The Wrestler

The Wrestler
2008 - Fox Searchlight
Directed by Darren Aronofsky



SYNOPSIS
Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was the king of wrestling in the mid to late 1980's, best known for his legendary match against The Ayatollah. 20 years on, Randy is all washed up. Living in a trailer park and working during the week doing manual labor at a grocery store, he wrestles on the weekends, keeping his dreams of a comeback alive. When he's not in the ring, he eying a middle aged stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) at the local strip club.
After a brutal match, The Ram suffers a heart attack, and bypass surgery. Doctors say he can never wrestle again. So he tries to start a new life. He tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and fails. His budding relationship with Cassidy doesn't blossom as well. His steady job goes down the tubes. But there is one thing to keep him going... a 20th anniversary rematch with the Ayatollah.

MY THOUGHTS

There are a few acting performances where you can absolutely positively imagine no other actor in the role. Brando in 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' Jack Nicholson in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.' Daniel Day Lewis in 'There Will Be Blood.' This is one of THOSE performances. Mickey Rourke simply is The Ram. His performance is that realistic.
You feel his every emotion, whether it be pain from pulling barb wire out of his skin, or pain from his failed relationship with his daughter, or loneliness and desperation.
In his battered face you see every single day in those 20 years. No other known actor could have played that aspect of the part, they would have been too pretty.

You can also draw many parallels with the fictional Ram and real-life Rourke. Both were phenoms of the 80's. They suffered diminishing returns in the 90's, and fought to reclaim their lofty heights in the 00's. Rourke reclaimed that and even took it to new heights.

Marisa Tomei was also excellent. I loved the way the story compared and contrasted her character with The Ram. Both character's professions are frowned upon by most people. Strip club patrons made fun of her because of her age, yet The Ram never faced those criticisms in the ring.
Cassidy was a responsible both as a parent and with her finances, while Randy was the complete opposite.
He was lonely and needing companionship and she was quick to brush him off and keep her distance.

The cold, bleak weather and gray, gritty color palette added a real dimension to the story and showed Randy's depression after missing wrestling, without the need for words. This was a subtle mark of a great director at work. The film is very different from Aronofsky's other works like 'Pi' and 'Requiem For a Dream,' and shows this young director has great range.

It's a shame Rourke did not win the Academy Award... but Sean Penn's performance in 'Milk' was also one of THOSE performances.

The Trouble With Harry

The Trouble With Harry
1955 - Paramount
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock



SYNOPSIS

A young boy (Jerry Mathers) comes across a dead body in the woods in rural New England. He runs home to tell his mother. An older man (Edmund Gwynn) also comes across the same body and believes he shot it while hunting and decides to hide it. The boy returns with his mom Jennifer (Shirley MacLaine) and she seems glad the man (Harry) is dead. A middle aged woman named Miss Gravely (Mildred Natwick) happens by, followed by the town doctor (who doesn't notice) and lastly a drifter comes by and swipes the corpse's shoes. Both women also believe they contributed to Harry's death.
Unsuccessful local artist Sam Marlow (John Forsythe) goes into the woods, finds the body, and sketches it. The older man is still there and they agree to bury the body. The old man accounts for all his bullets, and realizes he didn't kill Harry, so the body is dug up. The body is buried and dug up several more times before the doctor is brought in and finds out what really killed Harry.
Meanwhile, Jennifer and Marlow fall in love, as do the old man and Miss Gravely.



MY THOUGHTS

This blacker-than-black comedy is a showcase for Alfred Hitchcok's macabre, twisted, definitely British sense of humor.
Ocassionally laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes too absurd and goofy, the film excells, offering a vastly different film than you'd expect from the Master of Suspense.
This almost operates as a parody of his standard fare. There's little action, suspense or mayhem. It starts like an atypical one, with the discovery of a body, but quickly veers off in another direction.

The 4 main character's situation seems a little ridiculous, and they handle it in an equally illogical way. Each of the actors display their character's quirks and bring a sense of realism. But there's more surreal in the story than real. There's no way that real people would react with as much indifference to seeing a dead body, or to repeatedly change their minds about burying it. But the direction and script are so good, the viewer suspends his/her disbelief and stays on board for the ride.

John Forsythe and Shirley MacClaine (in her debut) are great but are outshone by Edmund Gwynn and Mildred Natwick. Both couples have great chemistry.
Their two love stories are purposly made to be parallel to compare and contrast. The man and woman in each couple have never met, yet live in the tiny community where they know everyone else.
The main difference is young love vs. old. Forsythe is quick to ask for MacClaine's hand in marriage and there seems to be a lot of passion and lust there. The older couple moves slower and wiser and come across more as friends than impassioned lovers.
Some racy double entendres litter both of the courtships and create much of the non gallows-related humor.

The appearance of a pre-Beaver Jerry Mathers made me wonder why they could't have made a 'Leave it to Beaver' episode where the Beav found a corpse... or at least went around carrying a dead animal.

