Tag: Family

Close-Up on Civil Wars: “Ride with the Devil” (1999) & “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” (2006)

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Ride with the Devil (1999) starring Skeet Ulrich, Tobey Maguire, Jewel, & Jeffrey Wright

On the Western frontier of Missouri, the American Civil War was fought not by armies, but by neighbors. Informal gangs of local Southern Bushwhackers fought a bloody and desperate guerrilla war against the occupying Union army and pro-Union Jayhawkers. Allegiance to either side was dangerous. But it was more dangerous still to find oneself caught in the middle... -Prologue

Jake [after reading a letter to a Union soldier]: One mother’s very much like another.

Pitt Mackeson: Remember one thing, her boys will kill you if they can.

Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire) and Jack Bull Chiles (Skeet Ulrich) are best friends/neighbors in rural Missouri when the American Civil War starts. Jake lives w/ his German/immigrant father, who feels their ppl should have nothing to do w/ this war. After his older sister’s wedding, Jack Bull’s father is murdered by Union soldiers, who were also looking for him! Jack Bull (more the leader of the pair) and Jake (the follower) run away from home that same night. One year goes by; the young men have joined the Bushwhackers (loyal to the Confederacy); they ride w/ Black John (Jim Caviezel) and infiltrate enemy territory (disguising themselves as Union soldiers in blue uniforms). As one critic said: “This is guerrilla warfare- or terrorist tactics- depending on one’s viewpoint.”

Y’all prolly haven’t heard of this movie, unless (like me) you’re into history or fan of Taiwanese-American director Ang Lee (Sense & Sensibility; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The screenplay is by James Schamus; it is based on the novel Woe to Live On by Daniel Woodrell. Lee (who attended NYU film school w/ Spike Lee) is an immigrant to the US; he makes unexpected choices here (which brings depth/richness to what could’ve been a simple war story). You’ll get a kick out of seeing young/international actors (NOT yet famous): Mark Ruffalo, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Simon Baker, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel, and Jonathan Brandis.

I remember on the set you [Ang Lee] kept repeating: I don’t wanna make a white man’s movie, I don’t wanna make a white man’s movie. -Jeffery Wright, actor

Jake (called “Dutchie” as an insult) is an outsider among the men at the Bushwhacker camp; long-haired/wild-eyed Pitt Mackeson (Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers) antagonizes him whenever they meet. Jake wants to prove himself as an American; unlike most of his peers he can read/write. I learned re: the division btwn (native-born) Americans and German immigrants (who settled in the Midwest in large numbers in the mid-1800s). Perhaps the most interesting character is Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright- from DC; then known for theater work), a Black man recently freed by his master, George Clyde (Aussie actor Simon Baker). George is a quiet observer (until the 2nd half of the movie) and an expert marksman. Wright commented that the ensemble cast “all got to be pretty good w/ horses.”

[1] Lee handles the subject with aplomb, never rushing the deep introspection that the plot demands in favour of action and this lends the film a sense of the reality of war – long periods of boredom and waiting interposed with occasional flashes of intensely terrifying fighting. The action is unglamorised and admirably candid, recognizing that both sides committed a great number of atrocities.

[2]  What is beautiful about the movie, like all of Lee’s films, is that he doesn’t “side” with his characters. He creates characters, embodies them with life, problems, and ambiguity… and endows them with a reality that often hits far closer to home than with which many are comfortable.

But as an exploration of the greater human ambiguity that surely dwelt within the Civil War, it is a masterpiece.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006) starring Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, & Padraig Delaney

Against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, two brothers fight a guerrilla war against British forces. -Synopsis

In the early 1920s, rural Ireland is a battlefield of republicans fighting British security forces. Med school grad, Damien O’Donovan (Cillian Murphy), is the pride of his village; he is planning to train at a London hospital. On the day when he’s about to leave, he witnesses the brutal abuse of commoners at the railroad station. Damien pledges loyalty to the local IRA brigade, commanded by his older brother, Teddy (Padraig Delaney- in his 1st film). In the 2nd half of the movie, we learn that IRA leaders negotiated a Free State (yet still under British crown). Teddy and Damien have V different reactions!

I saw this film several yrs ago, BUT didn’t do an in-depth review; I recall being impressed, as I was on re-watch! The British director (Ken Loach) is known for Socialist realism; he often focuses on the working class/ordinary ppl. Most of the actors come from County Cork (where the story is set). Fans of Game of Thrones will get a kick out of seeing Liam Cunningham (whose character sees things from a Socialist lens). In the past yr, you may’ve noticed Cunningham speaking re: a free Palestinian state. Last month, I came across a news clip w/ screenwriter (Paul Lafferty); he’d been released from jail after protesting in London (in support of Palestinians). Yup, these filmmakers are real ones!

