Yankee Doodle Dandy

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

As the Fourth of July approaches, I am reminded of Sir Walter Scott’s lines: “Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, who never to himself hath said ‘This is my own, my native land!’”

This should be the holiday that stirs our hearts and make us thankful we live in a free society. A lot of wars have been fought to preserve our way of life, and, for all its faults, our country is better than most. So, take a moment and reflect on your patriotic feelings. Here are some films that should make you proud to be an American.

Yankee Doodle Dandy: This is a 1942 movie about the great George M. Cohan as portrayed by the great James Cagney. With such songs as “Over There,” “It’s a Grand Old Flag,” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” you might want to sing along. This is definitely a feel-good film.

Born on the 4^th of July: (1989). Tom Cruise plays a Marine during the Viet Nam war who becomes paralyzed from the chest down. He becomes a protester against the war in which he once felt proud to have served.

The Patriot: (2000). Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Chris Cooper, and Joely Richardson costar in this story about the Revolutionary War. Gibson plays a farmer who just wants to be left alone, but when the war comes to him, he fights.

Sergeant York: (1941). Gary Cooper plays true-life hero Sgt. York. York was drafted into WWI. He captures an entire platoon. This was probably a propaganda film. WWII was getting close.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: (1939). The all-star cast includes James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Claude Rains. A naïve innocent (Stewart) goes to the Capitol as a junior senator. He meets corruption. He will not be stopped fighting it and engages in a marathon filibuster. This is a fine film that portrays democracy in action.

The Best Years of our Lives: (1946). This film won seven Oscars as it portrays three soldiers who try to take up their lives after WWII. Fine acting and a poignant story lift this film above its genre.

 Stars and Stripes Forever: (1952). Clifton Webb plays John Philip Sousa, the march king. Robert Wagner plays the Sousaphone. Stirring music and a playful attitude make this an entertaining movie.

Abe Lincoln in Illinois: (1940). Raymond Massey plays a young Abe Lincoln honing his skills and developing the character that makes him a strong president. Gene Lockheart and Ruth Gordon costar.

1776: (1972). This is a musical about the birth of our country. It is a funny and quirky film. The cast includes Ken Howard, William Daniels and Howard de Silva.

Glory: (1989). Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman star in this very good movie about the first group of African Americans to serve as soldiers during the Civil War.

Casablanca: (1942). This classic film explores patriotism on many levels. Who can forget the singing of La Marseillaise? Who can forget Bogart and his “hill of beans” speech?

Apollo 13: (1995). America’s 1971 attempt to get to the moon misfires, but the astronauts become heroes for their bravery. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon star.

From Here to Eternity: (1953). Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed confront Pearl Harbor. The destruction and loss of life provide a rallying cry.

United 93: (2006). Events of 9/11 provide the backdrop for heroism and sacrifice. Airline passengers stop a hijacked plane from causing additional damage by bringing it down. All died. This is a very good film that is under-rated.

Gettysburg: (1993). Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger and Jeff Daniels fight the fierce three-day battle during the Civil War.

Miracle: (2004). Patriotism in sports. USA’s Olympic hockey team beats the USSR in a real miracle.

All the President’s Men: (1976). This film explores the freedom and the power of the press. I’m sure you know the rest.

The Fighting Sullivans: (1944). This is a sad story about five brothers who lost their lives when their ship, the USS Juneau, went down during a battle at Guadalcanal in 1943. This true story may be the basis for Saving Private Ryan.

To Hell and Back: (1955). This film is the true story about Audie Murphy who is the most decorated soldier in American history. He earned every medal the country could award him.

Robert Redford

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of  The Thing.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

By a very special request, I am focusing on the films of Robert Redford this month. As I was reviewing these films, I discovered a few things I had never noticed before: The best Redford films are those in which his looks are incidental; he had a narrow range; his movies got worse as his looks faded; he never played a villain. But he was in some really excellent films, and he was an adequate actor.