The photography is amazing. New England during the fall adds so much to the small town feel to the film.

The film is also noted for Hitchcock's first pairing with composer Bernard Herrmann, who delivers a solid score, but it doesn't stand out like his more well known ones later on like 'Psycho' or 'Vertigo.'

If you go into this film expecting to see a standard Hitchcock film you will leave disappointed, but there's a lot to like here. It isn't his best film, but it is fun seeing him experiment.

Hollywood: Then And Now #2 The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski
1997 - Polygram
Directed by Joel Coen

Location 6700 block of Santa Monica Blvd between Highland Ave. and McCadden Place.

Then:




The Dude is picking up Walter and 'the ringer' at Walter's workplace.

Now: 7/2009



Walter's shop is now a medical marijuana dispensary. The Dude would be abide by that...

Hollywood: Then and Now #1 Three Little Pigskins

This is a new segment where I will visit a classic filming location or other important sites and share then and now photos. First up is a hilarious early classic short from the Three Stooges:

Three Little Pigskins
1934 - Columbia
Directed by Ray McCarey

Location - 6315/6317 Yucca Street in the heart of Hollywood

Then:

Moe, Larry, and Curly get work promoting a football game and are carrying signs to promote it.

Now - 7/2009



The original building still remains, but large bushes (and presumably a fence) block the former storefronts. The building now houses The LA branch of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. The school no doubt chose this location to call home from this classic display of dramatic acting... or they were just a victim of circumstance.

13 Rue Madeleine

13 Rue Madeleine
1947 - 20th Century Fox
Directed by Henry Hathaway



SYNOPSIS

Bob Sharkey (James Cagney) is training new members of the U.S. Army Intelligence (OSS) during the height of World War II. Some of his new recruits include Jeff Lassiter (Frank Lattimore) and Bill O'Connell (Richard Conte.) Sharkey's superiors inform him that one of his students is a German agent. He soon concludes it is O'Connell, but doesn't let the spy know he knows and assigns him to a mission, all the while feeding him misinformation about the coming invasion of France (D-Day.) O'Connell accompanies Lassiter and a female French coworker (Annabella) to capture a man who designed a German missile site. O'Connell cuts Lassiter's parachute, and he tumbles to his death. Sharkey follows them and completes the mission, rescuing the Frenchman, but not before getting captured. The Nazis take him to Gestapo headquarters at 13 Rue Madeleine in Le Havre, trying to find the location of the coming Allied invasion.

MY THOUGHTS

The film industry's war machine was still in full effect for several years after WW2 ended. This war film was one of dozens that the studios churned out recounting heroic tales of the conflict in the years following the war.

Though not a true story, the film was shot in a documentary style, using a narrator and was shot at many of the actual locations the story takes place. This gives it a very real effect. The dry documentary style rarely creates suspense or excitement (until the end) and the script lacks action, apart from a few small fights. The film starts out achingly slow in the training stages but picks up pace after the new officers move into their missions. The final 30 minutes move fast as the characters discover their fate.

The last 30 or so minutes show director Henry Hathaway's strengths as a director. He's one of the best of the unsung directors of Hollywood's golden age.

The real highlight is the performances.

Cagney is in great form as usual. His acting is more subdued and subtle than his fast talking gangster parts he's known, but just as charismatic. He's as patriotic as he was in "Yankee Doodle Dandy," just not as in-your-face about it.

Conte is also excellent. He acts like two totally different characters from his easygoing faux-trainee to his evil Nazi, and comes across very cunning and sinister in the latter.

Cagney, Conte and the others excel, even though the script did a poor job of fleshing out the characters.

Still, the film's deficiencies are no match for it's lead star. James Cagney can practically do no wrong playing tough guy characters. He lights up the screen, and makes what could have been a ho-hum film a delight to watch.

That Gang Of Mine

That Gang Of Mine
1940 - Monogram
Directed by Joseph H. Lewis


(from my personal collection)


SYNOPSIS

Muggs (Leo Gorcey) dreams of being a jockey and making serious dough, even though he's never even been on a horse. As he and his fellow East Side Kids' clubhouse is getting painted, the group hangs out at an abandoned stable. Muggs lives out his dream riding a sawhorse, with the others cheering him on, as Danny (Bobby Jordan) plays an impassioned radio announcer calling the faux-race.
Muggs falls and literally lands on top of a Thoroughbred horse. The horse and his owner Ben (Clarence Muse) are taking refuge at the stable after a long trip from Kentucky. The kids get some money (legally) to get Muggs riding the horse (named Blue Knight) in a race. Ben trains Muggs, but Muggs isn't as fearless as he makes himself out to be. He's scared of speed.
Meanwhile, some crooked gamblers try to keep Blue Knight out of the race by burning down the stable. The horse escapes and Muggs pulls a gravely injured Ben from the blaze.
Muggs is forced to come to terms with his shortcomings as a jockey and convinces another racer to take his place, so Ben has a better chance of seeing his horse win, before he dies.

