of coffee beans and have a go at one another. Prior to this the sex was to be merely mechanical with no connection between genitals and emotions. Unfortunately for the kids they do feel something much beyond the thrusting and the grunting and it is this that causes great consternation. From this point the film changes from a porno spoof into something much more serious and it doesn’t always work to the film’s advantage. It ceases to be amusing and the entire focus of the film turns to making sure that birds chirp in the sky and the baby sunbeam frolics in the wheat fields with adorable puppies and lambies. In other words it goes terribly soft and all the air gets let out of the blown up condom the fat guy in the corner is about to put on his head. Then it hits you just how effective such machinations can be when you are open to them.
This film is ultimately exceedingly upbeat and delivers a positive message that should bode well for any optimist who hasn’t been encrusted with a hard cynical shell. It works this message throughout the film and despite all the goo it manages to pull off a story that proves to be a balm that heals the damage left behind by too many untoward situations both sexual and platonic. Certainly the second half of the film betrays the common sense approach of the first half but it does manage to create effective scenarios that are beyond merely gross and possess a deeper meaning that is occasionally quite profound. There remains a matter-of-fact approach to many scenes that is refreshing in their immediacy. There is also something indelibly cute about rank amateurs stripping, sucking and fornicating for the sheer joy imbued in the act of performing on camera. There is an innocence here that real pornos as a general rule do not possess. It truly feels like little kids playing dress up only it involves acts that are best suited for grownups.
Truly the best thing in this film is Traci Lords. Her character does the robot dance in her little mock C 3PO golden suit, she blows bubbles from a place that bubbles are not normally blown out of, and she just looks severe and totally hard throughout. She also mans a strap on and gives it to Barry (Ricky Mabe) which is quite an erotic thrill considering who she is and how she is thrust into a position of power, of authority. She also looks like she’s brimming with wisdom and it’s simply brilliant casting to have the world’s greatest underage porn star sit in for this particular film. One wonders if she offered any advice for the porn scenes or if she simply luxuriated in her bad-ass presence and let others take care of the grinding details. Either way, Traci Lords absolutely makes this film and it’s a pity she doesn’t have many more scenes in this.
This film celebrates the good old-fashioned entrepreneurial spirit that proves to be alive and well in America. It shows us how a great idea is actualized as well as all the hell that goes into making it work. There is a scene at the end which is slightly manipulative but ultimately endearing in what it reveals about one of the central characters. It’s a scene between men that isn’t often revealed in the popular media and it works because it is completely sincere. It’s touching without feeling cloying and it’s one of the high points in the film.
The porno itself proves to be somewhat of a release for its performers. Delaney (Robinson) in particular seems to need a distraction from his overbearing wife (Tisha Campbell-Martin) who rides him from day to night. Still, he considers looking at naked bits to be acceptable but he turns down offers to have sex because he is married. He allows himself only so much rope to hang himself and is willing to pay the cost if his wife ever finds out that he’s been purchasing camera equipment and making googly eyes at naked vixens being taking from behind. As the producer it’s his job to examine the attributes of any girl interested in baring in and joining the fray. One gets the impression that Delaney deserves this opportunity even if his wife scalds him with hot lava. He is everyman who exists in a horrific relationship that he is too scared or honorable to back out of.
The film is a bit cheeky at times, a bit randy in others. There aren’t as many gay jokes as there has traditionally been in these films unless you consider Justin Long’s strange turn as Brandon St. Randy as not exactly representative of homosexuality in general. His voice is gravelly, velvety and comes off as almost hypnotic. He’s a bit of a drama queen but not quite. He’s clearly spontaneous, charming, and boisterous when the situation calls for it. He’s from L.A. and is pitted up his boyfriend, local football hero Bobby Long (Routh) who seems to want to tone his slight flamboyancy down a notch. Bobby is less sure of himself as a gay man when he’s among others and Brandon is fully out and as the cliche goes, loving it. The dynamic between the two is riveting especially when the start to turn on each other in front of Zack who considers their spat one of the greatest things he has ever seen.
The performances in this film are all exceptionally good. Seth Rogan looks as incredulous and slightly pissed off as he does in most of his other performances. Zack has this way of appearing irritated and charmingly evasive at the same time. Elizabeth Banks projects a somewhat tattered allure as a woman who gets caught up in a peculiar mess that she didn’t necessarily ask for. Still, Banks plays Miri as a woman who knows how to take advantage of opportunity and she provides her character with a vitality that allows the film to work. Craig Robinson has an infectious aspect to his personality that comes through in every role he takes. There is something incredibly warm about him even when he’s playing a bad ass. He’s simply one of those actors who is infinitely likeable and worth watching do just about anything on screen. Traci Lords as mentioned is simply the stuff of rather twisted, terrifying yet calm dreams that haunt you well into your eighties when you slouch back in your chair and curse the sun. Jason Mewes plays it like he means it and truly gets into his performances as a porn actor. It often seems like he’s done this before and it wouldn’t surprise me if he turned up on a title or two.
Overall, there is a tremendous charm to this film and it sends a message of hope to its audience who might be expecting something else. Indeed, it is a film that deserves its ending and presents its characters in such a way that there really is no other ending that makes sense. The film logically follows an ordered plan of attack and every scene works on what comes before. It does revel in filth but its all for a good cause. There is one particular gross out scene that seems rather over-the-top yet strangely necessary in the end. Ultimately, the kids in this film all seem to be having a grand time in the school yard discovering new toys that they share at will. It’s really a delightful film that engages the audience and leaves them in a state of bliss as long as they can accept the stickiness of the situation.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Film Review--Meet the Browns
Meet the Browns
written and directed by Tyler Perry
starring Jennifer Lewis, Angela Bassett, Rick Fox, David Mann, Tamela J. Mann, Lance Gross, Sofia Vergara, Frankie Faison, Irma P. Hall, Tyler Perry, Chloe Bailey, Mariana Tolbert
A struggling mother of three receives a letter announcing the death of the father she never knew. After a period of hesitation she leaves the projects of Chicago for the plains of Georgia to attend the funeral.
This is quintessentially a Tyler Perry production. There is a man-shy woman and a stable, agreeable man who eventually sweeps her off of her feet. It’s wholly predictable as is much of this film and the end result doesn’t truly satisfy in the end. It’s clear as day that when Brenda (Bassett) first meets Harry (Fox) that sparks will fly and they will end up together. The utter lack of mystery here is almost offset by a number of find performances from a cast that draws their inspiration from Perry’s play of the same name. Still, the story seems pat and convenient without any sustainable energy propelling it along. We are left with personalities who just happen to be sharing the same living space for the duration of the funeral and the reading of the will. It’s a testament to the actors that this matters whatsoever.
Brenda is barely making ends meet. She loses her job at a factory and her lights are shut off. She has three children including a standout highschool basketball star named Michael Jr. (Gross). Michael Sr. (Philip Edward van Lear) hasn’t been around for the duration of the boy’s life and they’ve met a grand total of three times. Brenda can’t get any child support out of her ex husband and her only emotional support comes in the Hispanic stereotype Cheryl (Vergara) who is loud, obnoxious and puts on the classic spitfire act. Brenda is hurting immensely and finally decides to gather her children and take a bus to Georgia where she is immediately accosted by the loudest personalities in the clan. Prior to leaving she meets Harry who is believes that Michael has potential and could possibly play in the NBA. He also conveniently happens to live in the same neighborhood as the Brown’s and so the stage is set for the inevitable romance.
These two characters do seem to belong together and it is enjoyable to watch Brenda loosen up a bit but by the end of the film their stories don’t really add up to anything of significance. They are supposed to fall in love and so that is precisely what they do. It simply happens but there is no emotional weight behind their intimacy despite the strong performances by both actors involved. It isn’t necessarily a problem with the script either because the words and gestures are certainly in place to make it mean something but in the end it just doesn’t because the characters cease to matter by that time. The story is exceedingly predictable and the characters all turn out precisely as one expects. This is a story about a woman who has never truly allowed her self the benefit of the doubt. Naturally she realizes that she is indeed a fine person and that she deserves to experience love when it is given to her. The film leaves no questions unanswered and plays like a Hallmark movie of the week only there’s black people in it.
There are a couple of broad, comedic turns that keep the whole thing going for a while. These would be the characters of Vera (Lewis) and Leroy Brown (David Mann). Their characters both possess a vitality that stems from their larger than life personas. They both steal every scene they are in because they are designed to bring a certain sense of liberality to the proceedings and for the most part they do. Vera is a smooth, hyper-critical drama queen who is the type to feign a fainting spell if it means she can gain attention from the others present. She’s got a cruel tongue and its her lack of social graces that make her such an interesting character. She’s very well written and impeccable acted by the great Jennifer Lewis. David Mann continues his turn as Leroy Brown, a character who simply has to be seen to be believed. He’s part Amos and Andy and part Bugs Bunny and his clothes reflect what would happen if Wal-mart started a polyester Pimp line for the morbidly obese. Still, he’s got flash and tremendous energy and he brings the thing to life with every step. The man can flat out sing and dance which makes him worth seeing all by his damn self.
In this film there is little tension because one knows it’s all going to work out in the end. All that is left is a few standout performances that make the film as watchable as it is. Having said that Angela Bassett is something of a dream here. She possesses a quiet intensity that is a hallmark for female characters in Perry productions. Brenda is tough, beautiful, and deserving of whatever blessings might come her way. There are no weak women in Tyler Perry films. They all carry themselves with dignity that no man can tarnish and they all have learned how to take care of themselves. Still, there is a sense that having a man in the end is the ultimate goal and that this is perhaps the only road to their emotional salvation. Brenda is seen to be lacking something which is remedied once she allows Harry to melt her icy exterior and demonstrate his love for her.
