Kubrick: Barry Lyndon, Disney: Song of the South, Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile

5/19/17 The Shanghai Gesture, 1941, #72 BBC

Simply put, I really did not like, enjoy or appreciate The Shanghai Gesture, which is on the BBC list of the best American films, and apparently greatly admired by many Netflix reviewers. I tried, but most of the acting was not very good. Josef von Sternberg directed Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Walter Huston and Ona Munson in this period piece set in Shanghai, China, in the late 1930s or early 1940s. There is a gambling house involved, corrupt officials and young women in less than desirable circumstances. Ona Munson is "Mother" Gin Sling, the proprietress of a casino that also may permit illicit business of the flesh. "Doctor" Omar (Victor Mature) is a gigolo working for Mother. He brings American showgirl, Dixie Pomeroy, to the casino after getting her away from the police. He then becomes the focus of another young girl, going by the name of "Poppy" Smith (Gene Tierney, who commits some of the worst overacting I have seen in quite a while). Unbeknownst to everyone else, Poppy is the daughter of Sir Guy Charteris (Huston), a wealthy businessman who is trying to buy the land where Mother' casino sits, and push her into the Chinese sector. Mother is not a woman to go quietly and she tries to dig up information on Charteris. All of these machinations lead to the climactic scene (which was my favorite) where Mother and Charteris confront each other after Mother has humiliated Poppy in front of her father. Mother and Charteris knew each other before; in fact, it turns out that Mother is Poppy's real mother. And, it doesn't end well. Yeah, I spoiled it. Sorry, but I didn't think you were going to run to the library and get it. 

5/20/17 Barry Lyndon, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Musical Score, 1975, #27 BBC

Stanley Kubrick has not failed to surprise me; I never know what to think about any of his movies, some of them I like, or I don't, but there is usually something that piques my interest. That is definitely true of Barry Lyndon, starring Ryan O'Neal as a gadabout, ne'er do well in the late 1770s in Ireland and England. Redmond Barry, later known as Barry Lyndon, has a rough life, growing up without his father (who was shot in a duel), falling in love with his older cousin who is flirty, but more interested in a captain in the King's army, frightened into leaving home, only to be robbed by a highwayman before he enlists in the British army. Yep, that's all in the first hour. The movie follows his adventures, schemes, ascent and painful descent back from whence he came. Unlike most films, there isn't a whole lot of dialog to tell us what's going on, but we have the benefit of an all-seeing, all-knowing narrator, who may or may not be truthful. Experiencing all of the action with Barry is part of the fun, and I don't want to ruin it for you, because unlike the previous movie, I do hope you watch this (it is three hours, but I happened to have a rainy Saturday to watch it guilt-free). It's a gorgeously filmed movie, the scenery, the costumes, which is probably the reason it won for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design (see, I'm smart like that). The narrative device is an interesting way to tell a story, and it works here. Kubrick really was one of the best directors; he has 5 movies on the BBC 100 list (is that 20%? I can't do math) and four on the AFI 100, and I will be watching the last two over the weekend: Spartacus and  Eyes Wide Shut. Stay tuned.

