Month: March 2021

The Searchers

The Searchers is a 1956 movie directed by John Ford.

The Searchers tells the story of a Civil War veteran tasked with finding his abducted niece. John Wayne stars in an atypical role as the boorish and jaded Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards. Positioned as an antihero against matinee idol Jeffrey Hunter, Wayne’s character is brutal, cruel and temperamental. It’s an intriguing performance from the legendary actor – especially given his volume of stereotypical heroic Western roles. Ford’s direction is solid in the movie’s action sequences but the tone awkwardly shifts during longer narrative scenes.

THE BEST – Gorgeous Cinematography

The Searchers is a beautifully shot movie. The stones, snow and sands of the Arizona desert and mountains are a majestic backdrop for Ford’s sweeping chase scenes and moments of isolation. The grand expanse of the surroundings is a foreboding reminder of the danger lurking. Similarly, Wayne – our veritable hero – is often framed as an outsider, including in the movie’s famous ending.

THE WORST – Every Actor Other Than Wayne

Wayne is terrific in shaping a mostly unlikeable character. And while the rest of the large cast feature proficient acting, their characters aren’t believable. The range of odd emotional outbursts and overacting is distracting throughout the movie. These moments can negate the gorgeous cinematography and gritty story. Of particular note is Hank Worden’s Mose, a character whose persona falls somewhere between demeaning and jarring. The villain Scar is grossly miscast, as Henry Brandon’s dull, blue-eyed pseudo-native can’t match the narrative’s description.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4/5

The Searchers is a must-watch and definitely a Western classic. Wayne’s transformation into an anti-hero is remarkable and the cinematography is beautiful. Yet, the movie lingers and suffers from hokey and emotionally over-wrought acting.

Face to Face

Face to Face is a 1967 movie directed by Sergio Sollima.

Face to Face tells the story of a history professor who joins a famous outlaw’s gang before assuming leadership. The two characters, Tomas Milian’s Bennet and Gian Maria Volonte’s Brad Fletcher offer distinct personalities but essentially switch roles as the movie progresses. Milian’s usual quirky charm is noticeably absent as his Bennet is brooding and conflicted. Volonte is terrific as Fletcher, whose early speeches about the philosophy of power manifest into vicious actions. Sollima’s action sequences are excellent but the movie suffers from laboring scenes and odd pacing.

THE BEST – The Action

Sollima is grossly underrated as an action director – both in terms of European Westerns and movies in general. His scenes are compact, stylish and violent. Milian’s sullen character is rescued by these scenes – he’s an efficient, brutal killer. Volonte’s weak, bookish character is transformed by similar scenes.

THE WORST – The Professor’s Miraculous Recovery

Early in the movie, Fletcher suffers from lung disease and carries an ashen, crippled appearance. Yet, as the movie progresses and Fletcher transforms into a violent bandit, his color improves and his health is essentially forgotten.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 3.75/5

The concept and lead actors of Face to Face are incredible but somehow the vision isn’t realized. Sollima’s action sequences are highlights but the movie suffers from slow pacing.

Gun Crazy

Gun Crazy is a 1950 movie directed by John H. Lewis.

Gun Crazy tells the story of a young gun-obsessed couple who go on a crime spree. John Dall and Peggy Cummins play the leads, Bart and Laurie, two outcasts who find each other. Dall is the rational, earnest, almost laconic half of the duo, while Cummins is impulsive, manipulative and at times, self-destructive. Their relationship avoids the hokey entanglements of the era and hints at a unique sexual tension. Lewis packs some intriguing innovations into his story – using realistic POV driving footage and staging some impressive long frame shots. The movie’s tone feels ahead of its time – it’s a dangerous, stylish film noir.

THE BEST – The Leads

Dall and Cummins are terrific throughout the movie. Dall gives his character a polish and appears peacefully calm, but there’s a craze resting behind his grin and smooth voice. Cummins’ Laurie is amazing as she continually manipulates Bart – through her vulnerability, sexual innuendo and desperation. The later scenes that contrast Cummins against Anabel Shaw’s Ruby Tare Flagler are brilliant. On the run from police, Bart and Laurie hide out at Bart’s sister’s house. A filthy faced, distraught Laurie deadpans: “Gee, what cute kids.”

THE WORST – The Clunky Courtroom Scene

To fully establish Bart’s character, we’re taken to a hearing where his juvenile fate is decided. After stealing a gun, he’s sent to a reform school – as decided in a lengthy courtroom scene, where all relevant exposition is introduced. It’s a necessary scene but feels long-winded.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4.25/5

Gun Crazy is an innovative film noir that maintains a quick tone and feels ahead of its time. The leads are terrific and the movie possesses a unique tone. A must watch.

REVISITED CLASSICS – 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 movie directed by Stanley Kubrick.

It’s been a little over a decade since I last viewed 2001: A Space Odyssey, so I thought it would be interesting to see if my experience has changed. Here are my thoughts after another greatly enhanced watch….

THE SENSORY OVERLOAD

I’ve either forgotten, never realized or plain skipped over the movie’s first few minutes. Either all that or maybe I have a better TV in my life now….The opening moments creates a jarring, ear-splitting experience – a pattern continued throughout the movie. The sound of shrieking apes gathered around the monolith builds to a frenzy, taking you to the edge of sanity before yielding to the beautiful silence of Kubrick’s legendary jump cut. Later, the sonic intensity builds as the crew approaches the monolith before cutting through the screen.

EVOLUTION THROUGH THE BONE

In my peculiar head space, I couldn’t escape the thought of how relatively peaceful the apes’ existence appeared. There is a wonderful comfort in the simplicity of their lives – gathering as a family, playing – their life’s objective to find food. Compared to our evolved existence, their lives are the greater expression of freedom. However, the introduction of the bone and the violence that it implies forever alters their lives – as well as ours.

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