Tag: Action

“The Caine Mutiny” (1954) starring Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson, & Fred MacMurray

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When a U.S. Naval captain shows signs of mental instability that jeopardizes the ship, the first officer is urged to consider relieving him of command. -Synopsis

During WWII, the crew of a ship in the Pacific fleet experiences something unlike any event experienced by the US Navy before. The ship’s captain, Lt. Cmdr. Queeg (Humphrey Bogart), is removed from command by his Executive Officer, Lt. Maryk (Van Johnson), in an act of mutiny. As the trial of the mutineers unfolds, we realize that Queeg is mentally unstable. The Navy must decide: Was the Caine mutiny a criminal act, or was it an act of courage to save a ship from destruction? If you’re a fan of A Few Good Men (1992) and/or Crimson Tide (1995), then you should check out this classic film.

As one viewer noted: “in the 1950’s, films about the problems that you encounter during wartime (that have nothing to do with the enemy itself) began to appear.” WWII threw all kinds of people together; here we find career Navy, along w/ the other men drafted into the service b/c of war (disrupting their plans, BUT they had to make the best of it). Queeg is a petty jerk everybody ends up hating; he’s a compulsive authoritarian who sticks to the minute details of the rules (to the detriment of the ship). This film received 7 Oscar noms, incl. one for Bogie. His performance in the (climactic) courtroom scene even captivated the crew; after filming was done, they burst into applause!

A romantic subplot which frames the story w/ a young couple (played by newbies Robert Francis and May Wynn) distracts attention from the real story. I’m sure this was written to appeal to women and younger viewers; too bad it wasn’t effective. Sadly, Francis (who plays college grad/pampered son- Ensign Keith) had an untimely death about a year after this movie was released! I’m usually NOT impressed by Johnson, BUT this role suits him V well. I recently learned that Johnson was one of the (closeted) gay stars from the “golden age of Hollywood.” The actor I most enjoyed watching (aside from Bogie) was MacMurray; he plays Lt. Keefer (a writer in civilian life/reluctant naval officer). As the defendant’s assigned lawyer, Lt. Greenwald (Ferrer), gets to show his stuff in the last 30 mins. of the film; being recently injured, he is (finally) able to practice law. Lt. Cmdr. Challee (E.G Marshall- a prolific character actor) is a worthy counterpoint for Greenwald, as he is an experienced lawyer/no-nonsense proponent of Naval protocol.

[1] Having served in the U.S. Navy for 32 years, I can accurately state that many of the characters and situations depicted in Wouk’s book and in the film are all very real...

[2] The Caine Mutiny works well on so many levels. It is a great insight into navy life, a first rate legal drama, and an unforgettable character study. […]

Bogart spectacularly conveys the sheer complexity of his character: the quirks, the devotion to duty, the demand for perfection, the refusal to accept his own fallibility. 

[3] Bogart is brilliant, giving the greatest performance of his career, his quirky mannerisms and tortured demeanor contrasting starkly with his usual roles. MacMurray is superb as the glib slippery novelist who must eventually deal with his own cowardice, more damning than Queeg’s because of his intelligence and insight.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935) & “The Bounty” (1984)

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Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Y’all probably know this (classic) story: while sailing from England to Jamaica (West Indies), 1st mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton); this is based on a real-life 1789 mutiny. This is the only film to receive 3 Oscar noms for Best Actor: Gable, Laughton, and Franchot Tone (who plays midshipman/linguist Lt. Roger Byam). After this occurred, the MPA introduced a Best Supporting Actor Oscar to ensure this situation wouldn’t be repeated. These actors all lost to Victor McLaglen for The Informer (1935). Check this movie out (free on streaming) IF you’re a fan of B&W films &/or Gable. No, he doesn’t use an English accent here (as he’s playing a version of himself– a dashing Hollywood star). For the more natural performance, see Tone’s portrayal as a newbie sailor.

[1] “Mutiny On the Bounty” is a well-made movie, with one of the best musical scores I have heard. […] Strong performances, great camera work, a well-written script, and an astounding musical score. All in all, this is a movie worth seeing!

[2] Gable always carried with him a touch of the theatre where he cut his teeth, and proves himself a powerful counterpoint to the blustering Charles Laughton. With his barrel chest, wavy hair and easygoing swagger he does have the makings of a swashbuckling hero, and this is the role Fletcher Christian takes in this adventuresome adaptation. […]

Charles Laughton’s performance as Captain Bligh is integral to the movie. You realise here that Laughton was rather a short man, and he plays on this, making Bligh a jumped-up, Napoleon-complexed bully: all sharp, jabbing motions, an arrogant stance and a face like a dead fish.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Bounty (1984)

The cast here is headed by Anthony Hopkins (as the experienced naval officer- Bligh) and rising star Mel Gibson (as his young friend turned adversary- Christian); it also incl. future stars Daniel Day-Lewis (a cautious officer- Fryer) and Liam Neeson (as , hot-headed sailor- Churchill). Gibson brought on fellow Aussie, Roger Donaldson, as the director. A replica of the H.M.S. Bounty was built for the movie (w/ steel hull). It was originally set to be filmed in 1975 w/ David Lean as director. The production values are high and the settings are gorgeous. Hey, who wouldn’t be impressed w/ sunsets, Gibson (w/ shirt open), and DDL’s steely glare? So what went wrong w/ this movie!? The two leads shared their thoughts below.