The young rebels are lean, proud, and V determined; they hunger for respect, freedom, and opportunity denied them on their native land. Early in the film, a teen boy is beaten to death by British soldiers after refusing to speak English (instead replying in Gaelic). You will see the (guerrilla) tactics used by the IRA, though the violence is brief (and NOT glamorized). As some viewers commented, there is NOT much blood shown; this was to protect the (fragile/period) costumes on a small budget. Damien wisely comments that Britain will never give Ireland freedom, b/c that will open the door for colonies- India and some African nations. This film (told on a small scale/intimate in nature) makes history come alive!

[1] The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a film that doesn’t shy away from the unrelenting terror and bloodshed of the revolution. The working-class accents and dialects are authentically preserved, with constant debate and war never ceasing. The film raises an important question about whether the Irish Revolution was a socialist or nationalist one.

[2] The film consists of two parts. Part 1 is about violence on the side of the English occupier, Part 2 is about Irish disunity.

The English violence in the movie did cause some discomfort at the time of release. We are accustomed to war crimes perpetrated by Germans, but the English? It should, however, not be forgotten that the English used WWI veterans in the Irish war of independence. Particularly the “Black and tans” were notorious.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Crossing Delancey” (1988) starring Amy Irving & Peter Riegert

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Every girl knows exactly the kind of guy she isn’t going to marry… then she falls in love. -Tagline

Isabelle “Izzy” Grossman (Amy Irving- perhaps best known as Steven Spielberg’s ex-wife) is a 33 y.o. woman whose life revolves around the UWS NYC independent bookstore where she works and her eclectic/intellectual friends- men and women. Irving had supporting roles in 2 (iconic) films- Yentl and Carrie. Izzy has a crush on an European author, Anton Maes (Jeroen Krabbe), whose book talk she is organizing. Her traditional Jewish grandmother (living in LES), Bubbie Kantor (Reizl Bozyk- a veteran of Yiddish theater), secretly consults a marriage broker, Mrs. Mandelbaum (Sylvia Miles), to help Izzy find a husband. At lunch at Bubbe’s apt, Izzy meets a business owner (pickler), Sam Posner (Peter Riegert), who quickly takes a liking to her. She is NOT amenable to this (old-fashioned) process. Can they make a good match?

Mrs. Mandelbaum: Ya look, ya meet, you try, you see. Sometimes it fits, sometimes it don’t.

This film was written by a woman (Susan Sandler- who wrote the play) and also directed by a woman (Joan Micklin Silver)- V rare in the ’80s! As one critic noted: “The choice here is btwn the old world and the new.” Izzy and her 3 childhood gal pals grew up on the LES, but are navigating lives as modern/single/Jewish women. We hear the lament that there are few (eligible) bachelors- some things never change (LOL)!

Marilyn: And I’m sitting there, and my face is starting to hurt. And I’m thinking, Christ, I got 45 mins. to show this guy how loving, smart, supportive, funny, independent, and sexy I am. And all I can really think about is how I’d rather be sitting home watching the baseball game.

This movie is a love letter to NYC, esp. the LES (before gentrification). Sam’s store was Guss’ Pickles (35 Essex St, below Delancey St); he wears a City College of New York (CCNY) sweatshirt during the handball game. The hot dog place that Izzy goes to on her b-day was Papaya King (179 E 86th. St). Anton’s apt is in The Ayslmere (60 West 76th St). Bubbie’s apt. view includes the Williamsburg Bridge, which was undergoing reconstruction. There are actors of diverse races, ages, and body types in crowd scenes. Look out for young David Hyde Pierce (Izzy’s co-worker; before Frasier fame) and Reg E. Cathey (the newbie cab driver in last act).

Izzy: Sam, I don’t know what to do with you. You’re a nice guy.

Sam: Oh, what a thing to say. I’m wounded, I’m bleeding.

I recommend this movie highly, esp. to fans of OG rom coms (EX: When Harry Met Sally), those who love NYC, and anyone w/ a foot in two worlds. Serious themes are dealt w/ in a matter-of-fact (adult) manner; there no “good” or “bad” guys. One critic commented that (suave/charming) Anton would be characterized as “a total jerk, if this were made today.” Another critic noted that the “friends with benefits situation (btwn Izzy and neighbor Nick) is handled in a non-judgmental way.” Sam is probably one of the best examples of a love interest (w/ healthy sense of masculinity) depicted onscreen! He is calm, self-assured, likes himself, and has a (quietly) romantic side. TCM host, Alicia Malone, said that Riegert is still given jars of pickles from adoring female fans.

