Tag: War

“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) starring Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Frederic March, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O’Donnell & Harold Russell

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Filled with all the love and warmth and joy. . .the human heart can hold! -A tagline for the film

This iconic movie (helmed by one of Hollywood’s famed/respected directors- William Wyler) centers on the re-adjustment of 3 Americans to everyday life after serving nearly 3 yrs. in WWII. Each man is from a separate age group, rank, and class, BUT quickly become close friends. Each faces a crisis which is a microcosm of the experiences of many IRL American veterans. Al Stephenson (Frederic March: 46 y.o.) returns to his wife Milly (Myrna Loy) and 2 kids: Peggy (Teresa Wright)- a nurse- and Rob- a HS student. Wyler modeled the reunion scene on his own homecoming to his wife. As a banker, Al finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen w/ doing “business as usual.” Fred Derry (Dana Andrews: 36 y.o.)- from the working class- finds it difficult to find a job, though he was decorated for heroism as a pilot. Fred can’t relate to the woman he hastily married, Marie (Virginia Mayo), before shipping out. Having lost both hands in a training accident, Homer Parrish (Harold Russell: a non-professional actor/amputee) is unsure IF his fiancee, Wilma (Cathy O’Donnell) will still love (or pity) him. This couple grew up next door to each other, yet find it hard to communicate now.

Rob: We’ve been having lectures in atomic energy at school, and Mr. McLaughlin, he’s our physics teacher, he says that we’ve reached a point where the whole human race has either got to find a way to live together, or else uhm…
Al: [with grim finality] Or else.

Wyler (a major in the Army Air Force), incorporated his own experiences into the film. He flew in B-17s in combat over Germany; later, he shot footage for documentary films. His hearing was permanently damaged when an anti-aircraft shell exploded near his plane while on a bombing raid. Wyler (often noted as “an actor’s director”) sat beneath the camera w/ a large set of headphones connected to an amplifier. The story grew out of a Time (July 1944) story re: Marines taking a train back home to New York from San Diego, and growing more quiet/nervous the closer they got. The screenplay was written by Stewart E. Sherwood (Rebecca; The Bishop’s Wife) and MacKinlay Kantor (Gun Crazy). Wyler wanted an unglamorous look; costumes came off the rack and were worn by the cast before filming and sets were built smaller than life-size. Wyler modeled (fictional) Boone City after Cincinnati; as seen by such things as the taco stand, filming was obviously in SoCal. The add further to the authenticity, the crew (props, grips, mixers, etc.) were recruited from WWII veterans.

The Best Years of Our Lives? More like the best movie of our lives! -Comment by podcaster/movie critic

Loy has top billing here, b/c she was the most famous among the cast at that time. This was a breakout role for Andrews; he gets to show his range (esp. in the last act). In one argument, Mayo (who lobbied hard for her role) bitterly comments: “I gave up the best years of my life, and what have you done?” Each actor does well, whether their role is big or just in one scene. This is one of the Oscar winners which is truly a classic you can’t miss! It’s a slice of life from the ’40s that is still relatable; you can see it w/ all ages. I was emotional watching this film, esp. in the scene btwn Homer and Wilma while he’s getting ready for bed (revealing his vulnerability). This is streaming for free, so check it out for yourself.

[1] The film epitomized both the dream and the reality of the post-war world. This intimate engagement with the psychological facts of American life gave it an almost universal audience. But, unlike contemporary and preceding “message” pictures, it was not a preachment. It showed Americans as they are, presented their problems as they themselves see them, and provided only such solutions, partial, temporary, personal, as they themselves would accept. The picture’s values are the values of the people in it.

[2] To me, watching this movie is like opening up a time capsule. I think in many ways “The Best Years of Our Lives” is probably one of the more fascinating character studies and it holds up extremely well as a look at life in the US in the mid-1940s after WWII. […]

This movie still packs a wallop and I’m very happy to read in other posts other users feeling of a movie that will definitely stand the test of time.

[3]“Best Years” has an unbelievable number of scenes that bring a tear to the eye or a lump to the throat, with only a couple of those being the result of sadness, and with most being caused by beautiful depictions of love, loyalty, pride, patriotism, or the overcoming of personal adversity.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” (2024) starring Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, & Sam Worthington

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The story of a nation unsettled. -Tagline

Hey y’all, can you believe it’s already SEPT (Fall)? Also, can y’all believe I wasted 3+ hrs. watching this Western (streaming on Max)!? It took me 2 nights to get through it last wk; I think this could be a cure for insomnia. As on viewer put it so clearly: “It felt like it belonged on TV as a miniseries in the late ’90s.” Actor/director/co-writer Kevin Costner reportedly spent a LOT of his own money to make this $100M movie. There are 2 more chapters being made; it’s NOT certain that those will get theatrical releases. I have to admit that I find Costner to be a limited actor (though I liked No Way Out and Bull Durham); I’ve also never seen his recent Paramount+ series- Yellowstone.