MY THOUGHTS

The East Side Kids films could be summed up in one word, horrible. The films were shot in less than a week for a budget of what looks like 25 bucks, none of which seemingly went to the screenwriters. I should frown upon them and have nothing but contempt for them... but I LOVE them. This was the third of the 22 films in the series.

The real key to their enduring success are the performances of Gorcey, Jordan, and Morrison (later Huntz Hall and Gabriel Dell.)

Leo Gorcey shows much more range than he really ever did before or after here. Muggs' inner struggle over his fears of racing and/or letting his friends down really humanizes him and seems less cartoonish than he usually did.

Bobby Jordan is insanely likable. His Danny is a great friend to Muggs and can be serious and quick witted. The two actors play off each other well, which you have to chalk up to their 5 year working relationship (by this point.) Jordan's a very underrated actor.

'Sunshine Sammy' Morrison is also a delight. He's the goofy comic relief here. The writers of the series often saddled him with nauseating levels of racism. Here he mentions that his 'pappy was from Kentuck.' This was only an inkling that was to come, which many would exclaim:



Character actor Clarence Muse is able to rise above any of the racial stereotyping based on his strong performance. Ben is a sagely teacher and Muse delivers what just might be the best 'guest' performance in the series.

There is a great bit of slapstick at the beginning of the film as Danny, Scruno, and the boys are 'redecorating' the outside of their club. Once Blue Knight comes into the picture the siliness takes a back seat to the drama, but the transition is done in a smooth manner.

The horse racing scenes are well shot, despite the time and budget constraints.

This is not one of the best of the series, yet not one of the worst. It is an entertaining way to spend 62 minutes.

A recent interview with the only surviving East Side Kid from this film, Eugene (Algy) Francis, can be found here, courtesy of www.filmsofthegoldenage.com

Thunderhead - Son Of Flicka

Thunderhead - Son Of Flicka
1945 20th Century Fox
Directed by Louis King



SYNOPSIS
In this sequel to My Friend Flicka, (reviewed here) Ken McLaughlin (Roddy McDowell) is searching for Flicka who didn't return with the herd. He finds her with her young colt, who's quickly named Goblin. Ken dreams of having a racehorse and riding it to victory. Before that happens, the free-spirited Goblin needs to be tamed. Meanwhile, a wild albino horse has been taking mares from the McLaughlin farm and others, and causing severe hardship for Ken's family. Despite the financial problems, Ken's dad (Preston Foster) allows Ken and Goblin (now rechristened Thunderhead) to enter a local match. The horse is very close to winning the race when he injures a tendon in his leg, ending his racing career. Soon after the albino strikes again and gravely injures the alpha dog (horse?) of the herd. Ken, his dad, and their two ranch hands go off to kill the albino. During the night, Thunderhead escapes, waking Ken, who follows. The following morning the albino corners Ken when he spots all the kidnapped (horsenapped?) mares. Enter Thunderhead to the rescue and an epic battle to the death ensues... and Ken is forced to make an important decision.

MY THOUGHTS

This film takes the great first film and builds upon it, and delivers. The story remains simple and straighforward, but there's more story and a shorter run time so it moves at a brisk pace.

Most of the cast is back from the first and know their characters well. Roddy McDowell shows development as an actor, but his English accent somehow seems even thicker here (odd for the heartland of the USA.) The girl playing Hildy is still annoying. Ken's parents deliver solid performances again.

It's the nonhuman actors that really shine here. I have no idea how the horse wranglers/trainers were able to get such great performances from the horses. I'm sure there had to be some serious animal abuse. The horse fights seem like real ones and could never be done today. The ASPCA and PETA would be on the filmmakers with shotguns quick. The scene where Thunderhead encounters a porcupine was very humerous and well shot.

This film takes the camera deep into the wilderness, more than the first one ever did. The scenery is breathtaking, made even better in technicolor. Shots of the herd of horses running between canyons, a huge waterfall, and wide open valleys are some of the many visual treats for the eyes. These were shot in Utah and Oregon.

I believe horse racing is one of the top two sports that translate to film the best (the other being boxing.) The racing scenes looked great, but have been done far better in other films like "The Black Stallion."

My only real fault with the film is Flicka. She's there at the beginning of the film and promptly vanishes and is never spoken of again. Since Ken established such a strong bond in the first one, it's odd he would completely blow her off for Thunderhead. It don't recall if this was the same in the book (It's been WAY too long since I read it as a kid) or maybe her scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Either way, it's a head scratcher.

The film is an excellent one for the whole family, but you may be a little leery to show this to the real young due to a horse being put down, after it was attacked. It is shown off screen but the gunshot and reaction from Thunderhead and Ken may be upsetting. The climactic horse battle is violent and could be problematic as well. Otherwise it's terriffic.