On Golden Pond, old Norman Thayer,

A neither fond nor kind naysayer,

Will celebrate his eightieth year

And broods at length that death is near.

 

Growing old leaves him nonplussed

As years of gold begin to rust.

His kindly wife, his Ethel poses:

Aim at life and smell the roses.

 

Their Chelsea, grown, arrives one night

And not alone nor without spite.

Her dentist beau she calls Bill Ray

Is with her, though they cannot stay.

 

They drop Bill’s son with both the Thayers,

Whose thoughts of fun are fishing snares.

While first the boy is rather bored,

He finds the joy peace can afford.

 

The fishing trips and classic tales

And Norman’s snips when Norman fails

Become routine. Each finds a friend,

And no one’s keen for this to end.

 

On Golden Pond, the man and lad

Share better bonds than Chelsea had.

She tries to please and move beyond

Bad memories on Golden Pond.

 

Despite their love, Norman must be

Reminded of mortality,

But death can wait. For memories fond,

It’s not too late on Golden Pond.

______________

 

Based on Ernest Thompson’s play, On Golden Pond is a beautiful portrait of difficult family relationships, elderly anxieties, and how a small cast of imperfect characters deal with such issues. Like 12 Angry Men, Henry Fonda’s only other film on my list, On Golden Pond is a Triple A movie, one that is All About the Acting. It was his last film before his death and earned him his only Best Actor Academy Award. Katharine Hepburn as Ethel Thayer also won Best Actress, and both undoubtedly deserved their accolades. The gentle repartee between the two master thespians connotes a lifetime together on which Henry’s apparent bitterness has no effect. Every pessimistic barb he releases is countered by her encouragement, such that they truly complement each other.

Plays are different from films in many ways, but the most notable disparate aspect is the dialogue. Movies can try to make do with a mediocre script in favor of amazing visuals or ample star power, but plays (especially non-musicals) live and die by the keenness of their scripts. Thompson won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for good reason because On Golden Pond’s is a masterpiece. Every conversation feels entirely real, with believable humor and sentiment, only enhanced by the seasoned professionals speaking.

While I have wonderful parents and can’t personally relate to Chelsea’s poor connection with her father, my VC had a parent who was likewise “emotionally constipated,” as she calls it. The depiction of this stiff relationship is well-written and balanced; Norman is at fault for his tactless criticisms, and Chelsea is at fault for taking them so personally, compared with her mother who knows Norman’s inarticulate love outweighs his external brusqueness. The father-daughter reconciliation is given greater authenticity by the fact that Jane Fonda as Chelsea really was his daughter.

Like Pixar’s Up, the film is also a warm portrayal of the potential affection between the old and new generations. While young Billy Ray expects Norman to be a boring old codger, which he is, he finds enjoyment in simple pleasures foreign to his life in L.A. When Norman urges him to read an unknown book called Treasure Island, I’m reminded of my astonishment when one of my cousins also claimed to have never read it nor heard of author Robert Louis Stevenson. Norman’s preoccupation with fishing and books may be old-fashioned, but the ways in which he gets Billy to enjoy these supposedly boring amusements are both refreshing and satisfying. (I can’t help but wonder if this could be done with the present generation of smartphone addicts.)

Punctuated by Henry Fonda’s nuanced curmudgeon, On Golden Pond is a simple but effective film which also boasts lovely waterfront cinematography and a mellow, Oscar-nominated score, part of which is suspiciously reminiscent of a few strains from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Yet the acting is truly what makes it a classic; Henry Fonda made quite an impact on Hollywood, but this final role was his best.

Best line: (Billy Ray) “So, I heard you turned 80 today.”

(Norman) “Is that what you heard?”

(Billy Ray) “Yeah. Man, that’s really old.”

(Norman) “You should meet my father.”

(Billy Ray) “Your father’s still alive?”

(Norman) “No, but you should meet him.”

 

Artistry: 10

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 9

Watchability: 8

Other (script, score, and relationships): +8

Other (language): -1

 

TOTAL: 52 out of 60

 

Next: #101 – The Passion of the Christ

© 2014 S. G. Liput

224 Followers and Counting

 

Ted Kramer is having an excellent day,

Until he comes home for Joanna to say

She’s fleeing him, leaving him,

Terribly grieving him,

Finding her own life by getting away.

 

He isn’t prepared for the loss of his wife,

And now he is forced to reorder his life.

At first, he’s unwilling

But does his best filling

The role she vacated with maximum strife.