I think the main problem with that film was that it tried to be a fresh look at the dynamic of the mutiny situation, but didn’t go far enough. In the old version, Captain Bligh was the bad guy and Fletcher Christian was the good guy. But really Fletcher Christian was a social climber and an opportunist. They should have made him the bad guy, which indeed he was. He ended up setting all these people adrift to die, without any real justification. Maybe he’d gone island crazy. They should have painted it that way. But they wanted to exonerate Captain Bligh while still having the dynamic where the guy was mutinying for the good of the crew. It didn’t quite work. -Mel Gibson

It was such a sad mess of a film, such a botched job. Yet I’d put so much time and effort into the role. So right then and there I decided: Never again. I will no longer invest so much effort in something over which I have no control. It’s too frustrating. That film was a sort of turning point for me. For years I’d been trying to cultivate a don’t-give-a-damn attitude. After watching “The Bounty” I knew I had it. -Anthony Hopkins

Though the film was made on time and w/in budget, the production was troubled. Hopkins and Donaldson clashed over how Bligh should be characterized. Gibson was getting drunk after the shooting day ended; one night, he was injured in a bar fight- yikes! I think his acting is fine; his English accent is believable. Hopkins (who had quit alcohol many yrs ago) is giving it 100%, as we’d expect, so that Bligh becomes less of a “bad guy.” Neeson gets a few good scenes; he made the best of his experience, I’m sure. DDL doesn’t have much to do until the last act; he has a strong screen presence. I expected there to be more of a build-up to the mutiny. The Tahiti scenes go on too long, as many critics/viewers have noted. A LOT of folks seem to have complaints re: the soundtrack, BUT it didn’t bother me.

“10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016) starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, & John Gallagher, Jr.

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After getting into a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), awakens to find herself in an underground bunker w/ two men- Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr). Howard offers her crutches to help move (w/ her leg injury from the crash); he tells her to “get good on those” before leaving. She is told that there has been an attack and the outside world is poisoned! However, Howard’s intentions soon become questionable. Michelle wonders: Is it better in here or try top get outside?

Howard: People are strange creatures. You can’t always convince them that safety is in their best interest.

I came across this film recently while browsing; I think it’s still streaming for free. I’m NOT an expert on modern horror; these movies are often shot quickly w/ low budgets. Teens/20s viewers seem to watch these more in theaters, from what I’ve observed/heard. There are some classic horror films which I still haven’t seen. I was impressed w/ the pacing (editing) and direction of this movie. Dan Trachtenberg, who now mainly works in TV, earned a Directors Guild of America Award (DGA) nom for Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film. The screenplay was written by Josh Campbell, Matt Stueken, and Damien Chazelle (who most recently directed Babylon).

Emmett: We’re here. We’re alive. That means something… It’s gotta.

We know Goodman (a veteran character actor) is always good in every role; he creates an (unexpected) villain. I’d seen Gallagher, Jr. (who also has a career in folk music) in The Newsroom; he plays a farm boy-next-door who regrets missing out on college. Michelle and Emmett (a good guy) form a friendship bond, which Howard is angered (and perhaps threatened) by. I learned that different tonal versions of most scenes were shot (from light/humorous to angry), so filmmakers could find the right mix in the end. I enjoyed the story a LOT until the ending- it wasn’t what I expected at all!

[1] It’s incredibly compelling mainly because of its intense focus on character, while it’s the several subtle twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seat as our reading of the situation (always seen through the lens of the protagonist) continues to organically change.

[2] There are little if any horror elements in this movie. […] Those of you looking for a tense, slow building atmosphere are going to love this one! This is primarily a mystery movie.

[3] This film done everything right in terms of keeping you on edge, building tension and keeping you guessing. You feel just as confused and vulnerable as the protagonist and have no idea where everything is leading. But then, out of nowhere, it suddenly takes a sharp turn down towards WTF-ville and completely kills everything that it worked hard to build over the duration of the film.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Internal Affairs” (1990) starring Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf, & William Baldwin

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Vicious manipulations and power games between men made all the more dramatic being set inside a police drama. –Gene Siskel

A young/Hispanic cop, Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia- aged 33), has just joined the Internal Affairs bureau of the LAPD. He and his partner, Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf), get a case involving a young/hot-headed patrolman known for getting rough w/ suspects, Van Stretch (William Baldwin). However, they soon come to realize that Stretch’s more experienced partner, Dennis Peck (Richard Gere- aged 40), might be at the root of many illegal activities. This is a movie that seems of its time, yet also ahead of it’s time; issues incl. domestic violence, racism, adultery, and police corruption are explored.