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (2024)

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Ficus Religiosa is a tree with an unusual life cycle. It seeds, contained in bird droppings, fall on other trees. Aerial roots spring up and grow down to the floor. Then, the branches wrap around the host tree and strangle it. Finally, the sacred fig stands on its own. -Opening lines of the film

[1] This raw and unsettling film features actual footage from the violent 2022 uprising in Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was taken into custody for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. 

[2] This film works because it takes us inside a family unit that is impacted by these very issues. It appears to use actual protest footage (suitably obscured) mixed in along with the fictional actors. This gives it a more urgent edge.

[3] The film features a fantastic script, wonderful actors and images of an unknown Iran. You can see Iran like we can rarely see it, with its modernity, its rich history and ancient monuments, its poverty as well as its drawbacks.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

You MAY have heard a BIT re: this Iranian film; it was on Pres. Obama’s list of faves rom 2024. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (from filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof) was shot almost entirely in secret; financing came from French and German production companies. The movie had its premiere at Cannes (2024), where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or, winning the Special Jury Prize (considered the 3rd most prestigious prize at the festival). At the recent Oscars (2025), it was the official submission of Germany for Best International Feature Film.

Iman (Missagh Zareh) ia a devout/middle-aged/self-made man who lives w/ his wife, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani), and their 2 daughters: college student Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and older teen Sana (Setareh Maleki). He has just been appointed as an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The position provides him a higher salary w/ option for a (larger) apt for his family (which his wife long wanted). As protests against the government unfold, Iman discovers that he was NOT hired to use his legal expertise to investigate cases. He is expected to approve judgments presented to him by his superiors (w/o assessing any evidence), incl. death sentences! This position requires him to remain anonymous; he is ordered to withhold info from friends/family and given a handgun for protection!

This film is a must-see for those who want to understand the situation in modern Iran. We are taken beyond the headlines to see what is happening-“kitchen table issues” (as US politicians like to say). Though it could’ve been edited down some more, it’s still a tense/engaging domestic drama w/ enaging dialogue and acting. What we see is a situation involving “Chekhov’s Gun”- literally. I came to feel for the two daughters, who are seeking to know the truth of their world; the news is being censored. As with any young people, these young women want some sort of personal freedom (EX: living away for college). This movie shows how political pressures affect each member of the family.

“Duel in the Sun” (1946) starring Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, & Gregory Peck

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A biracial (white/Native American) teen girl, Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones), who was raised in Mexico is sent to live w/ her distant relatives on a ranch in Texas. She is warmly welcomed by Laura Belle McCanles (Lilian Gish) and her lawyer son, Jesse (Joseph Cotten). Pearl meets w/ hostility from the patriarch, Sen. Jackson McCanles (Lionel Barrymore). Pearl is (at first) wary of the interests of younger son, Lewt (Gregory Peck), who is undisciplined/untamed. Jesse is calm/educated; he ultimately sides w/ the railroad against his father, saying: “I’d rather be on the side of the victims than of the murderers.” Long-held family tensions are exacerbated by her presence!

David O. Selznick spent the rest of his life trying to top Gone With the Wind. He was also obsessed w/ making 2nd wife (Jones) into the greatest leading lady. He didn’t succeed at either, but it wasn’t for lack of trying (from what I’ve heard from classic movie critics)! Jones got an Oscar for her 1st film- The Song of Bernadette. Selznick realized that she couldn’t play saintly women forever, so Pearl became the total opposite.

This movie is a hot/cringe-y mess, to keep it short! I saw it last month; I’m sure also watched it as a kid, BUT blocked it out (LOL)! This was one of few times where Peck played the bad guy; it may be awkward for fans (b/c he’s NOT doing his best). I’m thinking most of blame was on direction/producing- it’s doing TOO much (as Gen Z say)! The issues of (overt) racism and consent (or lack thereof) will offend those who are more sensitive viewers- so be warned.

[1] One thing with Selznick, he spared no expense. He got the best in talent for this film. Dimitri Tiomkin did the score, King Vidor the direction, Ray Rennahan the color photography which is absolutely stunning. […]

It misses being a classic mainly because Selznick couldn’t keep his hands off it. Sometimes the acting is about as subtle as a sledgehammer from all the performers. I’m willing to bet it’s Selznick more than Vidor.