 

As many months pass, he and Billy connect.

Though fatherhood causes vocation neglect,

The bike rides and stories,

The worries and glories

Are moments he treasures more than they expect.

 

A year and a half of both good and bad later,

Joanna returns, and more struggles await her.

She wants her dear Billy,

But Ted’s rightly chilly.

They each fight in court with their own mean debater.

 

As both Kramers beg, the judge hears every side,

But Ted’s heartfelt pleas are completely denied;

But, seeing how broken

He is, as a token,

Joanna lets Ted keep their shared joy and pride.

_________________

 

Kramer vs. Kramer features Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep perfectly playing two very imperfect people, roles that won both of them Academy Awards. As most critics mentioned, the film is so compelling because it isn’t black and white. While Joanna is certainly blamed for her abandonment of her responsibilities to her son, she is not vilified for it, and, since the years of assumed neglect are not shown, there is room for her actions being partially justifiable.

Still, the film’s and the audience’s sympathies lie squarely with Ted, who is by no means an ideal parent but does his best, as do we all. His struggles relating to Billy are entirely believable, since he mostly left child duties to Joanna, and his embracing of his paternal role is sweet and gratifying. Even for those who have never had children, the film brilliantly captures the realistic ups and downs of parenthood, from unforeseen accidents that leave parents guilt-ridden to simple joys and routines that are deeply missed when lost.

As I said, the film doesn’t go into the details of what leads to divorce but instead focuses on the negative impact it has on everyone involved. Everybody is miserable, and though they all manage to piece their lives together again, they are still obviously broken. The film overall makes a convincing argument for how fathers, as well as mothers, can be worthy single parents, a growing new concept at the time. The courtroom scenes also provide evidence of why lawyers gain a bad reputation, since the attorneys’ unkind probing and refusal to allow clarification of answers become frustrating for both parties. The final kindness Joanna bestows on Ted may be unlikely in real life, but it feels right, particularly for a film that showcases what a good parent Ted has become. Hoffman and Streep made this Triple A film the Best Picture winner it was, and, as divorce rates remain high, Kramer vs. Kramer’s realism and shared sympathies continue to keep it a timely film.

Best line: (Joanna, emotional at the end) “I woke up this morning, kept thinking about Billy, and I was thinking about him waking up in his room with his little clouds all around that I painted, and I thought I should have painted clouds downtown because then he would think that he was waking up at home. I came here to take my son home. And I realized he already is home.”

 

Artistry: 10

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 9

Watchability: 8

Other (realistic look at divorce): +3

Other (language, one scene with nudity): -1

 

TOTAL: 47 out of 60

 

Next: #147 – Die Hard

© 2014 S. G. Liput

184 Followers and Counting

 

While Charlie Babbitt’s under stress

To sell off cars to pay off debts,

His distant father dies and, yes,

His selfish son has few regrets.

 

He’s hurt and shocked and quite irate

When he gets little from the will.

He learns that most of Dad’s estate

Has gone to someone else, $3 mil.

 

This newly wealthy, unnamed other

Turns out to be Raymond Babbitt,

Charlie’s undiscovered brother,

Whom he never knew, dagnabbit!

 

This Raymond clearly is autistic,

A savant with great recall,

Emotion-lacking and simplistic,

Who depends on routines small.

 

Since Charlie plans to get his share,

He takes Ray from the institution.

Charlie doesn’t seem to care

About his bro, just restitution.

 

Due to Raymond’s fearful quirks,

They cannot fly back to L.A.

Instead, they drive, and Raymond irks

His brother Charlie all the way.

 

Ray’s repetition and strange habits

Drive his brother near-insane,

But as they go, the broken Babbitts

Share in memories and pain.

 

Though Charlie’s business nears its doom,

A visit to Las Vegas thrills

And grants them money and a room,

All thanks to Raymond’s counting skills.

 

When they at last get to L.A.,

It seems that Charlie’s changed his tune.

He wants his brother now to stay,

Regardless if it’s opportune.

 

He sees Ray as a brother dear,

Because of what he since has learned,

Yet, to the doctors, it seems clear

That Raymond ought to be returned.

 

Still, Charlie bids goodbye to “Rain Man,”

No more just a crazy loon.

As Raymond leaves his newfound “main man,”

Charlie says he’ll visit soon.