This film is not entirely without conflict and this is actualized by the character of Michael. He is exceedingly gifted at playing basketball but he’s got another side to him that sees him selling dope for a friend. So, the stage is set for a life lesson and this comes on when Michael is shot by rival drug dealers who are defending their turf. This event is telegraphed early on because this type of behavior in the Tyler Perry universe has dire consequences. Drug dealers are presented as a scourge to society and Perry exploits the most vulnerable target to make his point. He shows in this scene how what seems like innocent, if not nefarious, fun can and does lead to an untoward outcome. Michael exemplifies someone who rises out of the projects and it’s important that he realize his aims. He is to serve as a role model who offers young men an image of someone who has succeeded despite the harshness of his surroundings.
As mentioned the performances in this film are manage to serve the script by creating believable characters who come off as natural and genuine. Angela Bassett conveys a wide range of emotions in this film as her character is thrust into a number of difficult environments that force her to react strongly. Rick Fox seems comfortable in the role as the caring man who convinces the woman of his sincerity and strength. Lance Gross carries himself with a vitality and a tremendous energy. Jennifer Lewis hams it up with style and grace. She’s a genuine force of nature in this film and every gesture is played up for maximum dramatic effect. David Mann gives everything he can to his role and the end result is a personality unencumbered by whatever obstacle might fall in his path.
Overall, this film in the end is diminished by the predictability of its story. It’s clear what is going to happen from the very beginning and its lack of mystery is a burden to its actualization. Still, there are great performances here and each actor brings something intriguing to their performance. Angela Bassett in particular is bold in laying herself open so nakedly as she does in this film. There aren’t any surprises so it’s difficult to invest in any of the central characters who seem to follow a set pattern that leads them to where they are fully expected to be. The end result is a film that does not challenge the audience and serves them up a easily digestible dose of candy-flavored placebo that tricks them into imagining they have received a tonic for their ills.
written and directed by Tyler Perry
starring Jennifer Lewis, Angela Bassett, Rick Fox, David Mann, Tamela J. Mann, Lance Gross, Sofia Vergara, Frankie Faison, Irma P. Hall, Tyler Perry, Chloe Bailey, Mariana Tolbert
A struggling mother of three receives a letter announcing the death of the father she never knew. After a period of hesitation she leaves the projects of Chicago for the plains of Georgia to attend the funeral.
This is quintessentially a Tyler Perry production. There is a man-shy woman and a stable, agreeable man who eventually sweeps her off of her feet. It’s wholly predictable as is much of this film and the end result doesn’t truly satisfy in the end. It’s clear as day that when Brenda (Bassett) first meets Harry (Fox) that sparks will fly and they will end up together. The utter lack of mystery here is almost offset by a number of find performances from a cast that draws their inspiration from Perry’s play of the same name. Still, the story seems pat and convenient without any sustainable energy propelling it along. We are left with personalities who just happen to be sharing the same living space for the duration of the funeral and the reading of the will. It’s a testament to the actors that this matters whatsoever.
Brenda is barely making ends meet. She loses her job at a factory and her lights are shut off. She has three children including a standout highschool basketball star named Michael Jr. (Gross). Michael Sr. (Philip Edward van Lear) hasn’t been around for the duration of the boy’s life and they’ve met a grand total of three times. Brenda can’t get any child support out of her ex husband and her only emotional support comes in the Hispanic stereotype Cheryl (Vergara) who is loud, obnoxious and puts on the classic spitfire act. Brenda is hurting immensely and finally decides to gather her children and take a bus to Georgia where she is immediately accosted by the loudest personalities in the clan. Prior to leaving she meets Harry who is believes that Michael has potential and could possibly play in the NBA. He also conveniently happens to live in the same neighborhood as the Brown’s and so the stage is set for the inevitable romance.
These two characters do seem to belong together and it is enjoyable to watch Brenda loosen up a bit but by the end of the film their stories don’t really add up to anything of significance. They are supposed to fall in love and so that is precisely what they do. It simply happens but there is no emotional weight behind their intimacy despite the strong performances by both actors involved. It isn’t necessarily a problem with the script either because the words and gestures are certainly in place to make it mean something but in the end it just doesn’t because the characters cease to matter by that time. The story is exceedingly predictable and the characters all turn out precisely as one expects. This is a story about a woman who has never truly allowed her self the benefit of the doubt. Naturally she realizes that she is indeed a fine person and that she deserves to experience love when it is given to her. The film leaves no questions unanswered and plays like a Hallmark movie of the week only there’s black people in it.
There are a couple of broad, comedic turns that keep the whole thing going for a while. These would be the characters of Vera (Lewis) and Leroy Brown (David Mann). Their characters both possess a vitality that stems from their larger than life personas. They both steal every scene they are in because they are designed to bring a certain sense of liberality to the proceedings and for the most part they do. Vera is a smooth, hyper-critical drama queen who is the type to feign a fainting spell if it means she can gain attention from the others present. She’s got a cruel tongue and its her lack of social graces that make her such an interesting character. She’s very well written and impeccable acted by the great Jennifer Lewis. David Mann continues his turn as Leroy Brown, a character who simply has to be seen to be believed. He’s part Amos and Andy and part Bugs Bunny and his clothes reflect what would happen if Wal-mart started a polyester Pimp line for the morbidly obese. Still, he’s got flash and tremendous energy and he brings the thing to life with every step. The man can flat out sing and dance which makes him worth seeing all by his damn self.
In this film there is little tension because one knows it’s all going to work out in the end. All that is left is a few standout performances that make the film as watchable as it is. Having said that Angela Bassett is something of a dream here. She possesses a quiet intensity that is a hallmark for female characters in Perry productions. Brenda is tough, beautiful, and deserving of whatever blessings might come her way. There are no weak women in Tyler Perry films. They all carry themselves with dignity that no man can tarnish and they all have learned how to take care of themselves. Still, there is a sense that having a man in the end is the ultimate goal and that this is perhaps the only road to their emotional salvation. Brenda is seen to be lacking something which is remedied once she allows Harry to melt her icy exterior and demonstrate his love for her.
This film is not entirely without conflict and this is actualized by the character of Michael. He is exceedingly gifted at playing basketball but he’s got another side to him that sees him selling dope for a friend. So, the stage is set for a life lesson and this comes on when Michael is shot by rival drug dealers who are defending their turf. This event is telegraphed early on because this type of behavior in the Tyler Perry universe has dire consequences. Drug dealers are presented as a scourge to society and Perry exploits the most vulnerable target to make his point. He shows in this scene how what seems like innocent, if not nefarious, fun can and does lead to an untoward outcome. Michael exemplifies someone who rises out of the projects and it’s important that he realize his aims. He is to serve as a role model who offers young men an image of someone who has succeeded despite the harshness of his surroundings.
As mentioned the performances in this film are manage to serve the script by creating believable characters who come off as natural and genuine. Angela Bassett conveys a wide range of emotions in this film as her character is thrust into a number of difficult environments that force her to react strongly. Rick Fox seems comfortable in the role as the caring man who convinces the woman of his sincerity and strength. Lance Gross carries himself with a vitality and a tremendous energy. Jennifer Lewis hams it up with style and grace. She’s a genuine force of nature in this film and every gesture is played up for maximum dramatic effect. David Mann gives everything he can to his role and the end result is a personality unencumbered by whatever obstacle might fall in his path.
Overall, this film in the end is diminished by the predictability of its story. It’s clear what is going to happen from the very beginning and its lack of mystery is a burden to its actualization. Still, there are great performances here and each actor brings something intriguing to their performance. Angela Bassett in particular is bold in laying herself open so nakedly as she does in this film. There aren’t any surprises so it’s difficult to invest in any of the central characters who seem to follow a set pattern that leads them to where they are fully expected to be. The end result is a film that does not challenge the audience and serves them up a easily digestible dose of candy-flavored placebo that tricks them into imagining they have received a tonic for their ills.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Film Review--The Man with the Golden Gun
The Man with the Golden Gun
directed by Guy Hamilton
written by Richar Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz
based on the novel by Ian Fleming
starring Roger Moore, Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee, Maud Adams, Hervé Villechaize, Clifton James, Richard Loo, Soon-Tek Oh, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn
Bond faces a man with whom he shares many faculties in the ninth installment of the James Bond franchise. Technology and solar power play a definitive role in this story which is scattered from Beirut to Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The enemy in this story is the well-dressed, elegant expert marksman Francisco Scaramanga (Lee) who runs his operations from his own Island. He is the “Man with the Golden Gun” named for the gun he uses to dispatch of his targets for whose death he is payed one million dollars. He’s got massive plans for solar energy and none of them are particularly beneficial to the public at large. His assistant is the malevolent dwarf Nick Nack (Villechaize) who seems to be ubiquitous throughout the film. The film is a race to discover Scaramanga’s lair and all of the glorious technological wonders he has implanted there. It rivals the MI6 for its ingenuity and usefulness and Bond seems duly impressed.
The sexy Bond Girls in this film comes in the exquisite shape of Mary Goodnight (Ekland) who is sent to become Bond’s assistant and ultimately his lover and Scaramanga’s girl Andrea Anders (Adams) who also sleeps with Bond as all of them eventually do. Goodnight is supposed to be conducting official business and actually proclaims she doesn’t want to be one of his casual, throwaway flings but a few hours later she shows up in his room unable to resist his charms.
There are several sequences that seem sluggish and drag on a bit too long. There isn’t a tremendous amount of energy in this film and nothing seems particularly necessary in the rush to stop the madman Scaramanga. The locales are certainly lovely and possess their own peculiar charms but the story itself lacks tenacity or urgency which has been the hallmark of the series thus far. It looks like a pedestrian thriller without any clear definable features to set it apart from similarly themed films.
