BEING THERE

BEING THERE - 1979

RATED - PG Probably best suited for older teens and above. Some sexually related dialogue and a scene where a woman fully clothed masturbates (mostly off screen) to attract a man who is not interested. No nudity and one scene of language from a gang member.

RATINGS - 16 Amazon (4/5), 445,118 Netflix (3.8/5), 22,017 IMDB (8/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

STARRING - Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine,

AWARDS - 1980 Academy Award for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR & BEST ACTOR nominee. AFI TOP 100 Laughs, 1981 BAFTA nominees for BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST FILM. 1980 Golden Globe awards for BEST ACTOR & BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR and nominees for BEST MOTION PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST ACTRESS.

THEME - Satire, relationships.

STORY - Peter Sellers plays Chance the long time gardener for a wealthy gentlemen who dies early in the film. Chance's life revolves around television and gardening. He has a TV close by wherever he is, even while working. His ability to communicate with others is limited to parroting what he hears and sees on TV. Put out on the street (literally) when the owner dies with nothing but a suitcase full of the owner's custom made suits (perfect fit except about 3 inches short in the legs) he tries to find what life has next. A minor accident lands him in the home of a wealthy and dying industrialist who has a powerful influence on the presidency. (the film is set in D.C.) who assumes that his cryptic speech and tailor made clothes represent an eccentric genius. (The real genius is Seller's acting in the film) His 'words of wisdom' (often the most recent words he has seen on TV) take on a life of their own when coming from the mouth of this 'genius'. Read Roger Ebert's review for a more in depth discussion of the various levels of interpretation one might read into the film. While not everyone (action oriented viewers) will appreciate this film, it is a terrific satire on our culture and the way people react with pre-conceived perceptions of the way people dress and talk. While set in D.C., a great deal of the movie is filmed at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, an unbelievable landmark. People have discussed the meaning of the last scene, where Chance (appears to) walks on water across the pond, since the film was released. Great discussion potential, terrific acting and a fun (although somewhat quirky) movie. Enjoy. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 07/19/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB/TRAILER, ROGER EBERT

THE AFRICAN QUEEN

THE AFRICAN QUEEN - 1951

RATED - NR but probably G

RATINGS - 35 Amazon (3.5/5), 56,170 Netflix (4.2/5), 25,786 IMDB (8.1/10).

STARRING - Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, Bert Morley, directed by John Huston.

AWARDS - 1952 Academy Award for BEST ACTOR (Bogart) plus 3 nominations including BEST ACTRESS (Hepburn). AFI TOP 100 Movies & AFI TOP 100 Passions. 1952 BAFTA BEST FILM nominee & BEST ACTOR nominee.

STORY - The one word that best describes this film is CLASSIC. Put Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn on the same screen, add the directing of John Huston, and it's almost inevitably a classic. The film takes place in 1914 during WWI in German Central Africa. The prim and proper Rose (Hepburn) and her brother, the Rev. Samuel Sayer, are Methodist missionaries from England who have been there for 10 years. Charles (Bogart) is the hard drinking steamboat operator who delivers the mail up and down the river and keeps the natives supplied with cigars. The Germans attack and destroy the village where they live and Rose's brother is killed in the attack. Charles happen upon the village right after and helps Rose bury Samuel. Rose convinces Charles that they should retaliate against the Germans by sinking a German U-Boat Charles knows is patrolling the lake at the end of the river. To get there they must navigate a dangerous and treacherous river guarded by a German fort as well as many natural hazards. There couldn't be two more opposite personalities as they make their way toward the lake in the 30 year old flat-bottomed African Queen. A true classic. It's amazing that there still is not an American version of the DVD. You can buy import version thru Amazon. I watched that version and it shows fine although it's a little annoying that you can't turn the English subtitles off and there are mistakes in the translation. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 08/02/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB.

ANATOMY OF A MURDER

ANATOMY OF A MURDER - 1959

RATED - NR but probably PG for adult themes including frank but not graphic discussion of rape in the courtroom.

RATINGS - 82 Amazon (4.5/5), 141,689 Netflix (4.0/5), 10,101 IMDB (8.1/10).

STARRING - James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, Arthur O'Connell. Directed by Otto Preminger.

