Death Wise

Death Wish (1974)
Director: Michael Winner
Cast:  Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia
Memorable Line:  " In the city, that's the way it is."

Death Wish is one of the movies that I had avoided watching for years.  Upon finally seeing it, I can say that it did exceed my expectations, but not necessarily in game changing way.

 

The Plot of Death Wish

Paul Kersey (Bronson) is a guy who has it all -- a good job, a great wife and family, and he lives in New York city.  That all comes to an end when his wife (Lange) and daughter are assaulted by thugs with the wife dying from the attack and the daughter being traumatized.   

Up until these horrible events, Kersey was a peaceful man who had a "live and let live" existence.  After his wife's death, he finds his life irreparably changed and his approach to life altered.  When the police admit that there is little chance of finding the attackers, Kersey takes the law into his own hands and starts prowling the streets in search of the criminals.  The only problem is that he's quite indiscriminate in who he exacts revenge on -- any criminal will do.  

The more he patrols and the more criminals he takes out, the more he likes it, but there's also a deeper force driving him -- a death wish because without his wife and family intact, he doesn't have a lot to live for.

The real problems comes as his exploits start to get press and public support explodes.  The police can't have a vigilante running around killing criminals.  Or can it?

The police detective (Gardenia) in charge of finding the vigilante is struck with taking down a very popular vigilante and bringing down public wrath or doing nothing.  Doing nothing isn't an option.  And Kersey will just keep on killing until he dies or the police stop him.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of Death Wish

Bronson is quite stoic in his performance, but it does seem fitting to his character.  Gardenia has a juicy role as the crusty NYPD detective who must find and confront the vigilante.  The rest of the roles seem to fall into the background against the plot, although you can see Jeff Goldblum as "Freak #1" and Christopher Guest in another small role.

The script was much smarter than I had expected.  The cat and mouse game between Kersey, the criminals and the police is very engaging and more layers than I thought it would be.  I particularly was intrigued by the political relations dilemma the cops find themselves facing which makes the movie much more engaging than just a vigilante picture.

The direction is workman like without a lot of frills.  There's a rough edge to the look and fill that seem to fit the picture.  

Summary Judgment on Death Wish

Death Wish is a smarter film than I had expected, but it's still not with out a base and basic appeal of the revenge flick.  Death Wish isn't art and it's not really a intellectual treatise, but there's more here than meets the eye.

The Goodbye Girl

The Goodbye Girl (1977)
Director: Herbert Ross
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings
Memorable Line: "And I think the only practical solution is that we share the apartment."

Neil Simon owned the romantic comedy on Broadway during the 70's and, for me, this is the best translation of his work from stage to screen.

The Plot of The Goodbye Girl

Paula McFadden (Mason) and her precocious daughter Lucy (Cummings) are left high and dry when the man in their life walks out on them and then to make matter's worse, he sub-leases their apartment to aspiring young actor, Elliot (Dreyfuss). When Elliot arrives to take possession of the apartment, all parties involved get a surprise because none of them know about the sub-lease apartment arrangement and that's when the sparks start to fly.

After the smoke settles, they begrudgingly agree to co-habit the apartment until something else opens up. Paula has to try to find work as a dancer after being out of the work force for years and Elliot finds himself in a actor's nightmare of having to be in a production with a director who has a dramatically unconventional take on a conventional character.

As each struggles professionally and share their respective woes, they start falling for each other romantically. But Paula finds it hard to trust anyone after being burned in the past and that's where the fledgling romance starts to falter.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of The Goodbye Girl

After years of toiling in television, Dreyfuss saw his stock rise through the ceiling in the mid-seventies with Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and finally with this movie. He oozes with a quirky charisma and is undeniably likable in the role of Elliot. Mason balances out cuteness with vulnerability and is a great foil for Dreyfuss. Rounding out the cast is Cummings who captures spunky with style and without being overly cutesy.

The script in combination with the winning performances makes this movie a real winner. The jokes work and the progression from antagonism to romance seems natural -- for a Broadway play. The direction is unobtrusive and serves the story to a tee.