This film lacks the one on one physical confrontation between the two key players that always add a percolating thrill to Bond films. Also, once Bond actually meets Scaramanga whatever bit of magic this film possesses is sucked into the void. Still, Scaramanga ranks right up there with Goldfinger, Blofeld and No as formidable adversaries in this franchise that never seems to run out of nefarious characters to pit Bond against. Scaramanga is refined, cultured and utterly hellbent on actualizing his vision and commanding complete control of the world’s solar energy supplies. He’s a man of means who possesses a definitive genius for acquiring the technology he requires to see everything come off as it should. Of course he is not allowed to see his ideas come into fruition as Bond naturally comes to the rescue as he always does–with whatever piece of ass is left lying about and with most of his dignity intact.
Bond leads yet another group of angry young men on a long, drawn out boat chase which seems to lack the hifalutin danger quotient that has been injected into other such sequences. There is also a car chase scene which features a maneuver that is as spectacular as anything ever put on screen. It’s simply magical and awe-inspiring and most definitely worth the price of admission just on its own terms.
Despite the obvious comeliness of the two central females in this film and a rather sexy belly dancing scene there isn’t a whole lot of sex appeal outside of the charms of Mr. Lee and Mr. Moore. Bond also isn’t as playful here although he is certainly up to every challenge when it comes to leaving his mark on his women. One always is left to wonder what all the other women he has nailed in the series end up feeling about him. After all he’s nothing but a glorified cad who disposes of women like the wrapper on a Debauve & Gallais Antilles Rum. Certainly he affords all of the finer things including suits, Dom Pérignon, women, cars, and other implementations that cure the souls of the affluent and easily bored. He’s got a gift for purring in the ear of whatever kitty he wants to tantalize and he truly fills out his suits and tuxes with a heady, masculine readiness. He is a symbol for how life could be if only one could grasp elusive truths that separate those who have from those who do not. One is allowed to live through Bond and imagine one possesses all of his myriad skills for getting the most out of life while being able to kill people whenever they need to be killed.
Christopher Lee makes for a sublime criminal mind in this film. Of the early Bond arch-fiends Scaramanga possesses the most bewitchery and there is something positively lethal about the way he maneuvers about. Much of this comes with his ease of movement which translates into a grace that is second to none. Lee presents a man whose tastes rival Bond’s and it’s enjoyable to watch them attempt to outwit one another. The film has a nice symmetry to it as both the opening and penultimate sequences mirror each other in a way that gives the film a sort of uniformity which works well in the end.
The performances in this film all seem to work well within the limits of the material. Roger Moore is effective as 007 and commands the screen as one requires of his character. Christopher Lee is impressive and fully engaged in conveying a character that is mercurial and divisive. His charm expresses itself in many different ways and it is an equal match for that of Bond. Britt Ekland does what every Bond girl must do which is to look good in a bikini and swoon whenever Bond comes any where near her. She also manages to come off as tough, decisive and intelligent which is always a bonus for these characters. Hervé Villechaize plays it up as a deliriously effective thorn in James Bond’s side. His character is everywhere in this film like a gnat that just can’t be swatted and his presence adds an unsavory aspect to the film. Villechaize comes to us several years before his smashingly popular stint on TV’s “Fantasy Island”; subsequently its impossible to watch him without thinking first of his iconic character on that program.
Overall, this film doesn’t quite live up to some of the other great films that have proceeded it in the series. Still, it’s got a brilliant turn from Christopher Lee and exotic locales which are well exploited throughout. It’s all just a bit dodgy and doesn’t come together with any satisfaction by the end. The enemies don’t come off as particularly dangerous in this film and it seems too fundamentally easy to quash their plans and shatter their dreams. Still, there are moments when everything works effectively and these increase the film’s overall watchability. Bond does what he’s supposed to do but it’s just not as meaningful as it ought to be. In the end it doesn’t much matter who emerges from the inevitable fracas that engages both men to the death. Ultimately, the film lacks the pristine appreciation for style in the face of extreme danger that defines the series and the character of James Bond. No matter what terrible scratch he finds himself in he always looks like he just stepped out of a tailor on Savile Row. In this installment Bond seems a bit too haggard at times although for the most part he hits the right notes and gives his audience precisely what they are always desperate for in a hero. He’s still the man all men want to be all women want to be had by.
directed by Guy Hamilton
written by Richar Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz
based on the novel by Ian Fleming
starring Roger Moore, Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee, Maud Adams, Hervé Villechaize, Clifton James, Richard Loo, Soon-Tek Oh, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn
Bond faces a man with whom he shares many faculties in the ninth installment of the James Bond franchise. Technology and solar power play a definitive role in this story which is scattered from Beirut to Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The enemy in this story is the well-dressed, elegant expert marksman Francisco Scaramanga (Lee) who runs his operations from his own Island. He is the “Man with the Golden Gun” named for the gun he uses to dispatch of his targets for whose death he is payed one million dollars. He’s got massive plans for solar energy and none of them are particularly beneficial to the public at large. His assistant is the malevolent dwarf Nick Nack (Villechaize) who seems to be ubiquitous throughout the film. The film is a race to discover Scaramanga’s lair and all of the glorious technological wonders he has implanted there. It rivals the MI6 for its ingenuity and usefulness and Bond seems duly impressed.
The sexy Bond Girls in this film comes in the exquisite shape of Mary Goodnight (Ekland) who is sent to become Bond’s assistant and ultimately his lover and Scaramanga’s girl Andrea Anders (Adams) who also sleeps with Bond as all of them eventually do. Goodnight is supposed to be conducting official business and actually proclaims she doesn’t want to be one of his casual, throwaway flings but a few hours later she shows up in his room unable to resist his charms.
There are several sequences that seem sluggish and drag on a bit too long. There isn’t a tremendous amount of energy in this film and nothing seems particularly necessary in the rush to stop the madman Scaramanga. The locales are certainly lovely and possess their own peculiar charms but the story itself lacks tenacity or urgency which has been the hallmark of the series thus far. It looks like a pedestrian thriller without any clear definable features to set it apart from similarly themed films.
This film lacks the one on one physical confrontation between the two key players that always add a percolating thrill to Bond films. Also, once Bond actually meets Scaramanga whatever bit of magic this film possesses is sucked into the void. Still, Scaramanga ranks right up there with Goldfinger, Blofeld and No as formidable adversaries in this franchise that never seems to run out of nefarious characters to pit Bond against. Scaramanga is refined, cultured and utterly hellbent on actualizing his vision and commanding complete control of the world’s solar energy supplies. He’s a man of means who possesses a definitive genius for acquiring the technology he requires to see everything come off as it should. Of course he is not allowed to see his ideas come into fruition as Bond naturally comes to the rescue as he always does–with whatever piece of ass is left lying about and with most of his dignity intact.
Bond leads yet another group of angry young men on a long, drawn out boat chase which seems to lack the hifalutin danger quotient that has been injected into other such sequences. There is also a car chase scene which features a maneuver that is as spectacular as anything ever put on screen. It’s simply magical and awe-inspiring and most definitely worth the price of admission just on its own terms.
Despite the obvious comeliness of the two central females in this film and a rather sexy belly dancing scene there isn’t a whole lot of sex appeal outside of the charms of Mr. Lee and Mr. Moore. Bond also isn’t as playful here although he is certainly up to every challenge when it comes to leaving his mark on his women. One always is left to wonder what all the other women he has nailed in the series end up feeling about him. After all he’s nothing but a glorified cad who disposes of women like the wrapper on a Debauve & Gallais Antilles Rum. Certainly he affords all of the finer things including suits, Dom Pérignon, women, cars, and other implementations that cure the souls of the affluent and easily bored. He’s got a gift for purring in the ear of whatever kitty he wants to tantalize and he truly fills out his suits and tuxes with a heady, masculine readiness. He is a symbol for how life could be if only one could grasp elusive truths that separate those who have from those who do not. One is allowed to live through Bond and imagine one possesses all of his myriad skills for getting the most out of life while being able to kill people whenever they need to be killed.
Christopher Lee makes for a sublime criminal mind in this film. Of the early Bond arch-fiends Scaramanga possesses the most bewitchery and there is something positively lethal about the way he maneuvers about. Much of this comes with his ease of movement which translates into a grace that is second to none. Lee presents a man whose tastes rival Bond’s and it’s enjoyable to watch them attempt to outwit one another. The film has a nice symmetry to it as both the opening and penultimate sequences mirror each other in a way that gives the film a sort of uniformity which works well in the end.
The performances in this film all seem to work well within the limits of the material. Roger Moore is effective as 007 and commands the screen as one requires of his character. Christopher Lee is impressive and fully engaged in conveying a character that is mercurial and divisive. His charm expresses itself in many different ways and it is an equal match for that of Bond. Britt Ekland does what every Bond girl must do which is to look good in a bikini and swoon whenever Bond comes any where near her. She also manages to come off as tough, decisive and intelligent which is always a bonus for these characters. Hervé Villechaize plays it up as a deliriously effective thorn in James Bond’s side. His character is everywhere in this film like a gnat that just can’t be swatted and his presence adds an unsavory aspect to the film. Villechaize comes to us several years before his smashingly popular stint on TV’s “Fantasy Island”; subsequently its impossible to watch him without thinking first of his iconic character on that program.