AWARDS - 7 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR (Stewart). AFI Top 100 THRILLS & Top 100 MOVIES nominations. Recently named AFI All Time Top 10 COURTROOM DRAMA. BAFTA nominee for BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR. 4 Golden Globe nominations including BEST MOTION PICTURE.

STORY - This Otto Preminger directed film is vintage Jimmy Stewart who plays a country lawyer recently voted out of the county prosecutors office he held for many years. Fishing seems to have replaced legal work and as the film opens his long time secretary (Arden) is asking for enough money to cover her pay check. He needs a case to bring in some fees. Laura Manion (Remick) shows up looking for a lawyer to defend her Army officer husband, Lt. Frederick Manion (Gazzara) who is accused of murdering a local bartender who apparently raped Mrs. Manion. Nothing seems to be like it appears. A lie detector test on Mrs. Manion says one thing and the forensic evidence taken after the alleged rape seems to say the opposite. They seem to be happily married but Mrs. Manion is often seen in public without her husband and in the company of other men. Lt. Manion seems a solid citizen soldier but is he always that way in private? Can Stewart defend him on the basis of temporary insanity? A great performance by Stewart as well as by everyone else with many surprise turns. As great as Stewart's performance is, the movie would not be what is without a terrific, albeit somewhat minor, performance by Joseph Welch as the retired judge who is filling in for the regular judge. With a dry sense of humor and perfect timing, he makes the courtroom scenes so outstanding. A genuine classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION - 1957

RATED - NR but probably PG for brief, strong language and adult themes.

RATINGS - 81 Amazon (5/5), 114,897 Netflix (4.1/5), 11,245 IMDB (8.2/10).

STARRING - Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich,Charles Laughton & directed by Billy Wilder.

AWARDS - 6 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE and BEST ACTOR (Charles Laughton), BAFTA BEST ACTOR (Laughton) nominee and 5 Golden Globe nominations including BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST MOTION PICTURE. Just recently named to AFI All Time Top 10 Courtroom Dramas.

STORY - I'm not going to spoil the plot since this Agatha Christie-based movie directed by Billy Wilder takes so many twists and turns, especially at the end. The AWARDS speak for themselves as to the quality of this film. Charles Laughton portrays the huge hunk of a man, barrister Sir Wilfrid, who, as the film opens, is returning home from an extended stay in the hospital for a near fatal heart attack. He is accompanied by his eccentric nurse whose sole job is to keep him away from everything he craves-cigars, brandy, women and high stress criminal cases. Of course, he immediately becomes intrigued with the case of Leonard Vole (Power) who is accused of killing a wealthy widow. His curiosity gets the best of him when he meets Christine Helm/Vole (Dietrich), Leonard's wife and only alibi, and so he decides to take Leonard's case. The rest of this fast-paced film concentrates on the courtroom drama with it famous surprises and great acting and is spiced with some very funny scenes and lines. Definitely one of the all time great courtroom films-put this at the top of the list. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

THE TRAIN

THE TRAIN - 1964

RATED - NR but probably PG for violence including some scenes of military style executions.

RATINGS - 78 Amazon (4.5/5), 36,113 Netflix (3.7/5), 3,250 IMDB (7.8/10).

STARRING - Burt Lancaster, John Frankenheimer (Director)

AWARDS - Nominated for 1966 Academy Award Best Writing Original Screenplay as well as AFI Top 100 Thrills and 1965 BAFTA Best Film.

STORY - It's 1944 and WWII is in its last days. The Nazis are trying to take anything they can out of the rich art treasures in France. There is a warehouse in Paris full of Van Goghs, Picassos, etc. A German Colonel loads them on to a train for Germany. The French Resistance learns of this and goes into action to sabotage the train and save the treasures. Paul Labiche (Lancaster), a French train engineer is not interested at first (he is counting on the Allies to show up at any moment and save Paris) but when he sees the patriotism and heroics of the Resistance fighters, he becomes a part of the resistance and uses his courage and skills to try and thwart the German Colonel. In the end it becomes a one on one match of wits and ingenuity between the two men-a microcosm of the good versus evil that was symbolic of the greater war. A lot of action but real action, not the computer generated stuff of today's films. Burt Lancaster does all his own stunts which are not insignificant. A terrific view of another slice of life during WWII. Did I mention that Burt Lancaster and I co-starred in AIRPORT. Actually........if you're really quick with your pause button you might be able to spot me walking across the airport lobby. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-14-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TCM.