[2] Everything about “Duel in the Sun” is overripe: the music, the photography (those red sunsets a la GWTW), the strong emotions and the climactic duel on a blazing desert sun by the two mismatched lovers. Indeed, the excesses are almost operatic in proportion–and yet, a viewer can get caught up in this sprawling western rightly termed “Lust in the Dust” by some reviewers.

[3] Pearl just can’t resist Lewt, no matter how bad he treats her. Leave your political correctness at the door, folks. This one’s got a little something to offend almost everybody.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“A Streetcar Named Desire” (BAM) starring Paul Mescal, Patsy Ferran, & Anjana Vasan

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On FRI, March 14th, I went (for the 1st time) to Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) to see Tennessee Williams’ iconic play- A Streetcar Named Desire. The area was buzzing (w/ a LOT of tourists and locals); the Harvey Theatre is a few blocks away from the Barclays Center. If you haven’t visited NYC recently, the Atlantic Avenue subway station is now called Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center (2, 3, 4, 5, B, Q, D, N R, & W trains). The crowd was more diverse than I expected; there were (as expected) many young women in their 20s, incl. WOC. There were also quite a few older (perhaps regulars) aged 50+, as in my row. I booked long in advance, so I was able to get good seat.

This critically-acclaimed production (directed by Rebecca Frecknall) was transferred from across the pond- London’s West End. This director emphasized the growing power of patriarchy w/ the way she chose to stage this play, one critic said. Stanley Kowalski is played by Paul Mescal, a 29 y.o. a blue-eyed Irish actor and one of the rising stars in Hollywood. Mescal appeared in the TV drama/romance Normal People, indie movies (Aftersun; All of Us Strangers), and Ridley Scott’s big-budget sequel (Gladiator II). The staging was open and design was V simple; there are few furnishings in the Kowalski home. On one side of the stage, there are stairs which go up to the balcony. This production includes (brief) interludes w/ dance and music. Water comes down to shower the actors in two pivotal moments. I thought the way lighting design was quite effective.

I know what some of y’all are thinking… Is Mescal as cute and fit IRL? Yes, he looks V good (though not a fan of this modern mullet); he has (well-defined) arms and abs, long after Gladiator. Stanley (a model of toxic masculinity) isn’t TOO bothered w/ the concerns/needs of women around him. He cares about bowling and poker nights w/ his buddies. His wife, Stella, is played by a lovely/wide-eyed British Asian (South Asian- as in US) actress- Anjana Vasan (37 y.o.) Patsy Ferran (34 y.o.) is an unexpected choice for Blanche DuBois, at least when it comes to looks. She has already won Olivier and Drama Desk awards. These actresses look much younger than their ages!

I don’t want realism, I want magic! -Blanche DuBois

Wow, what a show- I was V impressed! Mescal and Vasan made a believable (yet problematic) couple in love. I’m sure many of you are aware of the dark (serious) themes/events of the play. There is tension growing w/ each scene bwtn Mescal and Ferran (slim/petite w/ dark hair and eyes), as Blanche (obviously) disapproves of Stanley. Ferran goes toe-to-toe w/ Mescal (who is transformed- in part to American accent/body language); she reveals emotional vulnerability in one moment, after charming us w/ her wit/intelligence. The audience was captivated more… and more… as the play went on. When Stanley slaps Stella (who is pregnant), it was a big shock (esp. for those who didn’t read the play/see the Brando movie). In the climax, when Blanche grabs a beer bottle to defend herself against Stanley, a woman in front of me whispered “it’s not real” to her mom. In the finale, Stanley crouches down and embraces Stella, who is cryng/distraught on the floor. One of Mescal’s pale/powerful arm wraps around Vasan’s upper body, showing that (in the world of this play) Stanley has truly won!

[1] Lines that I could recite alongside the actors resonated in ways that I never expected. The great majority of them are spoken by Ferran, who triumphs where such incandescent talents as Jessica Lange, Blanchett and Natasha Richardson could find only sporadic magic. […]

What sets Ferran apart is the way she balances the play’s poetry and realism, moving with lightning reflexes from crushing naturalism to bold expressionism. …Ferran, a Spanish British actress, is completely fluent in the playwright’s grand, streetwise lyricism. Accent and idiom are firmly in command as she transitions from Southern Gothic to surrealist horror, never losing sight of a character who’s as fragile as she is formidable.

-LA Times

[2] The playwright’s identification with Blanche, reflected in her care with words, is all but drowned out. We are not invited to inhabit her hopes and fears but rather her brother-in-law’s animal glee.

This is certainly a way to see “Streetcar”; the world is, if possible, even meaner than Williams imagined. Decay has swallowed lyricism. And Stanley, we now know, has won.

–NYT