Overall, this film doesn’t quite live up to some of the other great films that have proceeded it in the series. Still, it’s got a brilliant turn from Christopher Lee and exotic locales which are well exploited throughout. It’s all just a bit dodgy and doesn’t come together with any satisfaction by the end. The enemies don’t come off as particularly dangerous in this film and it seems too fundamentally easy to quash their plans and shatter their dreams. Still, there are moments when everything works effectively and these increase the film’s overall watchability. Bond does what he’s supposed to do but it’s just not as meaningful as it ought to be. In the end it doesn’t much matter who emerges from the inevitable fracas that engages both men to the death. Ultimately, the film lacks the pristine appreciation for style in the face of extreme danger that defines the series and the character of James Bond. No matter what terrible scratch he finds himself in he always looks like he just stepped out of a tailor on Savile Row. In this installment Bond seems a bit too haggard at times although for the most part he hits the right notes and gives his audience precisely what they are always desperate for in a hero. He’s still the man all men want to be all women want to be had by.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Film Review--Stella Maris
Stella Maris
directed by Marshall Neilan
written by Frances Marion
based on the book by William J. Locke
starring Mary Pickford, Ida Waterman, Herbert Standing, Conway Tearle, Marcia Manon, Josephine Crowell
Mary Pickford demonstrates dramatic range playing two roles in this 1918 silent romance that presents the tyranny of love and the grave sorrows afflicting the lovelorn.
Pickford plays two young women who couldn’t have had more opposite upbringings. Stella Maris, crippled from birth, has been sheltered from all the evil in the world and lives in comfort never having left the palatial home she grew up in. Unity Blake is a sorry sort who has spent most of her life in an orphanage. She’s uncouth, hunched over and walks about with a glum look upon her face. Naturally they both fall for the same guy and the film conveys their struggles to impress upon him their intentions. Unfortunately for Unity she’s merely dreaming because the man, named John Risca, wants nothing to do with her romantically. He only has eyes for Stella and this really gets Unity’s panties in a knot.
As the film opens Stella is surrounded with fluffy things, flowers, and is tended to by Lady Eleanor and Sir Oliver Blount. She lives in the welcoming lap of luxury and lacks for nothing. Meanwhile Unity is being chosen by Louis Risca, the wife of John, and taken to her home to clean and cook. One day Unity is robbed at the grocer and Louis beats her senseless gaining herself three years in the pokey. John takes Unity in as an act of kindness and Unity quickly grows attached to him. The essential note of the plotline is that John does not tell Stella that he is married. Indeed, nobody tells Stella anything about how cruel the world is and she isn’t even aware that there is a war going on. She professes not to understand the nature of war and how it leads brothers to fight against brothers. She is horrified upon reading the paper and discovering that a man has shot his brother and that a woman has drowned herself and children in the Thames. This realization creates quite a shock in the poor girl and it takes her a bit to recover.
The film includes many instances of Unity looking beaten, forlorn or just plain miserable. She is a rather pathetic girl who has suffered immensely her entire life. It’s quite amazing how different Pickford is able to make herself for each role. As Stella she is the very image of light and elegance. She radiates a positive energy that is readily captured by close ups that capture her seminal beauty. As Unity contrarily she seems wilted and harried all the time and nervously moves her hands about. She behaves as if she’s terrified of everything she encounters until she meets John and she becomes accustomed to his affection. But it doesn’t matter because she’s plain and Stella is astonishingly beautiful and poor Unity doesn’t stand a chance.
There is a very clear distinction between wealth and poverty in this film. Poverty is presented as a loathsome state that the poor truly deserve due to their profligate lifestyles or because it is God’s will. This is never explicitly stated but its easily ascertained by the ways in which the poor are excluded from the table of the wealthy. Unity is taken in by the Blounts but there is no love to be found there because she’s a sick animal and they don’t want their darling Stella to become aware of her state. It seems as if there is no place for Unity except with John who at least treats her like she’s a human being and not some ghastly anthropological experiment. Indeed, he alone treats her with respect and affords her an honor that she lacks in every other area of her life. He gives her warmth and tenderness and she succumbs to his charms and translates his kindness into an impossible love. John is merely behaving in accordance to a principle of goodness, a Christian perspective, that treats the lowest as if they were someone special. He wants nothing in return and only asks that Unity continue to thrive while under his care.
Stella is wonderfully naive about everything around her and she possesses a simple charm that is constant throughout the film. She does benefit from a surgery that allows her to walk affording her nothing more than strolls around the gardens. She still doesn’t fully grasp the pains and struggles of daily existence for a great number of impoverished people but she does attempt to help a beggar woman who stumbles onto the home’s property. She is awoken to the hell of existence and it doesn’t rightly change her or anyone for that matter. The message seems to be that life is truly hell for those who cannot make their own happiness which stems from inside.
Suffering and grief are definite themes in this film. Louise is a despairing case who drinks excessively and looks pensively into the distance with searching eyes that reflect tremendous inner torment. The great shots that introduce Louise with a bottle before her and a cigarette in hand are iconic images of a tortured person in a state of whirling confusion and abject unhappiness. John spends a great deal of the second half of the film with his head in his hands, suffering his own raging torments which he himself has created by not coming clean with Stella. His wife proves to be a real thorn in his side and continues to harass Stella long after she admits to her that she indeed is John’s wife.
The ending of this film seems tacked onto the end in order to appease the sentimental nature of many film goers at the time of its creation. The war was raging and cinema was seen as an escape from all the messiness that the war entailed. Basically, the tone for the entire picture is grim and grimmer and there is no hope that anything is ever going to improve in the lives of the central characters. But of course it does change in a major way that isn’t telegraphed so it isn’t easily read. The sunlight does come out and there is frolicking and playfulness and all the miseries of the past are magically wiped away. The burdensomeness of life as it was has been eradicated in one singular movement that has left the pathway wide open for exploration and great bounties of effervescent joy.
The performances in this film are all quite stellar in how they convey the complexities of the characters. Mary Pickford plays both characters with a distinct set of traits and quirks and her grasp of various emotional states is wonderfully conveyed. Pickford proves apt at playing a wide range of expressions within the context of the film. She is hopelessly maudlin in one instance and beaming with intoxicating light in the other. Stella Maris is simply one of the truly lovely creatures to have ever been created for the screen and this has everything to do with Pickford’s delightful performances. I can only think of Amy Adams in “Enchanted” in terms of a parallel to the exquisite comeliness of this character. Conway Tearle plays a strong, morally certain man who finds himself in a terrible fix that plagues him immensely. Tearle captures the agony of this character and there are great shots depicting the intensity of his suffering as he glances off into the distance. Marcia Manon does a fantastic job looking mad as a hatter in this film. Her eyes glaze over and her face contorts into a satanic laugh that shakes her own being. She’s creepy in her way and legitimately odd in her presentation.
Overall, this film captures an essence of what cruelty love or the lack of it can instill in a person who is not altogether schooled in its more devastating tenets. Love here is a broken thing that must be made whole for it to possess a person in its entirety. Unity only holds a fragment of love and has been unable to fashion the pieces together for her entire life. She’s an example of a character who is easily led to believe in a fantasy because the reality she is forced to face is so grim and hopeless. She’s cast aside at every turn until she meets the first person who truly enjoys her company. That she mistakes this for love is certainly not her fault but the film cannot present a scenario where she gains what she has sorely lacked for so long. Stella Maris is a singing bird who has not had to do much of anything but enjoy her surroundings for her entire life. It is not clear in the end if any of that will change although there is the hope that she might actually find a way to get out and experience some of the world.
directed by Marshall Neilan
written by Frances Marion
based on the book by William J. Locke
starring Mary Pickford, Ida Waterman, Herbert Standing, Conway Tearle, Marcia Manon, Josephine Crowell
Mary Pickford demonstrates dramatic range playing two roles in this 1918 silent romance that presents the tyranny of love and the grave sorrows afflicting the lovelorn.
Pickford plays two young women who couldn’t have had more opposite upbringings. Stella Maris, crippled from birth, has been sheltered from all the evil in the world and lives in comfort never having left the palatial home she grew up in. Unity Blake is a sorry sort who has spent most of her life in an orphanage. She’s uncouth, hunched over and walks about with a glum look upon her face. Naturally they both fall for the same guy and the film conveys their struggles to impress upon him their intentions. Unfortunately for Unity she’s merely dreaming because the man, named John Risca, wants nothing to do with her romantically. He only has eyes for Stella and this really gets Unity’s panties in a knot.
As the film opens Stella is surrounded with fluffy things, flowers, and is tended to by Lady Eleanor and Sir Oliver Blount. She lives in the welcoming lap of luxury and lacks for nothing. Meanwhile Unity is being chosen by Louis Risca, the wife of John, and taken to her home to clean and cook. One day Unity is robbed at the grocer and Louis beats her senseless gaining herself three years in the pokey. John takes Unity in as an act of kindness and Unity quickly grows attached to him. The essential note of the plotline is that John does not tell Stella that he is married. Indeed, nobody tells Stella anything about how cruel the world is and she isn’t even aware that there is a war going on. She professes not to understand the nature of war and how it leads brothers to fight against brothers. She is horrified upon reading the paper and discovering that a man has shot his brother and that a woman has drowned herself and children in the Thames. This realization creates quite a shock in the poor girl and it takes her a bit to recover.
The film includes many instances of Unity looking beaten, forlorn or just plain miserable. She is a rather pathetic girl who has suffered immensely her entire life. It’s quite amazing how different Pickford is able to make herself for each role. As Stella she is the very image of light and elegance. She radiates a positive energy that is readily captured by close ups that capture her seminal beauty. As Unity contrarily she seems wilted and harried all the time and nervously moves her hands about. She behaves as if she’s terrified of everything she encounters until she meets John and she becomes accustomed to his affection. But it doesn’t matter because she’s plain and Stella is astonishingly beautiful and poor Unity doesn’t stand a chance.
There is a very clear distinction between wealth and poverty in this film. Poverty is presented as a loathsome state that the poor truly deserve due to their profligate lifestyles or because it is God’s will. This is never explicitly stated but its easily ascertained by the ways in which the poor are excluded from the table of the wealthy. Unity is taken in by the Blounts but there is no love to be found there because she’s a sick animal and they don’t want their darling Stella to become aware of her state. It seems as if there is no place for Unity except with John who at least treats her like she’s a human being and not some ghastly anthropological experiment. Indeed, he alone treats her with respect and affords her an honor that she lacks in every other area of her life. He gives her warmth and tenderness and she succumbs to his charms and translates his kindness into an impossible love. John is merely behaving in accordance to a principle of goodness, a Christian perspective, that treats the lowest as if they were someone special. He wants nothing in return and only asks that Unity continue to thrive while under his care.