There a 3 or 4 separate groups (so far) that we meet in this sprawling/epic mess. The settings are several Western states in the time period of 1861-1865. The opening act is quite tense/exciting (I have to admit); Costner’s teen son (Hayes) plays a role. The 1st set of characters we meet incl. a mother, Frances Kittridge (Sienna Miller), her teen daughter Elizabeth (Georgia MacPhail), and a regiment of Union Army officers lead by Lt. Trent Gephart (Sam Worthington). I know what y’all are thinking: whoa, Worthington works outside of the Avatar franchise! The 2nd group are an Apache tribe going through division/conflict; 2 sons of a chief have differing views on how to deal w/ the White settlers (who are growing w/ each day). The 3rd grp incl. a horse trader, Hayes Ellison (Costner); he doesn’t ride into the story until 1 hr. goes by. He comes to a small mining town and meets a prostitute, Marigold (Abbey Lee), who is taking care of the baby of Ellen Harvey (Jenna Malone), while she goes on some business w/ her hubby (Michael Angarano). The 4th grp. is a wagon train heading to the (fictional) town of Horizon; these settlers are lead by Matthew Van Weyden (Luke Wilson). No, that is NOT a joke- they expect us to believe that Wilson belongs in a historical piece! There are 2 British/snobby/clueless marrieds who are objects of humor.

There are maybe 3 scenes which carry some interest, thanks to Danny Huston (a Union general), Michael Rooker (a Union officer), and Jamie Campbell Bower (a gunslinger/son of a crime family). Bower also the only actor who looks like he’s having fun w/ his baddie role. Huston seems to be a fan of Westerns; he recently played the mayor in The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023). Most of the dialogue here is SO cliched that it’d make a HS English teacher cringe. There is little to no character development, so we end up caring nothing re: the plight of these folks. Worst of all is the the editing; it is disjointed, so creates confusion in the audience! The music is TOO grand in scale for such a lame movie.

[1] Sorry, Mr. Costner, I cannot recall seeing a more disjointed 3-hr saga in my life. There’s no opportunity for character development or story continuity, and to be able to keep track of where all the characters are (some go missing without explanation) nope… You might need a spreadsheet to keep track.

[2] The US Army parts felt a little too modern. The use of the word “indigenous” just did not sound right for that time. Also we have never been shown US Army compassion from that time period before.

The playful addition of African Americans seems very modern as well. No doubt they were there, but living harmoniously with whites is hard to believe.

[3] I was particularly irritated by the inappropriate loud glorious/triumphant music played during the Indian village massacre and several more minute at the end. It really upset me they would play such music over the top of the horrific depictions of violence against innocent women and children. It was like they were celebrating it.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” (1988 & 2023)

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The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) starring Eric Bogosian, Jeff Daniels, & Brad Davis

This TV movie is an adaptation (originally staged as a play) of the court-martial segment from the novel The Caine Mutiny. The play premiered at the Plymouth Theatre in NYC on January 20, 1954. The original cast included Henry Fonda (Barney Greenwald), John Hodiak (Lt. Maryk) and Lloyd Nolan (Lt. Cdr. Queeg). James Garner appeared as a member of the court; he was the understudy to Hodiak. The play ran for 415 performances, closing on January 22, 1955. I know what some of y’all are thinking: there used to be smart movies on TV!? The script is V literate and gives most of us (civilians) insight into Naval protocol, attitudes, traditions, and conflicts btwn. personalities. As one viewer commented: “we see the usual [Robert] Altman technique of a lot of side conversations that are barely heard and added noises to make the film seem more naturalistic.”

Lt. Greenwald (Eric Bogosian- a theater actor/police capt. on L&O: CI) as the defense attorney sustains ambivalence; he does a good job, exuding caged-in intensity. As the defendant, Lt. Steven Maryk (Jeff Daniels) must decide whether his lawyer is capable or unreliable. The prosecutor, Lt. Cmdr. John Challee, is played by Peter Gallagher (a theater actor; D.A. on L&O: SVU). Lt. Cmdr. Queeg (Brad Davis) may be mentally ill; I hadn’t seen Davis before (he died at age 41 in 1991). Unlike in the remake (below), ethnicity/religion is mentioned (Greenwald is Jewish).

[1] Each “author” of the Caine mutiny is a plausible bad guy who lends slightly different emphases to instigators who escape blame for what they goad others into doing.

Davis’s Queeg raises the intriguing possibility that an officer might be flat-out nutty in a way difficult for psychiatrists to detect but easy for an attorney to expose. […] I agree that the caricature of the psychiatrist is hokey.