5/20/17 Song of the South, Best Song, 1946

I'm going to try and review Song of the South as a movie, without the controversy and without any social commentary (we'll see how that goes). Song of the South is set in the period after the Civil War, known as the Reconstructions, when the South was trying to rebuild after being decimated during the war; in some ways, things had changed, but in others, there was still a dependence by newly freed slaves on their former owners. The movie opens with little Johnny (Bobby Driscoll) traveling with his mother (Ruth Warrick) and father (Erik Rolf)  going to visit his grandmother on her plantation; Johnny and his mother will be staying, but his father will head back to Atlanta. This upsets Johnny a great deal, and he wants to run away. As he is running through the woods, he comes upon Uncle Remus telling stories about Br'er Rabbit (Joel Chandler Harris collected the Uncle Remus stories after the Civil War). Although he and his neighbors are never identified as such, it can be surmised that they are former slaves, who still live on or very close to the plantation and have a fairly civil relationship with their former owner. Uncle Remus (James Baskett, who received a special Oscar for his performance) is a kindly man, who tells stories similar to Aesop's Fables, with animals, like Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear to get his message across to the children. Song of the South was Disney's first film that combined animation with live action, and Uncle Remus's stories were animated. Johnny quickly becomes fond of Uncle Remus, even though his mother does not approve of the stories. Johnny also becomes friends with Toby, a young black boy on the plantation;  and Ginny Favers, a young girl who is part of a poor white family, her brothers antagonize Johnny and they fight with Johnny over a puppy that Ginny gave Johnny for safekeeping, that her brothers wanted to drown. The puppy causes all kinds of trouble, because Johnny's mother doesn't want him to have it, so Uncle Remus keeps it, but that pisses off Johnny's mother so much that she basically tells Uncle Remus to stay away from Johnny (holy overreacting, Batman). Uncle Remus is so upset that he packs up to move away. Johnny chases after him across a field, getting tossed by a bull for his troubles. As he lies unconscious, all of the people from the planation gather at the main house in vigil; Johnny's father returns from Atlanta. That is a very high level synopsis of the movie. As a movie, it was okay. James Baskett was fun to watch, and he definitely had a way with the children. The kids were okay, not overly sugary, although the two Favers brothers were a bit much. I didn't mention the lovely Hattie McDaniel, as Aunt Tempy, the cook at the house; she won an Oscar in 1939 for her role as a maid in Gone with the Wind, on another plantation in Georgia. The songs were fun, and the movie won the Oscar for Best Song with "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". It also uses one of the familiar Disney tropes, a young person finding a connection with an older person not of his family: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, both movies combining animation and live action.

It was very uncomfortable to watch the stereotypical characterizations of black people, the way the dialog was written and the paternalism extended by the former white master (mistress, actually). I was also uncomfortable with how I felt, because I really liked the relationship with Uncle Remus and Johnny, Remus was the teacher and father-figure that Johnny wanted so desperately. Ugh. The animated sections (which I loved in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins) also made me squeamish, with a segment Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby, which is just offensive if you think how "tar baby" has been thrown around as a slur. As I was watching, I thought people should still be able to get this movie (it's not on Netflix and not every library has a copy, and I do not think it is sold anywhere) and watch it and then have a discussion about race, and why this might be offensive and hurtful, and maybe, how could this be adapted to be more about the innocence of the children and learning at the knee of Uncle Remus without the stereotyping. But, given the climate of today, and the past 70 years, that's probably not even possible. I'm not sure where this leaves this little segment; you are free to make up your own mind.

5/21/17 Death on the Nile, Best Costume, 1978

I love Agatha Christie; I recently finished watching all of the Hercule Poirot mysteries starring David Suchet and I am in the process of reading all of her novels, in chronological order, and it felt like the right time to revisit this old chestnut. Hercule Poirot is played by the late Sir Peter Ustinov; even he admits (in the special features) that he doesn't exactly physically resemble Poirot, which can be distracting if you let it. The cast is a who's who of cinema, past and present: Mia Farrow as Jackie de Bellefort; Olivia Hussey (Romeo & Juliet) as Rosalie Otterbourne, and Angela Lansbury as her salacious mother, Salome Otterbourne; David Niven as Colonel Race; Bette Davis as Marie van Schuyler and Maggie Smith as her companion, Bowers, it was funny to watch because there was a lot of Dowager Countess Grantham in Mrs. Van Schuyler, and Maggie Smith was pretty salty herself. The movie opens in the English countryside, where friends Jackie and Lynette Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) meet at Lynette's estate, and later, Jackie brings her beau, Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale) to meet Lynette, and they fall in love. This leaves Jackie bitter and pretty close to the edge of hysteria, as she follows Simon and Lynette to Egypt and on to a cruise on the River Nile. What Christie does well in her books, and if we're lucky, the screenwriters build on that, are these wonderful snippy conversations and witty exchanges between the characters, whether it's Poirot and all the fools who think he's French; or Bowers staging a verbal takedown of Mrs. Van Schuyler. There are always the most extraordinary coincidences, people meeting up thousands of miles away from home, usually carrying a grudge or two. There are plenty of those here, and I would hate to give it away. This is not the best movie I have ever seen, but I had a good time watching it, between the characters and the fabulous actors playing them, the occasionally witty dialog and the beautiful scenery of Egypt, where much of the movie was filmed. If you're looking for a fun movie, with a bit of a mystery, for the long weekend, or a summer night, I don't think you can go wrong.