Stella is wonderfully naive about everything around her and she possesses a simple charm that is constant throughout the film. She does benefit from a surgery that allows her to walk affording her nothing more than strolls around the gardens. She still doesn’t fully grasp the pains and struggles of daily existence for a great number of impoverished people but she does attempt to help a beggar woman who stumbles onto the home’s property. She is awoken to the hell of existence and it doesn’t rightly change her or anyone for that matter. The message seems to be that life is truly hell for those who cannot make their own happiness which stems from inside.
Suffering and grief are definite themes in this film. Louise is a despairing case who drinks excessively and looks pensively into the distance with searching eyes that reflect tremendous inner torment. The great shots that introduce Louise with a bottle before her and a cigarette in hand are iconic images of a tortured person in a state of whirling confusion and abject unhappiness. John spends a great deal of the second half of the film with his head in his hands, suffering his own raging torments which he himself has created by not coming clean with Stella. His wife proves to be a real thorn in his side and continues to harass Stella long after she admits to her that she indeed is John’s wife.
The ending of this film seems tacked onto the end in order to appease the sentimental nature of many film goers at the time of its creation. The war was raging and cinema was seen as an escape from all the messiness that the war entailed. Basically, the tone for the entire picture is grim and grimmer and there is no hope that anything is ever going to improve in the lives of the central characters. But of course it does change in a major way that isn’t telegraphed so it isn’t easily read. The sunlight does come out and there is frolicking and playfulness and all the miseries of the past are magically wiped away. The burdensomeness of life as it was has been eradicated in one singular movement that has left the pathway wide open for exploration and great bounties of effervescent joy.
The performances in this film are all quite stellar in how they convey the complexities of the characters. Mary Pickford plays both characters with a distinct set of traits and quirks and her grasp of various emotional states is wonderfully conveyed. Pickford proves apt at playing a wide range of expressions within the context of the film. She is hopelessly maudlin in one instance and beaming with intoxicating light in the other. Stella Maris is simply one of the truly lovely creatures to have ever been created for the screen and this has everything to do with Pickford’s delightful performances. I can only think of Amy Adams in “Enchanted” in terms of a parallel to the exquisite comeliness of this character. Conway Tearle plays a strong, morally certain man who finds himself in a terrible fix that plagues him immensely. Tearle captures the agony of this character and there are great shots depicting the intensity of his suffering as he glances off into the distance. Marcia Manon does a fantastic job looking mad as a hatter in this film. Her eyes glaze over and her face contorts into a satanic laugh that shakes her own being. She’s creepy in her way and legitimately odd in her presentation.
Overall, this film captures an essence of what cruelty love or the lack of it can instill in a person who is not altogether schooled in its more devastating tenets. Love here is a broken thing that must be made whole for it to possess a person in its entirety. Unity only holds a fragment of love and has been unable to fashion the pieces together for her entire life. She’s an example of a character who is easily led to believe in a fantasy because the reality she is forced to face is so grim and hopeless. She’s cast aside at every turn until she meets the first person who truly enjoys her company. That she mistakes this for love is certainly not her fault but the film cannot present a scenario where she gains what she has sorely lacked for so long. Stella Maris is a singing bird who has not had to do much of anything but enjoy her surroundings for her entire life. It is not clear in the end if any of that will change although there is the hope that she might actually find a way to get out and experience some of the world.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Film Review--Sparrows
Sparrows
directed by William Beaudine
written by Winifred Dunn
adapted by C. Gardner Sullivan
starring Mary Pickford, Roy Stewart, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Charlotte Mineau, Spec O’Donnell, Lloyd Whitlock, Monty O’ Grady
A gaggle of filthy children are barely subsisting on a wretched baby farm owned by the diabolical Mr. Grimes (von Seyffertitz). They are cared for by the loving teenaged Molly (Pickford) who does what she can to keep the brood clothed and fed.
The children are all rotting without proper nourishment both intellectual and material. They are all mostly caked with dirt but they follow Molly’s lead and pray for a better life that it seems will never come. They work for Mr. Grimes tending to his scant fields and live in fear that he just might toss them into the swamp or feed them to the alligators. Grimes is a greedy bastard and he jumps at the chance to bring another tot into the fold even if it means the kid is napped in order to bring the deal into fruition. Indeed, a chubby toddler quickly finds herself sitting plumply on Grimes’s kitchen table as the nasty money fills Grimes’s pockets. Molly takes immediately to the new arrival and spends the rest of the film protecting her from the sinister machinations of the old man.
The film itself seems caked in mud as the entire lot save a few minor characters are very sorry indeed. The children seem hopeless and both the Grimes’s themselves are horrifically poor and shabbily attired. There isn’t but a modicum of joy to be found in the entire film and that naturally comes at the end when everything is solved for its own sake. Otherwise, it’s just dirty, smelly children chasing each other about and trying their best to keep out of old Grimy’s way. He doesn’t much like children and only uses them for work purposes. He doesn’t punish them directly but they must always be on their guard lest he sick his dog on them. The kids are also taunted routinely by the Grimes’s sissy pants son Ambrose (O’Donnell) who picks on the younger ones and cries to mommy and daddy when the slightest thing goes amiss.
There is quite a bit of tension during the final scenes where everything comes to a head and the children must escape with their lives through dangerous terrain that takes great focus to conquer. Grimes faces the piper as well leading up to the necessary ending when all turns happy and gay. It’s the only proper way to end such a sad state of affairs as this. One couldn’t possible leave these young ‘uns deprived of just about everything one expects children living in the Western world to enjoy as their birthright. It is never disclosed just where these brats come from but it is suggested that many of them were snatched away from warm beds and loving parents. Molly herself has a mysterious origin and it’s difficult to fathom what unlucky twist of fate brought her into her predicament.
Molly is presented as a good little mother who has been forced to care for a rather substantial group of youngsters. She seems to manage well and all the kids seem to adore her for the care she has taken to care for them as if she really were their mother. She considers the kids to be hers and will not part with them for even a second. They appear to provide her with a sense of purpose and add great meaning to her life. It’s the only thing in an otherwise dismal existence that gives her pleasure and opens her heart. Molly prays regularly for the children and they dutifully follow her lead and cast their gaze heavenward toward a place where they are not so routinely bowled under by the crushing realities of their lives. This is a film about longstanding faith and the power of prayer to change the lives of those who are steadfast and remain diligent in their supplication to God.
It’s rather strange and perhaps I wasn’t paying close enough attention but as the film opens there are at least ten kids and during their great escape there only seems to be seven and by the end there are nine. At first I imagined two of the weaker turdlings being preyed upon by the alligators but I figured this isn’t the kind of film that lets children suffer such a terrible fate. Still, it perked me up a bit until I realized that they all survived and I was left to await the necessary conclusion.
In my humble opinion there just isn’t enough Mary Pickford in this film. She shines in every scene and it’s a thrill to watch her do just about anything. When she’s not on the screen the children quickly wear thin because they remain a mass and we never get to know them as individuals. Can they do any tricks? What scares them more than anything in the world? What silly tales have they been fed that inform how they look at the world?
The music for this print does a grand job creating tension throughout. The scenes with Mr. Grimes are darkly somber pieces that truly reflect the blackness of his soul. Molly’s music is heroic and one is left with a clear impression of her integrity.
The performances here all work within the context of the film. As mentioned Mary Pickford is one of those rare creatures in cinema that it is absolutely impossible to take one’s eyes off of. She’s a ravishing gamine whose very presence makes this a watchable film. She plays the complex emotions afflicting her character with natural ease that makes one sad that she was never really able to make the transition into talkies. Roy Stewart says quite a lot with his cruel laughter in this film. He slithers about and seems to grow darker as the film progresses. His character is clearly drawn as an man of ill will and the film projects him as a bona fide creep.
Overall, this is a film that is best remembered as a Mary Pickford vehicle. The story meanders and feels too long. Ultimately the children weigh it down even though they don’t really do much of anything at all besides look wan and hungry. It does possess a certain line of terror for a while but that only works if one isn’t gearing up to watch one of the tasty morsels get eaten.
directed by William Beaudine
written by Winifred Dunn
adapted by C. Gardner Sullivan
starring Mary Pickford, Roy Stewart, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Charlotte Mineau, Spec O’Donnell, Lloyd Whitlock, Monty O’ Grady
A gaggle of filthy children are barely subsisting on a wretched baby farm owned by the diabolical Mr. Grimes (von Seyffertitz). They are cared for by the loving teenaged Molly (Pickford) who does what she can to keep the brood clothed and fed.
The children are all rotting without proper nourishment both intellectual and material. They are all mostly caked with dirt but they follow Molly’s lead and pray for a better life that it seems will never come. They work for Mr. Grimes tending to his scant fields and live in fear that he just might toss them into the swamp or feed them to the alligators. Grimes is a greedy bastard and he jumps at the chance to bring another tot into the fold even if it means the kid is napped in order to bring the deal into fruition. Indeed, a chubby toddler quickly finds herself sitting plumply on Grimes’s kitchen table as the nasty money fills Grimes’s pockets. Molly takes immediately to the new arrival and spends the rest of the film protecting her from the sinister machinations of the old man.