 I believe his body of work, his creation of the Sundance Film Festival, the films he directed, his work for the environment, and his image as an all ‘round good guy will provide a lasting legacy.

1962:  War Hunt. Redford is an idealistic soldier (why am I not surprised?) during the Korean War.

1965: Inside Daisy Clover. Redford is the closeted-gay husband of Natalie Wood.

1965: Situation Hopeless – but not Serious. Redford is a captured WWII soldier. Wacky Alec Guiness is his captor.

1967: Barefoot in the Park. Redford is the uptight husband of free spirited Jane Fonda.

1969: Downhill Racer. Redford is a rookie skier on the US Olympic team. One win and he thinks he’s god. The most negative role he portrayed. He won the BAFTA (English Oscar).

1969: Tell Them Willie Boy is Here. Redford is a sheriff leading a hostile posse after an Indian. He won another BAFTA.

1969: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Redford is the Sundance Kid and Paul Newman is Butch Cassidy. We all loved these charming scoundrels.

1970: Little Fauss and Big Halsy. Redford is a motorcycle racer. (Didn’t see this one.)

1972: Hot Rock. Redford is a jewel thief. The film was nominated for an Oscar.

1972: The Candidate. Redford is a candidate who is unwilling to run at first, compromises his ideals as he decides he wants to win, and then when he has won not sure what to do next.

1972: Jeremiah Johnson. Redford is a mountain man who just wants to be alone.

1973: The Sting. Redford is a grifter who, with Newman, runs a perfect scam against Robert Shaw. The film won seven Oscars.

1973: The Way We Were. Redford is a pretty boy who hooks up with the annoying Barbra Striesand. What was the point of this?

1974: The Great Gatsby. Redford is a wannabe sophisticate who ends up in the pool.

1975: The Great Waldo Pepper. Redford is a stunt pilot who, after his barnstorming days are through, heads to Hollywood.

1975: Three Days of the Condor. Redford is a CIA researcher on the run. He takes Faye Dunaway hostage, but he’s not a bad guy, really.

1976: All the President’s Men. Redford is a reporter in a perfect film.

1977: A Bridge Too Far. Redford is a soldier in an operation that fails to end WWII.

1979: Electric Horseman. Redford is a rodeo champ and a drunk who steals a prize horse and wins the affections of Jane Fonda.

1980: Brubaker. Redford is a prison warden who goes undercover at the state pen. He tries to make things better, but ends up antagonizing everyone.

1984: The Natural. Redford is an overage rookie in a very silly film. But he looked good.

1985: Out of Africa. Redford is a bush pilot who washes Meryl Streep’s hair.

1986: Legal Eagles. Redford is a lawyer in a film that doesn’t get off the ground.

1990: Havana. Redford is a poker player. His looks are fading fast.

1992: Sneakers. Redford is a spy. This film is pretty good.

1993: Indecent Proposal. Redford is a billionaire who must now pay for favors.

1996: Up Close and Personal. Redford is a newsman who gives Michelle Pfeiffer a break.

1998: The Horse Whisperer. Redford is, well, a horse whisperer, who cures a girl’s frightened horse. Ahhhh.

2001: Spy Game. Redford is a spy again in a pretty good little film (even with Brad Pitt in it).

2001: The Last Castle. Redford is a general court martialed for disobeying orders. While in prison he locks horns with James Gandolfini.

2004: The Clearing. Redford is a hostage. Don’t worry, it ends well.

2005: An Unfinished Life. Redford is a crusty rancher who must come to terms with his son’s death and his daughter-in-law. Formula.

2007: Lions for Lambs. Redford is — I don’t know cuz I didn’t see it. Critics were cool.

2013: The Company You Keep. Redford is a lawyer, but much, much more.

2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This film is not out yet, but I doubt Redford is Captain America.

Gold and Lead

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

I finish with the Oscars this month. There are still some good films, but I think the quality is starting to decline, as you will see. Silliness and boring are taking over.

1988: Rain Man. A slick Tom Cruise and autistic Dustin Hoffman play brothers on a cross-country trip. Ray Liotta and Tom Hulce as Dominic and Eugene do it much better.