Summary Judgment on The Goodbye Girl

There's a lot of chemistry going on the Goodbye Girl and while the genre has some artificiality to it, it works because this is the sort of romance we enjoy seeing. Add to the winning story, the performances of Dreyfuss and Mason, and you have a hit.

Magic

Magic (1978)

Director: Richard Attenbourough

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ann Margret, Burgess Meredith, Ed Lauter

Memorable Line: "They'll put you somewhere dark and moody."

Magic has a premise that, in lesser hands, could have come off quite ridiculous, but doesn't, and it's largely in part to the persuasive script and performance by the lead, Hopkins.

The Plot of Magic
"Corky" Withers (Hopkins) is a low-rent magician who has limited stage presence when suddenly, while in desperation, comes upon both a gimmick and the confidence to make a big splash. When Corky brings a ventriloquest dummy into his act everything comes together and he's an overnight sensation. Impresario and entertainment king maker, Ben Greene (Meredith) takes Corky under his wing and guides him up the ladder. When Greene comes along with the biggest break with the only caveat that Corky undergo a medical examine, something makes Corky break and run.

Corky's flight takes him from the city and into his past. He returns to a woman who he loved from a distance while in high school (Margaret). Peggy is in an unhappy and soon to become unsuccessful marriage. Corky works some of his own magic and wins over her heart.

As his personal life is starting to come together, his professional life encroaches on him as Greene tracks to him back to his home town. Greene discovers the secret that Corky has been hiding and why Corky ran, but it is a secret that will ruin Corky professionally and personally. That secret part of him that knows that it must do what ever it can to protect itself and goes through with the unspeakable.

The Performances, Writing, and Director of Magic
The real strength of Magic is its convincing script. The plot is reminiscent of a Stephen King story, but like King, scriptwriter Goldman makes the outlandish seem plausible. Coupling the compelling script with Hopkins controlled, yet manic performance is a convincing combination. Hopkins plays Corky as a character with an edge and on edge throughout the movie.
Attenborough does a great job of keeping the pace up and balances out the dark side of Corky until it's inevitable. The supporting cast delivers the goods. Meredith shows he can play a well rounded and realistic character. The only criticism I might have is the performances is that Ann Margaret plays up the playful side of her character too much, but she is convincing in all other aspects.

Summary Judgment on Magic
Magic is a balancing act. One that depends on skill from the scriptwriter, director and actors. William Goldman brings his "A" game with the script, Attenborough keeps the movie from tipping into the absurd, and Hopkin's measures out his performance in a way that makes him both sympathetic and menacing. Some elements seem a little dated, but the movie has what it takes to work with modern audiences, too.

The Yakuza

The Yakuza (1974) Director: Sidney Pollack Cast: Robert Mitchem, Ken Takakura, Richard Jordan, Brian Kieth, Keiko Kishi, Eiji Okada, Herb Elderman
Memorable Line(s): "When an American cracks up, he opens up the window and shoots up a bunch of strangers. When a Japanese cracks up, he closes the window and kills himself. Everything is in reverse."

The Yakuza is as much about the clash of cultures as it is about the bloody conflict that ensues in the plot. It is also the clash of tradition versus progress as the old world must face the harsh reality of change. It's also about the choice of the past having an inescapable effect on the present.

The Plot of the Yakuza
Harry Kilmer (Mitchem), a private investigator, is asked my his old war buddy, George Tanner (Kieth), to rescue the Tanner's daughter who has been kidnapped by the Japanese Mafia -- the Yakuza. Out of a sense of obligation, Kilmer returns to his past, to the Japan he left behind with the war. It also means re-connecting with, Eiko (Kishi), the woman he loved and left behind in Japan. Accompanied by Tanner's young and tough body guard (Jordan) and Ken Tanaka who we believe to be Eiko's brother and who is also a former member of the Yakuza, they pull off the rescue, but it turns bloody and the Yakuza crime lord who took the daughter must save face by getting revenge.

