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R.I.P. Buck Henry

One of the wonderful aspects of life is that the work of someone’s career can last and be enjoyed long after their passing.

Henry Zuckerman also known as Buck Henry passed away the other day.  Henry was a wonderful performer, writer, and film director.  Henry started as a comedic actor first – most often playing dry-by the book-mousey types.  He was brilliant in these roles.  Buck was the host of Saturday Night Live 10 times in its early years. Henry, however was a brilliant screenwriter.

In the space of three years Buck Henry would create the screen plays\stories for The Graduate, Get Smart, and Catch 22.

Henry Directed and Co-Starred (as The Escort) in Heaven Can Wait one of my very favorite films.  Heaven Can Wait won 5 Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Male and Female) and Best Art Direction.  It was nominated for 4 others (Director, Screenplay, Cinematography and Music).  Heaven Can Wait was a terrific collaborative effort between Henry and Warren Beatty.  In it Henry (as the Escort) delivers to Warren Beatty (Leo J. Farnsworth) one of my very favorite lines in film:

Mr Farnsworth do the words “not being a good sport” mean anything to you?

R.I.P. Buck Henry

January 13th, 2020 | Category: Movies | One comment - (Comments are closed)

Sticking it to Teflon… Almost

The plot of Big Business and or Big Government against the commoner with a rigged outcome as the likely result has been the foundation for some memorable films.  The Rainmaker, Runaway Jury, and A Civil Action are the juicy and colorful versions that come to mind.  The Insider and The Verdict are the brooding darker editions that immediately jump out to me. Spotlight the Academy Award Winner for 2015 is a blend of both.

Dark Waters produced by and starring Mark Ruffalo is of the brooding, dark, and completely exhausting ilk.  By the films’ end the characters are completely drained and so it could be said for most viewers.  Dark Waters does not sugar coat or lighten things up.

Director Todd Haynes (Carol) creates a pace and landscape which demonstrates with great effect how overwhelming a fight against the system in the wrong can be made to atone for its sins can feel. Cinematographer Edward Lachman (Erin Brockovich) cements the feeling with a cool, dreary, and not quite winter not quite fall lighting and setting.

The roles for the supporting cast of Anne Hathaway (Devil Wears Prada), Tim Robbins (Mystic River), Bill Camp (12 Years A Slave), and Mare Winningham (Threshold) are solid and fairly well performed.  The actors are challenged lines evolking the same dreary and likely outcome.

Dark Waters wants the viewer to feel what the actors are experiencing.  It succeeds, but be careful what you wish for.

It should be noted that by Hollywood standards this film about lawyer Bill Billot and his fight against E.I. Dupont Chemical and its Teflon product is a true story.

December 16th, 2019 | Category: Movies | Comments are closed

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Impact Like Few Other Films

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood a film by Marielle Heller starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys delivers with an impact like few others.

It’s story-line is based on true events and people as much as Hollywood films allow and its story-telling resonates.

It would be a mistake to say A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is about Mr. Rogers the actor, and Fred Rogers the man.  Both are in the film and play a central role performed beautifully by Tom Hanks. However, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is really about dealing with our fears and anger and is told and presented from the vantage of a skeptic and cynic. A person who has reasons to be skeptical and cynical.

Ironically, this skeptical and cynical person is not unique.  We know many like them and the elements and events in their life that led to their world view in general and opinion of do-gooders like Fred Rogers in specific.  On certain days and on certain topics we may even be them.

As with the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reveals the remarkable and simple humanity and humility of Fred Rogers. Rogers was and remains to this day (via his television legacy) the real deal.  His true legacy is that he could reach children and adults and get them to deal with their feelings and fears. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood pays tribute to it.

December 1st, 2019 | Category: Movies | Comments are closed
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