___________________

 

Rain Man is what I call a Triple A movie because it is All About the Acting. The entire movie revolves around Dustin Hoffman’s amazing portrayal of autistic savant Raymond Babbitt. It’s one of those roles of a lifetime that actors probably take just to prove how skilled they are. Every movement, every line, every step of his walk, every blank stare contributes to our believing that we’re watching a real person and not just someone putting on a show. That is acting, and Hoffman certainly deserved his second Best Actor Oscar win. Considering that he’s also played a woman, a 121-year-old man, and Captain Hook, it’s also a testament to his versatility.

Almost as impressive is Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt. His performance is not as nuanced as Hoffman’s, but he’s still quite convincing, both as a selfish jerk for most of the movie and a more compassionate brother by the end. Charlie is a main reason the film is as low as it is on my list; even if we sympathize with his wanting a share of his father’s estate, his egocentric behavior, frequent obscenities, and all-around unkindness toward his brother get old, even if the mental torment Charlie endures from Raymond’s quirks is often funny. Where Cruise really comes into his own is the Las Vegas scene, which not only has the best music of the film but also sees more touching moments between the brothers, such as Charlie finally appreciating Ray and teaching him to dance. Scenes like that make Charlie’s turnaround believable, even if the doctors remained incredulous.

Though the final scene was burdened by the 1988 writer’s strike, I found the ending mostly satisfying. Though I believe Charlie had changed and did have Raymond’s best interests at heart, he proved that he can be impulsive and probably didn’t realize what a responsibility life-long custody of his brother would have been. Raymond ended up in the right place for his needs, but at least the road trip helped Charlie to truly care for his brother, even if he got no special compensation (though Raymond did save his business).

The film also won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director (Barry Levinson), and I’d say that Hans Zimmer’s iconic, oddly African-sounding score also deserved to win. Despite quite a bit of unfortunate language, Rain Man is a powerful movie, thanks to a winning script and the chemistry of two fine actors, just the kind of film that’s best seen cut.

Best line: (Raymond, his best repeated line) “97-X. Baaam! The future of rock ‘n’ roll.”

 

Artistry: 9

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 9

Watchability: 8

Other (great script, music, and chemistry): +5

Other (language): -3

 

TOTAL: 46 out of 60

 

Next: #161 – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

© 2014 S. G. Liput

168 Followers and Counting

 

A teen from the slums has been tried for the death

Of his father, and nobody’s holding his breath.

With two witnesses, it’s an undoubted fact

That the young man is guilty of this heinous act.

But there’s a lone juror who will not walk out

Until he’s convinced beyond reasonable doubt.

The other eleven who make up this jury

Respond then with skepticism or with fury.

An irascible sadist who’s quick to lay blame,

An impatient guy who’d prefer a ball game,

A foreign watchmaker, a prejudiced bigot –

They all hear his speech, but at first they don’t dig it.

 

Yet this lone Juror 8 who just won’t let this go

Begins earning allies who see they can’t know

For sure the boy’s guilty; what first was baloney

Begins to reveal holes in some testimony.

“Perhapses” and “Maybes” turn hearts of all kinds,

And one by one, everyone changes their mind.

From the knife that was used to the loudness of trains,

Their reasoning wins till one loudmouth remains.

This man who had claimed that he wished justice done

Realizes he’s mad at his own estranged son,

And, choosing to not take it out on this youth,

He changes his vote for the sake of the truth.

__________________

 

12 Angry Men, a film based off of a teleplay, takes place almost exclusively in a single room. Since it’s very obvious it was meant to be a play, there is little action, and the entire plot centers around 12 men talking and arguing. It might be called the Angry Dozen. It’s the kind of film that could not be made today with modern man’s focus on explosions or violence. No one would pay today’s ticket prices to see such a simply made film. (Few people did when it was released in 1957. The movie failed miserably.)

Yet it is a classic with brilliant performances from its dozen actors and deductive dialogue that would make Sherlock Holmes proud. Its claustrophobic use of camera angles and use of close-up scenes, with the actor staring into the camera (long before Jonathan Demme earned acclaim for this technique), allow its relatively boring plot to remain interesting. The stakes of a young man’s life are never forgotten and help with the tension as well. This is what I call a Triple A movie because it is All About the Acting. It’s not the kind of film I like to watch regularly, but there’s no denying its status as a true film classic.

Best line: (speaking of the young man) “Bright? He’s a common, ignorant slob. He don’t even speak good English.”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 4

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 5

Watchability: 2

 

TOTAL: 28 out of 60

 

Tomorrow: #349: Dinosaur

© 2014 S. G. Liput