Reviews (47)

Love & Tumult in 1968 Paris
Once past the excessive, graphic nudity, or perhaps because of it, Bertolucci fashions a jarring glimpse of three fascinating young people against the backdrop of the 1968 French General Strike, which nearly toppled the government. For the three principals, hedonism, narcissism, and intoxication seem to dominate against what appear as lightly held political beliefs - socialism, love, compassion, tolerance. For example, siblings Theo and Isabelle sleep together naked, their sculpted bodies entwined. The All-American Matthew (well played by Michael Pitt) comes upon them sleeping nude (and slowly grows to love them), gathering some deeper yet perplexing knowledge. This learning process for Matthew weaves its way throughout the film: a likable youth from San Diego doing his best to slip into the idiosyncratic lives of these very French '60s eccentrics and their almost invisible, '60s uptight parents.

Bertolucci abruptly intercuts continuously with memorable past film scenes: for example, Garbo's soulful eyes laughing at Gilbert's insipid love from "Queen Christina." There are many of these lovely, thoughtful old film scenes that weld the humanity of these three characters to that of past lovers and haters. I found myself virtually loathing the insouciance of Theo and Isabelle, their adolescent adoration of things kitsch, such as Delacroix's 'Liberty Leading the People" with Liberty's face that of Marilyn Monroe. All this while exchanging drunk, violent words over politics, cinema and ragout when true fighters faced the formidable barricades in the streets of Paris.

But this is a film, I think, that one must settle into. Much of the first half appears about nothing much, perhaps a light titillating comedy. Slowly, we understand it is not that at all. The nudity, arguments, sex, politics, brilliant film cuts, and memorable period scoring give satisfaction to those of us 'lucky' enough to have lived through that tumultuous time. Perhaps younger, less authoritarian generations will view it with more intuition than we boomers. One of the director's realized intentions was to impart with his typical lyricism an inner realization of why love, even silly vacuous sex, is so much preferable to war (the General Strike and Vietnam, here). The ending is doubly startling. But by then, the parts have become the whole, the trivial vital. The significant beauty of this film lies in the director's wise, consummate vision. Well worth seeing. (For an amazingly contrasting view of the same period, see "Fog of War").

An Incisive Criticism of the '60s and Hypocrisy
The Dreamers is a new, primarily English-language film from the Italian king of cinematic controversy, Bernardo Bertolucci. If you've seen his past works, including 1900 and Last Tango in Paris, they provide a fairly clear idea of what to expect in this NC-17 foray into 1960's youth culture in France. The film is an extended analysis, really, of radicalism and some of the hypocrisies seemingly inherent in it. It forces us to confront the question of what truly is revolutionary, or conservative for that matter. The film answers that question in a way many of us will find unexpected.

Matthew (Michael Pitt) is an American student spending time abroad in France. He takes in the student protests with wide eyes, gazing in awe at the pure passion igniting these young people. Though the period is the '60s, Matthew still reflects the tucked-in conservatism of a decade past, wearing a jacket and tie almost as a shield from the craziness surrounding him. He soon meets two French siblings, Isabelle and Theo (Eva Green and Louis Garrel), both of whom are full of the revolutionary spirit. They are new and therefore attractive to Matthew, who shares a mutual love of movies with both. Not long after, he moves into the home of his two new friends, whose parents have gone away on an extended trip.

Now is the time audience members may begin to squirm. In between quoting movies to one another and acting out favorite scenes, Matthew begins to notice an unnaturally clingy relationship exists between Isa and Theo--they sleep and bathe together, and play sexually-laced games that often leave one in some state of undress. But this quasi-incest has a strange effect on Matthew, as slowly, the jacket and tie disappear, he begins to walk around barely dressed, and he starts to take part in the sex games, at first begrudgingly and then yearningly.

But as intoxicated as Matthew becomes with the lifestyle, he also is disturbed when Isa confides in him that she's never been on a date before. Harboring some genuine feelings for the young beauty, Matthew tries to lead her away from a life entirely dependent upon Theo and toward one of independence. In this way, the film draws a very interesting parallel. It really is conservatism--a resistance to change--that is keeping so-called radicals Isa and Theo in their exclusive relationship. The young innocent, Matthew, has become the revolutionary in trying to shatter what has become the comfortable tradition.

The film boasts three good, but not great performances. With stronger leading work, a good film could possibly have reached the next level. Gilbert Adair's screenplay, based on his own novel, is wonderfully subtle in weaving its critique of the radical movement, but is in fact so subtle that in some ways the film feels "small." Nevertheless, the film raises probing questions, particularly in the last scene, as a throng of protesters march down a street, all chanting in unison, not a single one distinguishable from the next. It begs the old question, "If a group of anarchists organize an anarchists' meeting, are they really anarchists anymore?"

Finally, credit must be heaped upon Fox Searchlight for not yielding to any suggestion that Bertolucci's vision be compromised by editing the film to achieve an R rating. Even without such censorship, it is disturbing enough that film footage of bare genitals and some sex is considered more damaging by the MPAA than, for example, the wholesale slaughter of recent horror offerings. In any case, when going to see The Dreamers, leave any prudish tendencies (or family members) at home.

Final Grade: B

Bold, brave and inquisitive
Bertolucci displays with this unnecessarily controversial movie more bravery than many other directors half his age. Anyone who is young should see it to observe the contradictions that youth's idealism brings upon the three protagonists. Anyone who is older should watch it to remember the bravery of times gone by, to remember a time when many of us still believed protests could change the world and to acknowledge the validity of both youth's panache and experience's fountain of knowledge.