Tanaka insists that Kilmer and the body guard return to the States and that he will face down the Yakuza, but Kilmer starts to suspect that there something wrong with his friend George Tanner's motivations. In a stunning reprisal, the Yakuza crime lord takes a costly toll out on Kilmer, Eiko and Tanaka and one that has to repaid in kind.

As things aren't clear about Tanner, facts of Eiko and Tanaka are just as muddy. Along with surviving the danger of facing down the Yakuza, Kilmer must also discover the real truth of his past and these truths will rock his world.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of The Yakuza
By today's standards, some might find The Yakuza slow, but it's really a slow build to moments of bloody violence and much of what happens in the movie happens below the surface. The strength of the movie is the script which is co-written by Paul and Leonard Schrader along with Robert Towne. What could have been a standard martial arts/crime movie is given a lot of depth by bringing in the cultural differences and the shadowy truths of Kilmer's past. The writers along with Pollack's direction let the silences build tension and allow the film to breath.

The actors all seem to bring their "A" game to meet and match the material. Mitchem, while having a limited range (and maybe too old for the part), does his best and seems to grow in the role as the movie progresses. The silences and the things left unsaid compliment his laconic acting style. Ken Takakura is stunning as the former Yakuza warrior. He seems to take control of every scene he is in. Keiko Kishi is both lovely and resilient as the woman from Harry's past.

If the film were made today, much of the action would surely be elevated to surreal heights and that would be to the detriment to story. Yes, there are moments in which Pollack lets a scene or a shoot languidly carry on, but for the most part, it all works to create a multi-layered movie and one that the viewer can become immersed in.

Summary Judgment on The Yakuza
Things left unsaid are what make The Yakuza so interesting. The silences and the pauses bring about a inner tension that makes the viewer pay attention with a little more intensity. This is what makes The Yakuza so intriguing. While I'm sure it's not for every taste due to its violence, I'm sure those that are looking for an intelligent action film will find they discovered a real gem.

M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H (1970)
Director: Robert Altman
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Robert Duvall, Sally Kellerman
Memorable Line(s): "Tonight's movie has been "M*A*S*H." Follow the zany antics of our combat surgeons as they cut and stitch their way along the front lines..."

This is the movie that launched the TV show, but it has a very different tone. It has all the signatures of a Robert Altman film at the height of his game and that's a good thing.

The Plot of M*A*S*H
The plot of M*A*S*H is rather free form, meandering from one incident to the next in a seamless fashion. Set during the Korean War, we follow the antics of two wisecracking war surgeons, Hawkeye (Sutherland) and Trapper John (Gould) as they buck almost all authority and make mockery of most military formality. Their arch nemesis at their hospital station is the uptight and ultra-conservative Frank Burns (Duvall) who they poke fun at at every turn. Their other opponent is the authortarian nurse Hollihan (Kerllerman). There are many memorable scenes with Hawkeye and Trapper John such as when they broadcasts one of Burns and Holihan's illict trysts and when they expose a naked Hollihan by pulling away the tent around the women's showers.

Because of the formless nature of the plot, it difficult to sum of the plot, but there are moments that are truly amusing, irreverant, and pointed.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H is the first in Altman's experiments with the style and form of the traditional narrative. One of the hallmarks of a Altman film shows up in M*A*S*H which is that of overlapping dialog which makes the movie seem realistic, but also makes it difficult to follow at times. Still, the performances by the entire cast is spot on. Gould (who I'm not a fan of his later work) is great along side Sutherland as the capture the essence of two renegade surgeons thumbing their noses at authority. Duvall is provided with the unsympathetic role of Burns but takes it on with gusto.

Altman's direction is quite fitting for the subject matter and the organic writing. The scenes have their own timing and pulse. There's a balancing act that Altman is playing with the tone of this movie and in a couple places, he fails to maintain that balance, but for most part, he's pitch perfect.