1989: Driving Miss Daisy. This is a feel-good movie starring Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy and Dan Aykroyd. Thin story, but watchable.

1990: Dances With Wolves. Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene and a cast of hundreds star in a good movie. I hated it when animals were killed. There are epic proportions here.

1991: Silence of the Lambs. FBI trainee Jodie Foster interviews cannibal Anthony Hopkins to find insights into another serial killer. She bites off more than even he could chew. Creepy and unsettling as this film is, it is mesmerizing.

1992: Unforgiven. This film is one of the few Westerns to get an Oscar. It is deserved. Clint Eastwood is a retired gunslinger who agrees to do one last job. The excellent cast includes Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris and Jaimz Woolvett.

1993: Schindler’s List. This film as directed by Steven Spielberg is a little sappy, but the story is so powerful that it is worth watching. Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes star.

1994: Forrest Gump. I can find nothing positive to say about this movie. It is just one of the most stupid movies I’ve seen. No way does it deserve an Oscar. Tom Hanks and Sally Field should be embarrassed.

1995: Braveheart. A blue-faced Mel Gibson slices and dices his way through this bloody but boring film. It garnered five Oscars. I can’t imagine for what.

1996: The English Patient. Talk about boring. This movie is the most boring of this group of films. I think I actually fell asleep for a few minutes. Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, and Kristen Scott Thomas star, but who cares.

1997: Titanic. I did not see this film, but the trailer wasn’t compelling. I know a lot of you loved it.

1998: Shakespeare in Love. Why was this flimsy film even nominated? Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush and (two minutes of) Judi Dench star.

1999: American Beauty. Finally we have a film with drama, humor, anguish, forbidden love and tragedy. It won five deserved Oscars. Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Chris Cooper and Thora Birch star. Talk about having a mid-life crisis.

2000: Gladiator. Superhero Russell Crowe suffers through many trials to finally succeed. I know it wasn’t a great film, but I loved it. Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris and Connie Nielsen costar.

2001: A Beautiful Mind. Now here is a movie worth Oscar consideration. Russell Crowe is brilliant as a gifted economist who happens to suffer from schizophrenia. You agonize along with his wife, Jennifer Connelly, and friend, Paul Bettany.

2002: Chicago. Wow, and all that jazz. This is a delightful film. Loved it. Stars include Catherine Zeta Jones, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, and Renée Zellweger.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. This is too silly a movie on which to comment.

2004: Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank star in a film about risk-taking and tragedy. Not great, but okay.

2005: Crash. If I didn’t know that Paul Haggis directed, I would have thought this was a Robert Altman film. Lots of people crash into each other in this film with racial overtones.

2006: The Departed. Oh dear, what a mess this film is. Let’s see, it’s trite, been done, silly, overdone. However, Jack Nicholson is hilarious in a death scene.

2007: No Country for Old Men. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Kelly MacDonald and Javier Bardem star in a thin, bleak story. Bardem is great as the villain.

2008: Slumdog Millionaire. I tried watching this but only made it through 20 minutes. No further comment.

2009: The Hurt Locker. This film is tense, well-written, and well-acted, but an Oscar? Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse star.

2010: The King’s Speech. The Brits really know how to do it right. This is a wonderful film. Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush and Michael Gambon shine.

2011:  The Artist. Who knew that to get an Oscar all you had to do was go back to silent films? This was a creative film with much going for it. Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bego dance beautifully. Uggie is a loveable star. James Cromwell and John Goodman costar.

2012: Argo. I like Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and John Goodman, and there is much to like about this film. It does, however, miss the mark. It was not as tense as it should have been and there was too much “Hollywoodizing” --changing the facts, etc. I liked it as I was watching but reflecting on it later, I found it wanting.

Still some gold dust

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

The golden age continues with some classics most of you will have seen or, at least, heard about. I enjoy revisiting these winners, and seeing the one or two I missed—usually with good reason.