The Dark Knight, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 and 2016 nominee Tanna

5/13/17 The Dark Knight, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound Editing, 2008

I don't really have to recap the plot of The Dark Knight, do I? I'll just remind you this the movie with Heath Ledger in his posthumous-Oscar winning performance as The Joker. The Joker runs roughshod over Batman (Christian Bale), the various mobs/gangs in Gotham City and the police. Michael Caine reprises his role as butler, valet, confidante Alfred; and Morgan Freeman is the resourceful Mr. Fox, the inventor of Batman's suit and other gadgets. I don't have much of a synopsis since I think most of humanity has seen the movie. I liked it when it came out, and I still like it. This really is Heath Ledger's movie; I was looking back at the other nominees for Best Supporting Actor, and in my mind, the only other person close to winning was Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt; I did see Milk with Josh Brolin as Dan White, and I think I watched Revolutionary Road with Michael Shannon as John Givings, Jr., but I'm not 100% sure, but in any event, I don't think there was too much question that it was going to Ledger.

5/14/17 Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, not yet nominated, 2017

If you are one of the two or three thousand people in the universe who haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, what are you waiting for? I admit, I did wait a week to avoid the oppressive crowds, but I did see it, in 3D, no less. It is what I think superhero movies should be: action-packed, great effects, funny in the face of danger, and a singable 1970s/80s soundtrack (maybe they should make a sing-along version of this like they did for Moana. Just a thought. When I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 1, my expectations were below sea level; I just went because my brother wanted to see a movie, and it turns out we loved it. My expectations for volume 2 were a lot higher, and I was not let down at all. Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, leader of the ragtag defenders of the galaxy that include Gamora (Zoe Saldana); Rocket, the short, but feisty and technically adept raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper); Drax the Destroyer (David Bautista) who is the brawn in the group, but he can also be quite philosophical; and Baby Groot (who was voiced by Vin Diesel, which I couldn't tell, and I did have to laugh at the deep thoughts that went into the different ways he said "I am Groot" as if it was Hamlet). The Guardians start the film on a job, defending batteries that the Sovereigns (a gold-tinged people with aspirations of perfections, or a belief that they are pretty perfect) need to survive; once they do that, in exchange they get Nebula (Karen Gill), Gamora's sister, to turn in for a bounty. The problems start when Rocket steals several of the batteries and incurs the wrath of the Sovereigns. Yondu (the blue guy who was Quill's mentor for a while) and his crew are in trouble with their community of Ravagers, led by Stakar Ogord (played by Sylvester Stallone), and they take the Sovereigns' offer to capture Quill and the others. This leads to a lot of space chases, and hops or jumps through different galaxies. Their ship crashes and Rocket stays behind with Baby Groot (and Nebula) to fix it, while Quill, Gamora and Drax go off with Ego and Mantis who have appeared to rescue them. Ego (Kurt Russell who still has the best hair in movies) takes them back to his planet and well, to tell you any more if you haven't seen the film, might spoil it. I will leave it here. I did love Baby Groot; he was so cute; but I liked all of the characters, really. I am pretty sure there will be nominations for production design, costume and makeup, sound editing, and I'm glad I saw it on the big screen. The 3D was nice, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed the movie without it.