The film itself seems caked in mud as the entire lot save a few minor characters are very sorry indeed. The children seem hopeless and both the Grimes’s themselves are horrifically poor and shabbily attired. There isn’t but a modicum of joy to be found in the entire film and that naturally comes at the end when everything is solved for its own sake. Otherwise, it’s just dirty, smelly children chasing each other about and trying their best to keep out of old Grimy’s way. He doesn’t much like children and only uses them for work purposes. He doesn’t punish them directly but they must always be on their guard lest he sick his dog on them. The kids are also taunted routinely by the Grimes’s sissy pants son Ambrose (O’Donnell) who picks on the younger ones and cries to mommy and daddy when the slightest thing goes amiss.
There is quite a bit of tension during the final scenes where everything comes to a head and the children must escape with their lives through dangerous terrain that takes great focus to conquer. Grimes faces the piper as well leading up to the necessary ending when all turns happy and gay. It’s the only proper way to end such a sad state of affairs as this. One couldn’t possible leave these young ‘uns deprived of just about everything one expects children living in the Western world to enjoy as their birthright. It is never disclosed just where these brats come from but it is suggested that many of them were snatched away from warm beds and loving parents. Molly herself has a mysterious origin and it’s difficult to fathom what unlucky twist of fate brought her into her predicament.
Molly is presented as a good little mother who has been forced to care for a rather substantial group of youngsters. She seems to manage well and all the kids seem to adore her for the care she has taken to care for them as if she really were their mother. She considers the kids to be hers and will not part with them for even a second. They appear to provide her with a sense of purpose and add great meaning to her life. It’s the only thing in an otherwise dismal existence that gives her pleasure and opens her heart. Molly prays regularly for the children and they dutifully follow her lead and cast their gaze heavenward toward a place where they are not so routinely bowled under by the crushing realities of their lives. This is a film about longstanding faith and the power of prayer to change the lives of those who are steadfast and remain diligent in their supplication to God.
It’s rather strange and perhaps I wasn’t paying close enough attention but as the film opens there are at least ten kids and during their great escape there only seems to be seven and by the end there are nine. At first I imagined two of the weaker turdlings being preyed upon by the alligators but I figured this isn’t the kind of film that lets children suffer such a terrible fate. Still, it perked me up a bit until I realized that they all survived and I was left to await the necessary conclusion.
In my humble opinion there just isn’t enough Mary Pickford in this film. She shines in every scene and it’s a thrill to watch her do just about anything. When she’s not on the screen the children quickly wear thin because they remain a mass and we never get to know them as individuals. Can they do any tricks? What scares them more than anything in the world? What silly tales have they been fed that inform how they look at the world?
The music for this print does a grand job creating tension throughout. The scenes with Mr. Grimes are darkly somber pieces that truly reflect the blackness of his soul. Molly’s music is heroic and one is left with a clear impression of her integrity.
The performances here all work within the context of the film. As mentioned Mary Pickford is one of those rare creatures in cinema that it is absolutely impossible to take one’s eyes off of. She’s a ravishing gamine whose very presence makes this a watchable film. She plays the complex emotions afflicting her character with natural ease that makes one sad that she was never really able to make the transition into talkies. Roy Stewart says quite a lot with his cruel laughter in this film. He slithers about and seems to grow darker as the film progresses. His character is clearly drawn as an man of ill will and the film projects him as a bona fide creep.
Overall, this is a film that is best remembered as a Mary Pickford vehicle. The story meanders and feels too long. Ultimately the children weigh it down even though they don’t really do much of anything at all besides look wan and hungry. It does possess a certain line of terror for a while but that only works if one isn’t gearing up to watch one of the tasty morsels get eaten.
Film Review--Soul Men
Soul Men
directed by Malcolm D. Lee
written by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone
starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sharon Leal, Sean Hayes, Adam Herschman, Isaac Hayes, Affion Crockett, Fasto-Fasano, Jackie Long, Mike Epps, John Legend
Two billygoat scruffers who used to be the Real Deal fight and scratch their way to a big tribute concert honoring their former frontman who went on to electrify audiences long after the elastic-challenged duo hung up their polyester suits and retired into oblivion.
Louis Hinds (Jackson) and Floyd Henderson (Mac) were once on top of the world as part of a terrifically successful soul group who generated a tremendous amount of heat back in the day. Many moons later they are out of the business and shuffling through life doing just enough to get by. Louis is a mechanic and Floyd has been forced out of his lucrative car business by his nephew and now lives on a fixed income. They profess to hate each other as the film opens but are resigned to hook up because of the concert at the Apollo Theater in New York where they have been asked to perform. The rest of the film is devoted to their wacky road trip and not even the scintillating chemistry between Jackson and Mac can rescue this from being a wholly pedestrian buddy movie that seems unwilling to skirt all the cliches.
Most of the action takes place between Floyd and Louis. They fight and scratch at each other as only two men who truly love each other can. Their bitter disputes, haranguing, and low shots beneath the belt are really the only thing worth paying attention to here. The Apollo can not come quickly enough and there just isn’t enough of a plot to maintain one’s interest beyond what occurs between the two leads. Still, it’s a real joy to watch these two go at it and they clearly seem to be having a blast making the film. There is a hint of sadness here due to the untimely passings of both Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. The jubilant, attack dog method of Mac works well as a counter to the more laid back approach of Jackson as both actors get full mileage out of the material they have been given. Unfortunately that material does not add up to a compelling film that is remotely watchable all the way through.
One of the failings of this film is in its overblown ciphers who chew up scenery but don’t add anything to the film. Affion Crockett’s character Lester is supposed to be a critique of a hood rat with the ubiquitous pretensions of making it as a rapper. Instead, he is just an ugly, ugly stereotype possessing no charm, no style, and no rapping talent whatsoever. Granted, he’s supposed to represent the bastardization of classic soul music that Louis just cannot comprehend. Their clash is perhaps one of the only real moments where the audience is allowed to feel something remotely passing as an emotion and in this case it’s disgust. One sides with Louis because he represents a lasting tradition that will continue long after all of us have passed on. He’s old school in a way that possesses legitimacy and his clash with Lester is an assault on all those who show no love or respect for their heritage and bring nothing to the table in terms of real skills that true masters of the craft possess in spades. It isn’t a critique of rappers per se only those who can no longer hear the music and let their oversized egos get in the way of getting things done. It’s apparent here that Lester has no clue how to use a sample in a way that both elevates it and brings out its mystery as well. He’s just a punk who deserves the whooping Louis puts on him over the course of the film.
The film does move alone rather briskly and there aren’t many moments where it seems to drag along but nothing truly magical or intriguing seems to be happening and the end result is a film that doesn’t seem to know where it needs to go. It’s a case where two truly interesting characters are left out to dry and nothing they do possesses any meaning whatsoever. It’s a crying shame too because these are two men who work so well together and their chemistry is apparent from the very beginning. They could have soared with a proper script but instead we are given a bumbling buddy road movie where each stop only prolongs the misery until the big day finally arrives and none too soon.
There is one bright spot along the way in the form of a girl named Cleo who secretly writes and sings songs in her bathrobe that send chills down the spine. She is the daughter of the mysterious Odetta who both Louis and Floyd have had relationships with. Indeed, she broke both of their hearts and Louis remains devoted to her in some perverse way. So, she dies and Louis and Floyd decide to pay her a visit because they are broke. Instead they meet Cleo who they convince to head out on the road with them. There’s a major secret revealed here that is only half heartedly played out but it is obviously supposed to be imbued with meaning. Regardless, they hit the road and nothing much of note happens. There are minor disturbances, grief soaked moments, confessions and such but none of it amounts to anything. Again, they simply lead up to the big show where there are naturally complications and it looks like our men will not be able to perform. Of course they do and of course it isn’t very good because neither Jackson or Mac possess that wow factor that make all seminal stage performers so breathtakingly perfect from the moment they hit the stage. Still, it’s a joy to watch them light it up and get their due which is what this film seems to be about if it is about anything at all.
Granted the funkdafied old boys groove alright with the right clothes and the hard, carnal posturing. They look like warriors in those duds, supremely gifted to charm the panties out of every little lady within spitting distance and beyond. When the film isn’t suffering the foibles of ill-begotten scene killers it has its moments of goofy fun. There is a logic here and it has everything to do with what our heroes are attempting to do to each other in order to bring the other one down. Otherwise, it’s a lost cause with too many moments that might have turned into something thrilling and divine.
The performances in this film all do a fine job with the material which unfortunately strands them far too often. Samuel L. Jackson is in his best feisty form and it’s still amazing how threatening he is despite remaining so bloody cool under the collar. He’s a legitimate force of nature who is infinitely watchable no matter the level of the script he is working with. It’s always a pleasure to watch him do almost anything on screen and he’s one of the view talents you can say that about. Bernie Mac in his final film stands up hard to Mr. Jackson and gives as good as he gets. His gift for comedy is clearly immense and he’s quite good at reacting to whatever forced mayhem is taking place around him. His death is a great loss as he is truly gifted at putting on a pretty good show. Sharon Leal nearly steals the show with that voice and sly, come-on hips. She’s high wattage all the way and it will be interesting to see what Hollywood does with her. They don’t come too often with this sort of down-home charm and obvious grace. She’s definitely one to keep the eyes glued on.
Overall, this is a film that just isn’t impressive enough to be memorable. It certainly presents two fantastic talents and lets them make their best effort to keep the crowds entertained for the duration of the picture. Unfortunately, it’s not funny enough, it bogs down at the end, and its far too formulaic for its own good. It just isn’t special in any way and the great closedown at the end doesn’t come off as the great showstopper it means to be. We know the ending and the journey getting there lacks any legitimate thrills. There’s some feeble attempts at physical comedy but they all fall flat. Ultimately, the film wastes several great talents due to a poorly conceived script that gives the actors nothing to work with.
directed by Malcolm D. Lee
written by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone
starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sharon Leal, Sean Hayes, Adam Herschman, Isaac Hayes, Affion Crockett, Fasto-Fasano, Jackie Long, Mike Epps, John Legend
Two billygoat scruffers who used to be the Real Deal fight and scratch their way to a big tribute concert honoring their former frontman who went on to electrify audiences long after the elastic-challenged duo hung up their polyester suits and retired into oblivion.