1968: Oliver – I’m not sure how Dickens would feel about a musical version of his sad tale. But Oscar loved it by handing out six awards. Oliver Reed makes a good villain as does Ron Moody as Fagin. Some catchy tunes make this bleak story palatable.

1969: Midnight Cowboy – I haven’t seen the entire film, just bits and pieces. It doesn’t look like a film I would enjoy, so I have resisted it. Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight star.

1970: Patton – Loved this film. Great character study of a man obsessed with war. We were fortunate to have him available for WWII. George C. Scott refused the Oscar for Best Actor.

1971: The French Connection – Gene Hackman is a delight as “Popeye” Doyle. Good chase scenes. Lots of action. Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco costar.

1972: The Godfather – What can I say? I doubt if any of you have not seen or heard about this film. Lots of blood and betrayal. Good acting and lovely music. Only negative I can find is that it glorifies a way of life that shouldn’t be glorified.

1973: The Sting – Any movie with Paul Newman and Robert Redford is a movie I will see. This one is just about perfect from beginning to end. Robert Shaw stars as the “mark.” The music is great. This film won seven Oscars, deservedly so.

1975: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – This film won the top five Oscars: picture, director (Milos Forman), screenplay, actor and actress. It is a powerful film that played on all my emotions.

1976: Rocky – This is a film I did not like. The story is trite, it is full of cheap sentimentality, and it is boring. I find it hard to believe that so many more films with the same characters were made.

1977: Annie Hall – Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in a romantic comedy. He’s--surprise--a neurotic writer; she’s an aspiring singer. But it all works to produce an entertaining romp. Tony Roberts and Paul Simon costar. The film won four Oscars.

1978: The Deer Hunter – Here’s another film I didn’t like. I know I’m supposed to, but alas it wasn’t to be. It was properly dark considering that it was about the Viet Nam war, but it failed to engage me. Ho Hum. Robert De Niro, John Cazale and Meryl Streep costar.

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer – This was an era of women trying to find themselves. The film is timely in that regard. I thought Dustin Hoffman should have won the lawsuit, but Meryl Streep prevailed.

1980: Ordinary People – Robert Redford’s first attempt at directing won him an Oscar for this intense film. Mary Tyler Moore’s favorite son has died. She is left with a son, Timothy Hutton, she doesn’t like. Donald Sutherland as the father is caught in the middle. I found myself hardly breathing during most of this film.

1981: Chariots of Fire – This is a really good feel-good film. Ben Cross and Ian Charleson portray runners competing for the British team for the 1924 Olympics. Who can forget the haunting music?

1982: Gandhi – Here’s another blockbuster with a terrific cast: Ben Kingsley in the title role, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard and John Mills. The only problem with this version of Gandhi is that other versions portray him as not quite so heroic. Who to believe?

1983: Terms of Endearment – From blockbuster to tearjerker. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger star as mother and daughter who through their years together experience many emotions, but none as heartbreaking as the final one. Not a dry eye in the theater or in front of the television. Jack Nicholson stars as Shirley MacLaine’s love interest.

1984: Amadeus – Dry your eyes and get ready to smile. Who knew that Mozart, the megastar of music, was so appealing? Tom Hulce is adorable as the great composer. F. Murray Abraham plays a sort of villain.

1985: Out of Africa – Robert Redford and Meryl Streep shine in this golden film. Streep, as the author Karen Blixen, marries Klaus Maria Brandauer to get out of town. He moves them to Kenya. Having no love for her husband, she falls in love with big game hunter, Redford. Then the unthinkable happens. The film won seven Oscars.

1986: Platoon – Oliver Stone’s autobiographical film about Viet Nam. An idealistic soldier loses his stomach for war when he witnesses his comrades commit rape and murder. Tom Berenger, Willam Defoe and Charlie Sheen star.

1987:  The Last Emperor – This is a magnificent film with scope and good acting. John Lone is the emperor in the last years of the Ching Dynasty. Peter O’Toole plays his tutor. Joan Chen costars.