5/21/17 Tanna, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

Oh my gosh. I loved this movie. Loved it and want to tell you to get it from Netflix or the library and enjoy it because I don't think there are very many movies quite like it. The film is an Australian production, but was filmed in Nauvhal and Nafe, languages spoken on the island of Tanna, part of Vanuatu. It was also acted by members of the tribes, and (according to the special features) much of the dialog was improvised by the actors based on what would have really happened in a particular situation. The movie was also based on a true story that happened back in 1987 when two young lovers (cue the similarities to Romeo and Juliet) go against their tribal leaders' plan to marry Wawa (a young girl, granddaughter of the tribal Shaman) to a member of a rival tribe, even though the marriage will calm the tense relations between the Yakel people and the Imedin (I hope I'm remembering that right) people. Wawa and Dain (grandson of the chief) run away, and when faced with the hopelessness of their situation, they take their own lives. This senseless loss of life brings the tribes together to re-examine their stance against 'love marriage', and the Yakel chief makes a plea to all to consider the young people and the future of the tribes and their ways. The people featured in the film still live a very basic lifestyle, wearing clothes they make from the vegetation around them, no electricity (when the filmmakers world-premiered the movie here, it was the first time they had ever seen a movie), still honoring the customs of their ancestors. Just on the other side of the island, it's a different world. All of the 'actors' were spectacular, but I was drawn to Wawa's little sister, Selin, who had an infectious personality; she was charming, but vexatious, full of life, and pretty fearless for such a young girl (maybe 8 or 9). I was captivated every time she was on screen. The scenery was breathtaking, there were shots of a volcano, and knowing that it was all natural, no CGI here, made it more spectacular. The music included a lot of vocalizations by Lisa Gerrard, and they fit they mood perfectly. Honestly, I know a lot of people may not even have this film on their radar, and I wouldn't have if it had not been nominated for an Oscar, but I am so glad I did. I found myself just loving this movie for so many different reasons, and eager to write about it (which has not happened in several weeks). There is nudity, but it's not gratuitous, it's just how it is there; I only mention it in case that may be an issue for you. This year's Oscar nominations had a fair number of 'surprises' for me (I only have four movies left to see), and this is one of them.

Come Back, Little Sheba,Conscientious Objector, I am not your Negro

5/11/17 Come Back, Little Sheba, Best Actress, 1952

Wikipedia categorizes Come Back, Little Sheba by William Inge as a "romance", but I think that may be a little misleading to those of us used to romances where the leads woo each other and make goo goo eyes, or fire witty barbs at one another. Nothing like that here. Shirley Booth is Lola (if you're a fan of 1960s sitcoms, you may be familiar with her as Hazel from the eponymous series), the devoted and dependent wife of "Doc" Delaney (Burt Lancaster), a recovering alcoholic, who has watched life pass both of them by. It's hard to know how many friends the Delaneys had before Doc succumbed to his alcoholism, but it seems pretty clear that they are fairly isolated a year into his sobriety. Lola tries, but Doc is reluctant to let anyone into their lives. However, Lola is determined to let out a room to one of the local college girls, and after a false start, and against Doc's wishes, she rents the room to Marie. Marie is a cute co-ed, who has a long distance beau, but flirts with Turk, a student athlete at the same college; and she is very flirtatious with Doc. Doc fights an internal battle with himself as he tries to resist his desire for Marie, and it's not a battle without its victims. Doc falls back to drinking, and many ugly truths about his marriage to Lola come out; it's pretty brutal to watch as Lola is devastated by Doc's cruelty. Doc goes into rehab and comes out appreciative for Lola's devotion to him. "Little Sheba" of the title is Lola's dog who runs away before the movie starts, and whom Lola misses quite a lot, and she never gives up hope that she will return, until the end. I sense that Sheba's loss is a metaphor, but I don't know if it's for Lola's innocence, or for their love, or something else (which I don't want to reveal, because that is part of the story I haven't told you). Shirley Booth was perfect for this role; I feel like I know people like her, lonely, but so eager to have a good friend; her husband is on a pedestal and she is very insecure within herself. It would have been easy to overact, and I don't think she did at all. Lancaster as Doc is also very good; he cares about Lola, but is clearly unhappy and tends to be aloof and brooding. The movie is heartbreaking, but there is an element of redemption, and being the optimist, that's what I hold on to. There are no special effects, no dance numbers or costumes, just a story of two people and a few moments in their lives. If you're looking for something off the beaten path of familiar movies, I would recommend Come Back, Little Sheba.