SHANE

SHANE - 1953

RATED - NR but probably PG for non-graphic violence. Several all-out fist fights and a point blank shooting.

RATINGS - 164 Amazon (4.5/5), 123,588 Netflix (3.8/5), 10,006 IMDB (7.7/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

STARRING - Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Jack Palance, directed by George Stevens.

AWARDS - Academy Award for Best Cinematography plus five nominations including Best Picture. AFI Top 100 Movies. BAFTA nominee for Best Film & Best Actor.

THEMES - Good vs. Evil, justice, community.

STORY - The film opens with the Grand Tetons in the background and Shane (Alan Ladd) riding up to a farmer (Van Heflin as Joe Starrett) working outside his home and asking permission to cross his land. The farmer's young son is playing with a gun and the noise causes Shane to react strongly. We can see that in his world he is used to watching his backside. As Shane is leaving, a group of open range ranchers ride up to intimidate Starrett and his wife (Jean Arthur as Marion Starrett) with whom they have an ongoing battle in the valley. Shane returns and with his gun and presence resolves the situation. He ends up staying and working for Starrett as a hired hand. We become more involved in the ongoing war between the community of farmers who have settled here and the ranchers who want them off the land. On the surface, it seems a classic good versus evil battle. Shane and his white hat against the hired gun of the ranchers(Jack Palance as Jack Wilson) in his black hat. But there is a lot more going on than that at different levels. Who is Shane? Where did he come from? Will the subtle but obvious chemistry between him and Marion develop into anything? How will this dispute be settled when the law "is three days away" from this remote little town with a saloon, general store, hotel and cemetery stuck in the middle of nowhere? These are people who have left everything behind (somewhere) to begin a new life, a harsh, difficult life. Sociological studies have shown that those who became 'pioneers' were often people on the fringes of society - loners, criminals, etc., people who didn't want or need the law to solve their problems. More often that not, the 'gun' became the law and those most skilled in the use of the gun were the winners. More than just a good vs. evil western, this is an entertaining look at the settling of the western frontier and the people who were involved. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/26/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, ROGER EBERT

THE ELEPHANT MAN

THE ELEPHANT MAN - 1980

RATED - PG for some physical and emotional abuse as well as its emotional intensity. Best for over 13.

RATINGS - 136 Amazon (5/5), 406,278 Netflix (3.8/5), 37.512 IMDB (8.4/10).

STARRING - Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt.

AWARDS - 8 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor (John Hurt), Winner of 1981 BAFTA Best Picture and Best Actor (John Hurt) Awards.

THEMES - Human dignity, love, relationships.

STORY - Based on the true story of John Merrick (John Hurt) who lived in the late 1800's, it tells of the transformation from a freak in a carnival to a person of worth and dignity. John Merrick was born perhaps the most disfigured and grotesque looking person in recorded history. We don't learn much about his birth and early life other than some surreal nightmares which allude to a traumatic experience in the past. We pick up his life as the police are shutting down his sideshow in the carnival because of it being 'inhuman' although the other 'freak' shows are allowed to continue. It takes about 20 minutes of seeing a glimpse here and there before we see the whole disfigured person. A London surgeon, Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) hears about John and sneaks him into the isolation ward of the hospital to try and observe him and help him if he can. At first, he is convinced he is an imbecile, incapable of any meaningful human interaction. Then, he discovers a real person behind the grotesque face and the transformation begins thru Treves and other hospital staff. But Treves wonders if his motives are pure and has he just created another 'sideshow' for respectable people. The film is shot in black and white highlighting the era (Victorian) in which it took place as well as the stark reality of the circumstances. There are two particularly poignant moments in the film. One is John Merrick asking Treves if he can cure him and the other is when Merrick is being abused by a group of people who paid the night watchman at the hospital to bring them up to his room and look at him. One interesting note is that Mel Brooks Films produced this but kept his name out of it because he did not want people to think this was a comedy. Also, the incredible makeup job was actually done from an impression of the real John Merrick, made before he died. Besides being a terrific film on its own, it is a great reminder to all of us who may have judged someone by their outward appearance, that it is what is in the heart that matters. This is an outstanding movie, one to watch and rewatch. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/12/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB. JOHN MERRICK BIOGRAPHY