[2] …it is taught and claustrophobic for most of the story – being set in the court-martial room (a bit of the end of the play is at the post-trial acquittal party). The results is a different telling of the story, and one relying on the audience’s own evaluation of the truth or lies of the different witnesses.

…Queeg is first taken down a peg by Greenwald (Eric Bogosian) not on issues of fitness of command, but on his honesty.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, & Jake Lacy

Some of y’all (cinephiles) may’ve heard re: this one, as it was the last film directed by William Friedkin (who passed away at age 86 in AUG 2023). Lance Riddick (Capt. Luther Blakely) also passed away before the movie’s release; he’s a strong screen presence and gives a fine performance. For insurance purposes, Guillermo del Toro was the back-up director. Friedkin completed filming in 14 days (wow); he was given just 15 days by the studio! This movie (which was released on VOD) has well-known faces, as well as some newcomers; I saw it 1st on a flight last Thanksgiving.

Queeg (Kiefer Sutherland) here is much older (unlike in the original play by Herman Wouk); he has a constrained way of speaking here. The defense counsel, Greenwald (Jason Clarke- a prolific Aussie character actor), hasn’t practiced law much; he is the most fleshed out character. The no-nonsense prosecutor, Challee, is played by a young/Latina woman (Monica Raymund). Maryk is played by boy-next-door actor Jake Lacy (w/ big eyes/open face); he has lately done more on streaming shows than movies. I was a BIT disappointed, as I wanted to know more re: Keefer (Lewis Pullman- son of Bill Pullman; recently seen in Top Gun: Maverick). Keefer ended up writing a novel (based on this incident); it’s revealed that he influenced Maryk’s decisions.

[1] The original Caine Mutiny was a Humphrey Bogart led movie from 1954, one that I love and sticks in my memory very well. This takes notes form that movie, but is not really a remake, just an intensified treatise on the ending with the court martial hearing drug out and the final denouncement of the young opportunist shown his comeuppance. Anyone familiar with the source material, movie or book it was based on would know this. […]

The underlying theme of The Caine Mutiny story is not “wow that guy went crazy” – it’s that well, even the best among us can crack. There is no villain, it is all perspective, and even though a wrong decision was made by Caine himself the question is were there ulterior motives involved by other people.

[2] Yes, the ending could have been lengthened and strengthened a bit to really let the viewer know, but then again, here we have a Captain that does some outlandish things, but was that enough to justify a mutiny? You have to really decide the verdict. […]

Some people may have problems with the way the Navy is portrayed in this film, in that they don’t understand that as the captain of a US Navy vessel, one is completely and ultimately responsible for every little thing that happens on or to that boat, good or bad, and that as a result, discipline, rank, and orders must be maintained…

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Dune” (1984) starring Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, Sting, & Dean Stockwell

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A world beyond your experience, beyond your imagination. -Tagline

A Duke’s son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father’s evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor’s rule. -Synopsis

I know what some of you MAY be thinking: Can I watch this movie sober? LOL… I sure did! It was an unique experience- to keep it brief/spoiler free. I’m NOT a fan of director David Lynch’s style, BUT I decided to give this a look (since a LOT of ppl were discussing Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe in 2023). Though Paul Atreides is supposed to be an older teen, Kyle MacLachlan (looking good- no doubt) is a grown-ass man (at age 25)! Yup, back in the ’80s, aging was different (I was there). Lady Jessica is played by Francesca Annis (who was NOT yet 40); she’s a tall/elegant/theatrically-trained British actress. The other two women in the movie (Virginia Madsen and Sean Young) get V little character development. I got a big kick out of seeing (another theater actor) Patrick Stewart before ST: TNG fame; he plays the experienced warrior/mentor to Paul, Gurney Halleck. Dean Stockwell (best known to my gen for Quantum Leap and BSG) plays Dr. Yueh, a man w/ a tragic past who has a big secret. Sting (the rock star- in a bit of stunt casting) plays gleeful/young warrior/villain Feyd Rautha; he appears shirtless (or wearing V tight costumes), though his role is small.

Paul: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will let it pass over me and through me. And when it has passed I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where it has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

In today’s media landscape, this would’ve become a limited series on streaming w/ high production values, instead of SO much plot/many characters packed into 2 hrs. 17 mins. Some of you may’ve seen the Sci-Fi channel miniseries from 2001- Dune and Children of Dune (where I 1st saw Scottish actor James McAvoy). Yup, this was a few yrs before McAvoy won the 1st BAFTA Rising Star award (2006). Lynch’s vision strongly clashed w/ what the studio had in mind, which is NOT hard to imagine. As one viewer (who saw the 3 hr. version on TV) noted: “It seems more a DeLaurentis film than a Lynch film.” The Young’uns may be put off by a repetitive soundtrack and heavy use of voice-over. Some of the acting (esp. by the villains) is laughably over-the-top. Many viewers appreciated the costumes, sets, and visual effects (which are a different category from SFX).