5/12/17 Conscientious Objector, 2004

Hacksaw Ridge was the dramatization of the life of Desmond Doss, and it was a fabulous movie (you can believe me, because I was pretty ready to hate it), and if you watched some of the special features on the DVD, you saw interviews with the real Desmond Doss and some of the men with whom he served. It turns out that there is a documentary, with in depth interviews with Doss, those men and others, his brother and sister. Doss talks about his decisions not to pick up a weapon, even if it meant he could not go on leave; you get to hear that he still had the courage of his convictions, and also how despised he was for them. But those same men, even one of his officers, recall how he won them over with his determination and bravery. I don't know if this country could have ever properly honored or repaid Doss for the sacrifices he made, but that doesn't seem to be anything that crosses his mind. He was a simple man, with a simple and straightforward philosophy of life, and a belief that God would provide (and that is said without callousness or snark) and that he would do the right thing. If you haven't seen Hacksaw Ridge, I suggest putting it on your list, and add Conscientious Objector (if you can find it, I got it through Interlibrary Loan) as well. Desmond Doss was a true American hero and more people should know about him.

5/13/17 I Am Not Your Negro, nominated Best Documentary, 2016

I Am Not Your Negro is the last of the feature documentaries for 2016, and when you put it together with 13th and Oscar-winner OJ: Made in America, you get a very comprehensive look at civil rights and race relations in America over the past 75 years. Sadly, it's almost like time stood still, and while there has been progress, it hasn't been enough. I Am Not Your Negro was based on James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House and it includes footage of Baldwin at various debates and on television shows, like Dick Cavett; Samuel L. Jackson provides the narration. Baldwin was a novelist and an essayist, and the documentary feels (to me) more like an essay than a hardcore investigative or historical documentary. Baldwin talks about (through Jackson's voice and his own in speeches) his thoughts on race; the difference between living in the north versus the south; his friendships with Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X, all three of whom were assassinated; living in Europe while so much turmoil was happening in America. I appreciated the film for Baldwin's perspective, and I liked that there was so much actual footage of him speaking. Baldwin died in 1987, but I think he would have a lot of insight for everything that has happened recently, in fact, the director includes news footage from the past couple of years.

Beauty and the Beast, Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle

4/30/17 Beauty and the Beast, not yet nominated 2017

I saw Beauty and the Beast on 4/30, a Sunday as I recall, and it's now Wednesday, May 10. I've been going over in my mind how to write this; I really don't think I need to recap the plot, it's the same one from the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. There are a few new songs, but nothing original or surprising. And, that's where I sit. I liked the movie, I thought it was well done, I'm fairly certain it will be nominated in the technical categories: production design, visual effects, costume and hair, and I really wanted to see it on the big screen. I wanted to see how Emma Watson (Belle) did in a lead role; I'm a fan, I think she's a great role model for young women, and young men, for that matter; she has a great sense of humor about herself; and it's fun to see young actors grow and take on new roles. The Beast, the Beast, oh right, Dan Stevens, late of Downton Abbey fame; to me it was pretty inconsequential, since for 95% of the movie, the Beast was, well, the Beast, and not in human form, and that is true for all the of the household items. Did it matter that Emma Thompson (whom I love) was Mrs. Potts? Not really. Or that Ian McKellen was Cogsworth? Meh. And I could go on through the cast. It's not like they were Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, or Billy Crystal as Mike (Monsters Inc). The 'human' cast was just as meh for me; Kevin Kline played Belle's father; Luke Evans was Gaston (Gaston is a character I thoroughly dislike, I know, he's a bad guy, but he's not even a fun bad guy; he's an ass). Josh Gad was LeFou, Gaston's sycophantic sidekick, who is portrayed, not subtly, as gay or effeminate (take your pick); I'd like to say who cares (I don't), except, it got very annoying during the movie, in your face - and it added NOTHING, if there was a point, I wouldn't care. There are a few new songs, one sung by Celine Dion at the end "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and "Evermore" by Josh Groban, which were fine, I don't recall being overly moved by either (wow, I sound like someone stole my heart and soul). I thought the cast, overall, did well performing the songs. I was disappointed, and a little surprised, that Audra McDonald, who has performed in a huge variety of singing roles, including on Broadway, and she sang only a little bit as a soloist. That seemed like a lost opportunity to me. I know this sounds whiny, and maybe that's why I waited so long, but I really did like and enjoy the movie, and it's good family entertainment, I just didn't love it.