Louis Hinds (Jackson) and Floyd Henderson (Mac) were once on top of the world as part of a terrifically successful soul group who generated a tremendous amount of heat back in the day. Many moons later they are out of the business and shuffling through life doing just enough to get by. Louis is a mechanic and Floyd has been forced out of his lucrative car business by his nephew and now lives on a fixed income. They profess to hate each other as the film opens but are resigned to hook up because of the concert at the Apollo Theater in New York where they have been asked to perform. The rest of the film is devoted to their wacky road trip and not even the scintillating chemistry between Jackson and Mac can rescue this from being a wholly pedestrian buddy movie that seems unwilling to skirt all the cliches.
Most of the action takes place between Floyd and Louis. They fight and scratch at each other as only two men who truly love each other can. Their bitter disputes, haranguing, and low shots beneath the belt are really the only thing worth paying attention to here. The Apollo can not come quickly enough and there just isn’t enough of a plot to maintain one’s interest beyond what occurs between the two leads. Still, it’s a real joy to watch these two go at it and they clearly seem to be having a blast making the film. There is a hint of sadness here due to the untimely passings of both Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. The jubilant, attack dog method of Mac works well as a counter to the more laid back approach of Jackson as both actors get full mileage out of the material they have been given. Unfortunately that material does not add up to a compelling film that is remotely watchable all the way through.
One of the failings of this film is in its overblown ciphers who chew up scenery but don’t add anything to the film. Affion Crockett’s character Lester is supposed to be a critique of a hood rat with the ubiquitous pretensions of making it as a rapper. Instead, he is just an ugly, ugly stereotype possessing no charm, no style, and no rapping talent whatsoever. Granted, he’s supposed to represent the bastardization of classic soul music that Louis just cannot comprehend. Their clash is perhaps one of the only real moments where the audience is allowed to feel something remotely passing as an emotion and in this case it’s disgust. One sides with Louis because he represents a lasting tradition that will continue long after all of us have passed on. He’s old school in a way that possesses legitimacy and his clash with Lester is an assault on all those who show no love or respect for their heritage and bring nothing to the table in terms of real skills that true masters of the craft possess in spades. It isn’t a critique of rappers per se only those who can no longer hear the music and let their oversized egos get in the way of getting things done. It’s apparent here that Lester has no clue how to use a sample in a way that both elevates it and brings out its mystery as well. He’s just a punk who deserves the whooping Louis puts on him over the course of the film.
The film does move alone rather briskly and there aren’t many moments where it seems to drag along but nothing truly magical or intriguing seems to be happening and the end result is a film that doesn’t seem to know where it needs to go. It’s a case where two truly interesting characters are left out to dry and nothing they do possesses any meaning whatsoever. It’s a crying shame too because these are two men who work so well together and their chemistry is apparent from the very beginning. They could have soared with a proper script but instead we are given a bumbling buddy road movie where each stop only prolongs the misery until the big day finally arrives and none too soon.
There is one bright spot along the way in the form of a girl named Cleo who secretly writes and sings songs in her bathrobe that send chills down the spine. She is the daughter of the mysterious Odetta who both Louis and Floyd have had relationships with. Indeed, she broke both of their hearts and Louis remains devoted to her in some perverse way. So, she dies and Louis and Floyd decide to pay her a visit because they are broke. Instead they meet Cleo who they convince to head out on the road with them. There’s a major secret revealed here that is only half heartedly played out but it is obviously supposed to be imbued with meaning. Regardless, they hit the road and nothing much of note happens. There are minor disturbances, grief soaked moments, confessions and such but none of it amounts to anything. Again, they simply lead up to the big show where there are naturally complications and it looks like our men will not be able to perform. Of course they do and of course it isn’t very good because neither Jackson or Mac possess that wow factor that make all seminal stage performers so breathtakingly perfect from the moment they hit the stage. Still, it’s a joy to watch them light it up and get their due which is what this film seems to be about if it is about anything at all.
Granted the funkdafied old boys groove alright with the right clothes and the hard, carnal posturing. They look like warriors in those duds, supremely gifted to charm the panties out of every little lady within spitting distance and beyond. When the film isn’t suffering the foibles of ill-begotten scene killers it has its moments of goofy fun. There is a logic here and it has everything to do with what our heroes are attempting to do to each other in order to bring the other one down. Otherwise, it’s a lost cause with too many moments that might have turned into something thrilling and divine.
The performances in this film all do a fine job with the material which unfortunately strands them far too often. Samuel L. Jackson is in his best feisty form and it’s still amazing how threatening he is despite remaining so bloody cool under the collar. He’s a legitimate force of nature who is infinitely watchable no matter the level of the script he is working with. It’s always a pleasure to watch him do almost anything on screen and he’s one of the view talents you can say that about. Bernie Mac in his final film stands up hard to Mr. Jackson and gives as good as he gets. His gift for comedy is clearly immense and he’s quite good at reacting to whatever forced mayhem is taking place around him. His death is a great loss as he is truly gifted at putting on a pretty good show. Sharon Leal nearly steals the show with that voice and sly, come-on hips. She’s high wattage all the way and it will be interesting to see what Hollywood does with her. They don’t come too often with this sort of down-home charm and obvious grace. She’s definitely one to keep the eyes glued on.
Overall, this is a film that just isn’t impressive enough to be memorable. It certainly presents two fantastic talents and lets them make their best effort to keep the crowds entertained for the duration of the picture. Unfortunately, it’s not funny enough, it bogs down at the end, and its far too formulaic for its own good. It just isn’t special in any way and the great closedown at the end doesn’t come off as the great showstopper it means to be. We know the ending and the journey getting there lacks any legitimate thrills. There’s some feeble attempts at physical comedy but they all fall flat. Ultimately, the film wastes several great talents due to a poorly conceived script that gives the actors nothing to work with.
My Best Girl
My Best Girl
directed by Sam Taylor
written by Allen McNeil, Tim Whelan
adapted for the screen by Hope Loring
story by Kathleen Norris
starring Mary Pickford, Buddy Rogers, Sunshine Hart, Lucien Littlefield, Carmelita Geraghty, Hobart Bosworth, Evelyn Hall, Avonne Taylor, John Junior
In this 1927 silent feature showcasing the comedic talents of Mary Pickford, the efficacy of family life is threatened by an uninvited guest that utterly alters the landscape leaving one member in a giddy state from which she cannot recover.
It’s boy versus girl in the world series of love. Maggie Johnson (Pickford) is a lovelorn shop girl who is utterly devoted to her quirky family in this gallant tale of the irrepressible urgency of young lust. As the film opens she is given the rare opportunity to wait on customers when the boy appears and charms the living daylights out of her. He is Joe Merrill (Rogers), the son of shop magnate Robert E. Merrill (Bosworth) and he’s masquerading as a lowly shop boy to prove to his father that he is ready to marry the lovely Millicent (Taylor). It’s readily apparent that this match is doomed because Joe clearly has eyes for Maggie and their connection is instant and irreversible.
Ma (Hart) and Pa (Littlefield) Johnson are a sorry lot. She’s obsessed with crashing funerals and he’s a weather beaten shell of a man whose prone to sneezing fits when he’s not busy keeping out of the way. Ma is a blustery gal, bloated, with a penchant for smelling salts. Her husband is an emaciated, physically depressed sort and they both move very, very slowly. Sister Liz (Geraghty) is a bit of a siren flapper who digs a small time con named Nick Powell (Junior) and seems hell bent on thrilling it up in the jazz age to the deep chagrin of her parents. Maggie is something of a house slave who cooks and cleans and seems to have given up on her own happiness until Joe breezes in and changes everything.
The scenes between Maggie and Joe are brimming with exquisite sexual tension. At work they dine in an overturned bin and fancy it a glorious café. They pull close and their lips brush slightly and it’s as charged as anything that has ever been put on the screen. Indeed, it’s more erotically stimulating than if they had fully embraced and smothered each other with heated, panting kisses. It builds up the agonizing foreplay that is heightened by the lack of direct physical intimacy. It’s enough to know that they want each other and the rest is best left to the imagination.
So, Joe is supposed to be out with his family at a surprise party and Maggie is supposed to be home tending to her family. But they dig each other too much to part and they spend a rain-soaked evening together unworried that they are resigned to other obligations. It is playful and sweet when they splash about safe in the knowledge that theirs is an intoxicating bond and they simply do not want the evening to end. Joe gets the wild idea to travel to the bossman’s house because one of the mottos of the company is that all the workers are one big family and he proclaims he insists on forcing the boss man to prove those words.
Joe and Maggie develop the idea that they are Mr. and Mrs. Merrill as they eat at Joe’s table. Naturally his family show up and Joe has to think quickly. Millicent rushes to him and kisses him chastely leaving him no alternative but to brush Maggie aside sending her tear-stained out into the street. The ubiquitous sequence in the rain is charmed by a delicate poignancy as Joe leaves to hunt Maggie down. He convinces her of his love and the pair are reconciled.
There is a haunted quality to this film as each character plays out their individual arcs against the backdrop of the tyranny of love. Maggie’s family are presented as something of a burden that has forced her into a position of quiet resignation and dire unhappiness. Still, she puts on a happy face and carries her self with dignity never allowing the demands of her family to weigh her down completely. Joe offers her a way out and she’s determined to take full advantage of the opportunity if she can only trust herself enough to do so.