Summary Judgment on M*A*S*H
A true counter culture film, poking it's finger in the eye of authority, M*A*S*H is more comedy than commentary, but there's enough of both for mature audiences to enjoy.

Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough (1977)
Director: Michael Ritchie
Cast: Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Robert Preston, Burt Convy

Semi-Tough is one of the movies that works so well in its time and place, but doesn't wear so well over the years. When it was released, it really captured the era, though.

The Plot of Semi-Tough
Billie Clyde (Reynolds) and Marvin (Kristofferson) are teammates on the highly successful pro football team and also best friends. The only problem is that the third wheel in their friendship is Billie Clyde's long time friend who also happens to the owners daughter, Barbara (Clayburgh).

The era the team is the transition from the turbulent '60s to the 70's where everyone is trying to find themselves. Team owner (Preston) brings in a self-help guru (Convy) to help the team find itself.

During this process, Marvin finds himself getting closer and closer to Barbara. This puts an unspoken strain on his friendship with Billie Clyde, but he won't stand in their way, even if it leads the two his friends to the alter.

The Performances, Writing and Direction of Semi-Tough
The two big problems with Semi-Tough is that it has trouble riding it's tone and also it's cultural references date it, making it difficult for current audiences to relate to. For the most part the film is a well made comedy, but at times, the poignancy of the how it pokes fun the the era of enlightenment tries to take itself too seriously. I think this puts a strain on the performers and Reynolds manages this balance the tone as well in of the actors. Kristofferson gets to play it straight and Clayburgh has a balancing act that, as talented as she is, doesn't always pull off.

The direction doesn't fare as well as the actors. At times, the film just looks rough and meanders round trying to find it's center.

Summary Judgment on Semi-Tough
When it was released, Semi-Tough was quite effective and garnered some huge laughs, but now it's cultural references are lost and the film seems rudderless in many places. To further hurt the film, the ending turns into a real train wreck and the resolution isn't very satisfying.

Manhattan

Manhattan (1979)
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemmingway, Meryl Streep
Memorable Line: "My analyst warned me, but you were so beautiful I got another analyst. "

Manhattan is Woody Allen at the height of his game and is also his romantic homage to New York City.

The Plot of Manhattan
Isaac (Allen) is the variation-on-theme Woody Allen character -- a TV writer, with a spiteful ex-wife and a relationship with a 17 year old high school girl, Tracy. (Hemmingway). His friend, Yale (Murphy), is having an affair with an intellectual and mature Mary (Keaton), but knows he will never go anywhere because he won't leave his wife. Isaac knows his relationship with the 17 year old is going nowhere, too. All along, Isaac's ex-wife (Streep) is writing a tell-all book of their failed relationship. The fates align and things begin to falter in Yale and Mary's relationship making a potential opening for Isaac just as Mary and Isaac and Mary lives suddenly start converge.

In typical Woody Allen fashion, though the conflicts begins when Mary admits that she might not be over Yale. Isaac starts his descent into depression and wallowing, trying valiantly to find some center to hold to when he realizes that he should reconsider the 17 year old, Tracy. But is it too late?

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of Manhattan
Lushly photographed in black and white, the images are atmospheric and romantic. Allen gives us some of his best lines in an effortless fashion. Keaton balances out confidence with self-doubt, giving a great depiction of a woman caught in confusion. The other supporting cast members shine, too. Streep is wonderful as the somewhat vindictive ex-wife. Hemmingway, initially seems bland in the role, but really hits the mark as the film matures. As a part of Allen's stable, Murphy is great as the conflicted friend.

Allen allows the movie to be restive when it needs a pause and then knows when to pull the trigger on the next major plot movement. The script balances out the emotional and the funny almost to perfect precision.

Summary Judgment on Manhattan
Some might find a film featuring a grown man's relationship with a 17 year old as a bit creepy and Allen's real life seemed to parallel this movie somewhat. Despite this, Manhattan is up there as one of Allen's great movies. Maybe some of schtick got a little old and worn over the years, but it certainly works well in this movie.