5/7/17 Toni Erdmann, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but UGH. This movie was two hours and forty-two minutes long, and it was really not as great as it was hyped up to be. I didn't think it was great at all. It seemed like one of my weaker reviews: full of half thoughts that don't get fully executed, and full thoughts that should have been stopped before they were started. I had really high expectations since it had been nominated for, and won, many international film festival awards. I tried, for 162 minutes I tried, to find something to like. There wasn't enough. Winfried Conradi is a music teacher with an unusual sense of humor (he would get on my nerves quickly, and I like to think I have a good sense of humor), who randomly decides to visit his estranged daughter, Ines, in Bucharest where she is working as a consultant for an oil company. As silly as Winfried (or his alter ego, Toni Erdmann) is, Ines is serious, determined and aloof. Winfried is clearly missing his daughter and just wants to spend time with her, maybe have fun; the problem is, they disagree on what 'fun' is. He uses the Toni Erdmann persona to insinuate himself into Ines' work life; eventually, he wears her down, and they tag team with each other in a meeting with Ines' client. I get that parent/adult child relationships can be difficult and challenging, been there, done that; and I understand that women have to work harder in male-dominated fields, so Ines has to stay focused and wants to be taken seriously. But, this point was beaten into the ground, and any empathy I may have had just shriveled up. As I was watching, I was making comparisons to Isabelle Huppert in Elle (she was nominated for Best Actress), in that both women were driven professionals, neither was very likable, and both had difficult relationships with their fathers, although I think it's fair to say that Ines' was a walk in the park compared to Michele. I'm not really sure where that comparison gets us, except that I liked Elle even though it was hard to watch and Michele was a bitch; and I didn't like Toni Erdmann. The movie was described as a comedy, and it is not that at all; they are a few funny moments, but overall, I would say that it is a drama. I think so much more could have been done with the idea of this father/daughter relationship. Disappointed.

5/9/17 The Red Turtle, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2016

I don't even know what to say. I'm sure there were some beautiful metaphors in this film, but I was so utterly bored out of my mind, I must have missed them. It was made by the Ghibli Studio, which has made other Oscar nominated animated films, like The Wind Rises, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There (which did not do much for me). There was no dialogue, which I'm fine with, but I don't know, maybe I would have liked it better if it was a short instead of a feature (it wasn't too long at 80 minutes, but long enough). Anyway, I can't even give you a synopsis. I'm waiting for My Life as a Zucchini, but so far, out of the nominees, you can't go wrong with Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana or the winner, Zootopia.


A friend of mine, who has seen all the other movies in the franchise and loved them, saw Fate of the Furious, last week, in the big IMAX theater, and was very disappointed. I asked him to do a guest review, and all he could do was show me two thumbs down. Since I have been exempt from having to see any of the other movies, and have no plans to see this one, this is the only review you'll see here.

Smile Pinki, lovable Mr. Magoo, The Magnificent Ambersons

4/15/17 Smile, Pinki, Best Documentary Short, 2008

For some reason, I thought I already reviewed this Oscar-winning documentary short, but apparently, I did not, so I re-watched it, and had a good cry all over again. Pinki is a young girl, born in India with a cleft lip. Cleft palettes and cleft lips are birth defects that can often be detected by ultra sound and treated early on, but in some countries, like India, cleft lips are not treated immediately, if at all. The children are often socially outcast, and face limited opportunities. The documentary follows Pinki and Ghutaru as they get a diagnosis/prognosis and eventually, surgery, at what is essentially, an open call for anyone suffering from the defects. Families come from all over Utter Pradesh, often on foot, like Pinki and her father and uncle, and sometimes their visit to the city is the first for them; they may borrow money for the food and transportation. The surgeries are provided free of charge by an organization called Smile Train. The surgeries almost seem like a conveyor belt, with many surgeries performed every day; I don't want to imply that the patients are treated like parts of the machinery, just that this organization has become extremely efficient, and they try to get the families in and out as soon as feasible, because sometimes it's the breadwinner who may be away with the child, and the longer they're away, the more money that may be needed for food. The changes are immediate; seeing the parents crying with joy because they know their children now have a chance to be 'normal' and go to school (the children often stop going because they are teased), get married, etc. The children smile for the first time and see their reflections and when they play with their friends, it's just made me cry. The special features on the DVD are worth watching because they show a little bit into how the director, Megan Mylan, wanted to film her subjects, but also how Pinki and her father traveled to the United States for the Oscars. She is perhaps six or seven at this time, and behaves like a lot of six and seven years old, occasionally overstimulated, often shy, coy and sometimes diva-like. The movie is available on DVD, but I also found it on YouTube. It's definitely worth watching.