Maggie is the antithesis of her free-spirited sister who feels no such ties to her family and merely wants to have as good a time as possible out on the town meeting people, dancing, drinking and otherwise experiencing all the superficial and fleeting pleasures of the high-flying jazz age. She is portrayed as a rather loose girl who gets involved with a shady character whose particular vices are not readily explained. Liz manages to get herself arrested for doing lord knows what and her pleas for help are finally answered as she harangues the judge at night court. She finally runs headlong into the immovable force of the law and perhaps her arrest signals something of a critique of the wantonness with which she insists on carrying on. Maggie is the heroic figure who always knows just how to handle her family at all times as she seems to be the only one capable of holding them up. They are all weak in their way and they rely on their energetic savior to protect them when situations get dicey.
The sexual politics on display here are a contrast between the virginal Maggie and the more worldly Millicent who most likely has spent a bit of time with her bloomers crumpled in a heap at the edge of this or that bed. It is suggested through posture and movement that there is a big, bad wicked world outside the doors of Maggie’s parents place and she is about to enter into it at last. This film challenges the clinging aspect of traditional family life and in its place promotes a life unencumbered by tradition and enhanced by opportunities such as travel. There is an openness to the scenes where Maggie and Joe are freely enjoying themselves out and about with no limitations on their time or their pleasure.
Joe is presented as a proper gentleman who has learned how to behave in polite society. He guides Maggie and it seems obvious that he will condition her once she breaks the bonds that afflict her. There is no mystery to how things turn out for this couple because the film is selling an unbridled message of true and lasting love. It’s obvious from the start as to where they will be at the end and it’s to the film’s credit that it maintains the fantasy throughout. These are characters worth believing in and their individual plights have a universal ring of truth to them. Their desires are paramount to the audience’s ability to identify with the characters and hope for the realization of all their aspirations and dreams.
The performances in this film all take full advantage of the limits inherent in the medium to create characters who are believable and necessary. Mary Pickford possesses an astonishing talent for conveying emotional truths. In her posture and gestures as well as her facial expressions she expresses a wide range of dueling emotions that give her character a complexity that belies the simplicity with which she presents herself. We learn of the tumult in Maggie’s soul by paying strict attention to how Pickford plays various scenes where she is downcast, ebullient, damaged, heartbroken, frustrated and the like. All of them comes through and they add a great depth to her performance. Buddy Rogers presents a classy, upstanding lad that is projected also through his posture and obvious charm. Joe is not a complicated boy and Rogers captures his earnestness and naivety with surety and conviction. Sunshine Hart and Lucien Littlefield are thoroughly convincing as the depressed, earth-drawn parents who seem ready to die at any moment. Both actors give nuanced performances of two characters who are utterly wound down and appear exhausted in every scene. Carmelita Geraghty is a spritely thing and it’s readily apparent by how she presents her character that this is definitely a good-time girl who is unabashedly modern in her dress and attitude.
Overall, this film presents a clear message about the jarring contrasts between small town family life and the allure of life beyond its confines. It both criticizes the excesses of the modern age while promoting it as a healthy, vibrant alternative to the drudge of being bound by tradition and never venturing further than the family homestead. This conflict provides the film with a tension that is readily played out in the relationship between two kids from the opposite side of the tracks.
directed by Sam Taylor
written by Allen McNeil, Tim Whelan
adapted for the screen by Hope Loring
story by Kathleen Norris
starring Mary Pickford, Buddy Rogers, Sunshine Hart, Lucien Littlefield, Carmelita Geraghty, Hobart Bosworth, Evelyn Hall, Avonne Taylor, John Junior
In this 1927 silent feature showcasing the comedic talents of Mary Pickford, the efficacy of family life is threatened by an uninvited guest that utterly alters the landscape leaving one member in a giddy state from which she cannot recover.
It’s boy versus girl in the world series of love. Maggie Johnson (Pickford) is a lovelorn shop girl who is utterly devoted to her quirky family in this gallant tale of the irrepressible urgency of young lust. As the film opens she is given the rare opportunity to wait on customers when the boy appears and charms the living daylights out of her. He is Joe Merrill (Rogers), the son of shop magnate Robert E. Merrill (Bosworth) and he’s masquerading as a lowly shop boy to prove to his father that he is ready to marry the lovely Millicent (Taylor). It’s readily apparent that this match is doomed because Joe clearly has eyes for Maggie and their connection is instant and irreversible.
Ma (Hart) and Pa (Littlefield) Johnson are a sorry lot. She’s obsessed with crashing funerals and he’s a weather beaten shell of a man whose prone to sneezing fits when he’s not busy keeping out of the way. Ma is a blustery gal, bloated, with a penchant for smelling salts. Her husband is an emaciated, physically depressed sort and they both move very, very slowly. Sister Liz (Geraghty) is a bit of a siren flapper who digs a small time con named Nick Powell (Junior) and seems hell bent on thrilling it up in the jazz age to the deep chagrin of her parents. Maggie is something of a house slave who cooks and cleans and seems to have given up on her own happiness until Joe breezes in and changes everything.
The scenes between Maggie and Joe are brimming with exquisite sexual tension. At work they dine in an overturned bin and fancy it a glorious café. They pull close and their lips brush slightly and it’s as charged as anything that has ever been put on the screen. Indeed, it’s more erotically stimulating than if they had fully embraced and smothered each other with heated, panting kisses. It builds up the agonizing foreplay that is heightened by the lack of direct physical intimacy. It’s enough to know that they want each other and the rest is best left to the imagination.
So, Joe is supposed to be out with his family at a surprise party and Maggie is supposed to be home tending to her family. But they dig each other too much to part and they spend a rain-soaked evening together unworried that they are resigned to other obligations. It is playful and sweet when they splash about safe in the knowledge that theirs is an intoxicating bond and they simply do not want the evening to end. Joe gets the wild idea to travel to the bossman’s house because one of the mottos of the company is that all the workers are one big family and he proclaims he insists on forcing the boss man to prove those words.
Joe and Maggie develop the idea that they are Mr. and Mrs. Merrill as they eat at Joe’s table. Naturally his family show up and Joe has to think quickly. Millicent rushes to him and kisses him chastely leaving him no alternative but to brush Maggie aside sending her tear-stained out into the street. The ubiquitous sequence in the rain is charmed by a delicate poignancy as Joe leaves to hunt Maggie down. He convinces her of his love and the pair are reconciled.
There is a haunted quality to this film as each character plays out their individual arcs against the backdrop of the tyranny of love. Maggie’s family are presented as something of a burden that has forced her into a position of quiet resignation and dire unhappiness. Still, she puts on a happy face and carries her self with dignity never allowing the demands of her family to weigh her down completely. Joe offers her a way out and she’s determined to take full advantage of the opportunity if she can only trust herself enough to do so.
Maggie is the antithesis of her free-spirited sister who feels no such ties to her family and merely wants to have as good a time as possible out on the town meeting people, dancing, drinking and otherwise experiencing all the superficial and fleeting pleasures of the high-flying jazz age. She is portrayed as a rather loose girl who gets involved with a shady character whose particular vices are not readily explained. Liz manages to get herself arrested for doing lord knows what and her pleas for help are finally answered as she harangues the judge at night court. She finally runs headlong into the immovable force of the law and perhaps her arrest signals something of a critique of the wantonness with which she insists on carrying on. Maggie is the heroic figure who always knows just how to handle her family at all times as she seems to be the only one capable of holding them up. They are all weak in their way and they rely on their energetic savior to protect them when situations get dicey.
The sexual politics on display here are a contrast between the virginal Maggie and the more worldly Millicent who most likely has spent a bit of time with her bloomers crumpled in a heap at the edge of this or that bed. It is suggested through posture and movement that there is a big, bad wicked world outside the doors of Maggie’s parents place and she is about to enter into it at last. This film challenges the clinging aspect of traditional family life and in its place promotes a life unencumbered by tradition and enhanced by opportunities such as travel. There is an openness to the scenes where Maggie and Joe are freely enjoying themselves out and about with no limitations on their time or their pleasure.
Joe is presented as a proper gentleman who has learned how to behave in polite society. He guides Maggie and it seems obvious that he will condition her once she breaks the bonds that afflict her. There is no mystery to how things turn out for this couple because the film is selling an unbridled message of true and lasting love. It’s obvious from the start as to where they will be at the end and it’s to the film’s credit that it maintains the fantasy throughout. These are characters worth believing in and their individual plights have a universal ring of truth to them. Their desires are paramount to the audience’s ability to identify with the characters and hope for the realization of all their aspirations and dreams.
The performances in this film all take full advantage of the limits inherent in the medium to create characters who are believable and necessary. Mary Pickford possesses an astonishing talent for conveying emotional truths. In her posture and gestures as well as her facial expressions she expresses a wide range of dueling emotions that give her character a complexity that belies the simplicity with which she presents herself. We learn of the tumult in Maggie’s soul by paying strict attention to how Pickford plays various scenes where she is downcast, ebullient, damaged, heartbroken, frustrated and the like. All of them comes through and they add a great depth to her performance. Buddy Rogers presents a classy, upstanding lad that is projected also through his posture and obvious charm. Joe is not a complicated boy and Rogers captures his earnestness and naivety with surety and conviction. Sunshine Hart and Lucien Littlefield are thoroughly convincing as the depressed, earth-drawn parents who seem ready to die at any moment. Both actors give nuanced performances of two characters who are utterly wound down and appear exhausted in every scene. Carmelita Geraghty is a spritely thing and it’s readily apparent by how she presents her character that this is definitely a good-time girl who is unabashedly modern in her dress and attitude.
Overall, this film presents a clear message about the jarring contrasts between small town family life and the allure of life beyond its confines. It both criticizes the excesses of the modern age while promoting it as a healthy, vibrant alternative to the drudge of being bound by tradition and never venturing further than the family homestead. This conflict provides the film with a tension that is readily played out in the relationship between two kids from the opposite side of the tracks.
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