As Garcia explained on the pod WTF with Marc Maron, Paramount selected this movie for him; one of its producers (Frank Mancuso) became like a father-figure to the actor. This was Mike Figgis’ 1st American movie; Garcia brought the British/indie director onto the project (for his fresh takes). I’m a fan of Garcia; I don’t know why he didn’t become a bigger star. (I even saw the movie he directed a few yrs ago- it was pretty good.) Gere has the more fascinating role as a multi-layered villain who manipulates (almost) everyone around him! Did y’all know that this movie came out the same year as Pretty Woman!? As some critics/fans commented, the haircuts may be bad (too short), BUT the jeans fit V well! In the scene where his character is introduced, there is a long/close-up shot on Baldwin’s butt.

Dennis Peck [to Van Stretch]: How many cops you know, huh? Got nothing. Divorced, alcoholic, kids won’t talk to them anymore, can’t get it up. Sitting there in their little apartments, alone in the dark, playing lollipop with a service revolver?

From the opening scenes, Peck is the “Alpha” among his circle; he puts a knife into the hand of the unarmed dead man to cover for the young/Black cop who shot him, Dorian Fletcher (Michael Beach). There is an instant dislike btwn Avila (ambitious) and Peck (working on the street); I learned that Garcia and Gere didn’t get along during filming. These two characters glare at each other w/ such animosity that we feel a fight could break out at any minute. Given his erratic schedule, Avila misses out on quality time w/ his wife/manager of an art gallery, Kathleen (Nancy Travis). Peck thinks of himself as a “family man;” he lives in a spacious house w/ a pool. He’s on his 4th marriage; his current wife is Heather (Annabella Sciorra), and father to 8 kids (no joke)!

It’s NOT easy to be in police work; the conditions can be V rough and the pay quite low (so that many cops have off-duty jobs). Peck helps Fletcher get a 2nd job at a good location; he counsels Van Stretch to return to his family- wife/banker Penny (Faye Grant) and young son. However, there have always been some who are “a disgrace to the uniform;” in one scene Peck is in bed w/ Penny fully clothed in his uniform. In another scene, Peck (in a calm tone w/ quiet menace) opens Stretch’s button-down and gently pats his chest down (looking for a wire) w/ one hand, while playing tea party w/ his daughter w/ the other hand.

Man, Gere was nasty in that movie- Internal Affairs! -Marc Maron

Yeah, Gere was terrific in that movie! – Andy Garcia

[1] Gere is on best form here, playing a character against type, he is the embodiment of corruption, deceit and murder. Garcia is also excellent as Raymond, who blends his actions well from good into bad. Metcalf is excellent as Garcia’s partner…

[2] Internal Affairs is a character study at it’s finest. There are few films out there that can compare to this one and that can be attributed to the director, Mike Figgis. He hits every note perfectly and the performances he gets from his cast is such a joy to watch.

[3] Gere fires on all cylinders in this performance, full of swagger and aggression, with a character that would easily dupe you into believing he’s on your side, while all the while setting up your execution. 

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Spoiler-Free Review: “Society of the Snow” (2023)

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In 1972, the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, chartered to fly a rugby team to Chile, catastrophically crashes on a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Only 16 of the 40 passengers survived the crash and finding themselves in one of the world’s toughest environments, they are forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive. -Synopsis

This movie (streaming on Netflix) is Spain’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Oscars; it is in Spanish w/ English subtitles. At the Goya Awards on February 10th, it became in the 3rd most awarded movie in Spain’s history by winning 12 prizes. The director (and one of several co-writers) is from Spain; J.A. Bayona recently worked on eps of The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime) and the movie Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom. Pablo Vierci, the author of the book La Sociedad de la Nieve is a friend of some of the young men in the crash; he also served as a consultant on this movie. Some of you may be familiar w/ Alive (1993) starring Ethan Hawke.

I checked out this movie after noting a LOT of Twitter posts re: its lead- 30 y.o. Uruguayan actor Enzo Vogrincic. He plays Numa Turcatti, a college grad/photography enthusiast who is best pals w/ one of the rugby players. Many viewers have pointed out his physical resemblance to Adam Driver in this film. Others noted that in Vogrincic’s modeling photos (incl. for the Spanish fashion brand Loewe), the similarity isn’t as strong. Yes, the South American actor (who does a fine job) is indeed a fan of Driver’s work. Vogrincic (working on becoming fluent in English) was recently seen at BAFTA; you can follow him on IG (vogrincicenzo).

I have searched within my family tree, I cannot find actors, writers, poets. I think I did it (deciding to be an actor) to go against them, but it is very personal, I am creative in everything I do, it is part of my be, I can’t help it. -Enzo Vogrincic (actor)

The film was mostly shot in the Andes in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic; the cinematography is stunning (the snow is real)! The haircuts, clothing, and accessories are pulled directly from photos of those involved in the crash. Filming was done in chronological order (which is rare) to allow the young actors to lose lbs. (to add to the realism). The story is NOT too bleak (dark); the focus is on the resilience of the human spirit. Much is revealed w/o a LOT of words in some tense/emotional scenes. The run time is a BIT long and I’d have liked more character development.