5/5/17 The Magnificent Ambersons, 1942, National Film Registry, BBC #11

I don't know if I would have liked The Magnificent Ambersons when it released in 1942, but I did not like it in 2017. The Ambersons were a wealthy family in Indianapolis; daughter, Isabel (Dolores Costello), is very fond of Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotton), but he makes an ass of himself one day, and she dumps him for the boring and seemingly stable, Wilbur Minafer. They have one child, George, who is spoiled rotten, and pretty much loathed by the whole town for being a bully and petulant young man, who never grows up. After leaving the city for several years, Eugene returns with his daughter, Lucy (Anne Baxter); George meets Lucy, not realizing the connection of their two families, and he tries to woo her. Eugene is an inventor of automobiles, which for some reason annoys George, who is very fond of his horse and carriage (I think it's because he's a sadist who likes to whip the horses). Agnes Moorehead is Aunt Fanny, and she is (unintentionally) very funny, breaking into hysterics, and totally infatuated with Eugene, even though he still loves Isabel. Eventually, the Ambersons fall from grace and lose their fortune, and poor George may have to get a j-o-b. It's only after his mother dies that he begins to edge towards being a human being, but I stopped caring long before then. And his move towards humanity was slow and seemed like a last grasp. Then he gets his legs broken by...an automobile, an evil automobile. I couldn't wait until it was over. Orson Welles wrote the screenplay, directed, produced and narrated. Apparently, the final version was very different from him vision, and about an hour shorter (small mercies). The movie was so melodramatic and I didn't find any of the characters sympathetic; they could have been, but they were mostly one dimensional and devoid of any depth. With all due respect to Orson Welles, the National Film Registry and the BBC, there are better movies out there from that period.

5/6/17 Mr. Magoo Revue (see what I did there?)

I actually watched several Mr. Magoo shorts this morning, and they all seem to follow the same theme: the lovable, short, extremely near-sighted Mr. Magoo gets into the most precarious and peculiar situations, and through good fortune, divine intervention and the occasional human intervention, he comes out unscathed. As predictable as they are, I still found myself laughing, rolling my eyes and laughing some more. I suppose that is because I relate somewhat to Mr. Magoo, in that sometimes I do absent-minded things, get lost with great regularity, and yet, manage to come out the other side. The shorts were no more than six minutes each. Jim Backus (familiar as Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island) voiced Quincy Magoo (that's some good trivia right there, What is Mr. Magoo's first name?).

Ragtime Bear, 1949 (first Magoo cartoon) This was the first Magoo short, and featured Mr. Magoo and his nephew, Waldo, go to a wilderness lodge, meeting a bear with a talent for playing the banjo. Mr. Magoo mistakes the bear for Waldo.
Pink and Blue Blues, nominated Best Animated Short, 1952 Ever the helpful neighbor, Mr. Magoo babysits his neighbor's baby boy. The problem is, he mistakes the family dog for the baby; gives the dog a bath, etc. and hilarity ensues.
When Magoo Flew, Best Animated Short, 1954 Mr. Magoo thinks he is going to the theatre to see a 3D film, when in fact, he gets on an airplane (this could never happen in a post 9/11 world), and sits next to a suspicious gentleman, who leaves his briefcase behind. Fearing he'll miss the movie, but not wanting his new friend to lose something important, he tries to find him, which results in him going outside of the plan, walking on the wing, scaring a passenger looking out of the window, as well as the pilots when he pops up in the front of the plane. All's well that ends well, as he disembarks (how he actually gets back to his place of departure is not addressed).
Magoo's Puddle Jumper, Best Animated Short, 1956 Mr. Magoo gets a new car, which takes him on a journey around the country, except not really, he just kept misreading billboards. He drove through a car wash, windows open, thinking he just crossed the state line.