“The Holdovers” (2023) starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, & Dominic Sessa

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from The Holdovers (now available for streaming).

Discomfort and Joy. -Tagline for the movie

At Barton Academy in a small town of New England, nobody likes the history teacher, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti). The staff and students find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With nowhere to go over Christmas break of 1970, Paul remains to supervise a few boys unable to travel home. After a few days, only one student remains- Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa)- a V smart senior w/ a bad attitude. Joining these men is the school’s head cook, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), a Black woman whose son was recently killed in the Vietnam War. These three lonely people form an unlikely/family-like bond for 2 snowy wks.

Paul Hunham [remembering her son]: He was a great kid. I had him one semester. Very insightful.

Mary Lamb: Mm-hmm. He hated you. He said you were a real asshole.

Paul Hunham: Well, uh, like I said… sharp kid, insightful.

A star is born! And how lucky are we to discover his talent from this early stage? Sessa (then 17 y.o.) was encouraged by his theater teacher at Deerfield Academy (a private HS) to audition for this indie (directed by Alexander Payne). A team was scouting locations at several high schools; the casting agent also met w/ boys for possible roles. Sessa assumed that it wasn’t a big movie; after all, they were considering his school. As Giamatti noted, Sessa has the kind of face out of the ’70s; he is also tall, V slim, w/ naturally curly hair. The respected/veteran character actor (lead in Sideways, directed by Payne) commented that the newbie actor “reminded me of my own son.”

He was a pretty grounded, level-headed person. And I also think his generation is comfortable around cameras, which is a big sort of leg up they have. I felt an affection for him that mimicked the movie in a way. I came to really like him even more, and more, and more, as we went on. -Paul Giamatti (actor) when asked about working w/ his young/newcomer co-star Dominic Sessa

It’s a bit weird in some ways. Maybe it gets easier as you keep coming back. For me, I have no expectations about it. There’s something a little wrong with you if this feels normal! -Dominic Sessa (actor, age 21) when asked re: his opinion of award shows on the EE BAFTA red carpet

Authenticity is the word that 1st comes to mind here (the snow is real); the film looks and sounds like it was made in the ’70s. Issues of class, race, privilege, loneliness/disconnection, and grief are explored, though NOT in a heavy-handed manner. As we’d expect from an actor at Giamatti’s level, the acting is seamless (as he becomes the character). Giamatti said he attended an all-boys school IRL, though didn’t live in the dorms (as his family lived in town). Both he and Randolph (who has won many supporting actress awards this season) are graduates of Yale. Sessa (nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the EE BAFTAs) said that his co-stars were V helpful, as they’d had formal acting education and a LOT of experience.

Randolph (who loves to research her roles) modeled Mary’s look on her aunts and grandmother. She studied the Boston accent historically accurate for a woman of Mary’s generation/background. Mary is the character who grounds the story; she has the lived experience of someone outside the privileged bubble of these (mostly white) students and teachers. We learn that her son joined the military hoping that it’d help pay for college, BUT he didn’t even make it past age 20! One of the holdovers is rude/disrespectful to Mary, BUT Angus and Paul don’t let him get away w/ it. Though she is plagued by grief, she still has to do her job of feeding the school community. Notice that her son is the only one killed in this current war, as otherwise “Barton men don’t go to Vietnam” (Paul and Angus discuss after they leave the local diner).

Paul Hunham: I guess I thought I could make a difference. I mean, I used to think I could prepare them for the world even a little. Provide standards and grounding like Dr. Greene always drilled into us. But, uh, the world doesn’t make sense anymore. I mean, it’s on fire. The rich don’t give a shit. Poor kids are cannon fodder. Integrity is a punch line. Trust is just a name on a bank.

Paul Giamatti is our real-life Brad Pitt. We can’t all be Brad Pitt, and I mean that in the most positive way. Paul is a man of a certain age that men can relate to. That’s why I think Paul is our real-life Brad Pitt- [he’s] a champion of reality. What is real? An everyday man. -Da’Vine Joy Randolph (actress) in Variety magazine

I have to admit that this film made me cry (yup, even more than Past Lives and American Fiction). It’s a unique blend of drama and comedy w/ well-developed characters. The themes in this movie are universal, though we get a slice of life story. At the center of the story is empathy, as Payne and the lead actors all noted. I esp. enjoyed the 2 scenes where Paul and Angus convince others they’re family– father-son (at the hospital) and uncle-nephew (in Boston upon running into a Barton alumnus). The revelation re: Angus’ father was a BIT of a shock; when they meet, Sessa is transformed into a vulnerable boy desperate for approval!