Not all said up front
There are alot of things that are underneath the serface of this film. You might have to watch the film more than once to get it all. Things that have to obtained from the time and the charecters themselves.(I will not ruin them for you finding them is half the fun) The film is not one that you watch when you are bored with your buddys it is a film that takes all your attention to actually get it.The film ends with no changes in the people only an experience that changed their lives but could not change who they were nomatter how much they tried. I hate movies that charecters change because of an experience this movie seems real in that aspect because the people dont change. It is a little overthe top in certain aspects but it makes you think and is an enjoyable experience.

dreamy
Beautiful, disturbing, erotic, political, comic, thrilling, and thoroughly immersing. One of the most satisfying cinematic experiences I've had in a long time. Not to be missed! Much thanks to Bertolucci, who continues to make exquisite and exciting films! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This emotionally moving romantic drama was adapted by William Nicholson from his own acclaimed play, based upon the real-life romance (during the 1950s) between the British writer C.S. Lewis and a divorced American poet named Joy Gresham. Best known for writing TheLion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Lewis (Anthony Hopkins) is living comfortably as a respected Oxford don, his academic lifestyle a kind of shell protecting him from the emotional risk of love. Joy Gresham (Debra Winger) arrives at Oxford as an avid admirer of Lewis's writing, and the safety of his collegiate routine is quickly disrupted when Lewis realizes that he's fallen deeply and unexpectedly in love. Their courtship is uniquely engaging; he's shy and uncertain, she's outspoken and bold. But when Joy is diagnosed with cancer, Lewis's Christian faith is put to the test--he cannot fathom why their happiness together would be so drastically challenged. Together, they find a way to accept and honor the time they have shared together, and under the sensitive direction of Richard Attenborough, Shadowlands arrives at a conclusion that is both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Hopkins and Winger are equally superb in this absorbing story of personal and spiritual transformation--a story previously filmed for British television in 1985, with Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (85)

What Price Love?
This review refers to the DVD(HBO) edtion of "Shadowlands"...

With every viewing of this touching and true romance, I become more appreciative of what a fine film this is. Had I written a review after the first time I watched it, I probably would have gone 4 stars. The first time around, I really got to know C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham thanks to the deep and moving performances of Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. After that it was joy spending more time with them, really getting to know their story, and taking in the magnificent work of Director Richard Attenborough and the photography of Roger Pratt.

The story is a bittersweet tale of a mid-life romance that is all to short. C.S. Lewis, the famous writer of children's stories, lives the quiet life of a proper gentleman. He's a professor at Oxford,devout Christian,set in his ways, never married and is repsected by all that know him.When Joy Gresham a divorced, Jewish, Communist, brash New Yorker, with a young son enters his world,things as he knows them are about to change.They develop a friendship and soon she starts to melt the icy wall he has built up around his perfect world. To the shock of all those that know him well, Lewis finally lets his emotions be a part of his life. It is only when Joy becomes terminally ill with cancer, that he realizes the full depth of his love for this woman and her son, and must learn to deal with the pain as well.

I can't think of anyone else who could be C.S. Lewis. Hopkins is a virtuoso. One look at his eyes and we know the depth of his feelings. Winger is an impressive of a match for him as Gresham was for Lewis. She knows how to grab your heart and keep it("Terms of Endearment"). I must also mention the talented young Joseph Mazzello who turns in a remarkable performance as Douglas, Joy's son. William Nicholson has turned his stageplay into a beautiful screenplay, and the music by George Fenton flows with the story.

The DVD is a nice presentation in widescreen, that takes in the splendor of the scenery and sights of England. The tech info here states that the sound is in Dolby Dig 5.1. It is not.(This appears to be the only edtion) The sound is in DD2.0 Surround, and although the dialouge is a little low, the surround sound is very good. Special features include a "Behind the Scenes Featurette" and excerpts of interviews with the stars, the filmmakers and a now grown Douglas Gresham.

The story is a true love story.Five Stars for one that reminds us that to love and to be loved is worth the price of the pain it sometimes brings......enjoy....Laurie

Anthony Hopkins is the (almost) perfect CS Lewis
This is the story of CS Lewis's life--at least, his later life. Lewis, the brilliant intellectual, the revered Christian apologist, the man who seemed to have answers to everything, was living a calm and adequate life with his brother Warren. All of that changed when an American woman named Joy came along. Suddenly, Lewis (Jack, as he's called) finds he does NOT have the answers, and that there has been something missing from his life all along. This film is a story of the love that Lewis found, lost, and found again.

This movie is well-made, and very accurate as to the period and setting. Anthony Hopkins's performance is stunning--he seems to fit Lewis perfectly. I have always had a picture in my mind of how Lewis would look and behave, and Hopkins comes about as close to my mental image as is reasonably possible.

That having been said, Debra Winger's acting is absolutely horrid. Her accent is bad, her mannerisms are annoying, and she is simply not convincing in her role as Lewis's love. Also, I did not like that the movie ignored such great friends of Lewis's as Owen Barfield and JRR Tolkien (even if these men played a less significant part in his later life).

I would have liked to see these men, as well as others, in the movie, but was disappointed. Despite these shortcomings, however, Shadowlands is a pretty good representation of Lewis's life, and you can't beat Hopkins's brilliant acting when he plays the Oxford fellow. If you're a CS Lewis fan, this movie is worth seeing.

Is it about Lewis?
The movie was done well. The cast was magnificent. The scenes of the Oxford Campus were beautiful. The story drew me in. However, it did not present Lewis very well. First, it presents Lewis as being rather naive about suffering. He kept giving the same sermon over and over and implies that did not really understand suffering. This is not so. His mother died when he was very young. He was a soldier in World War 2. His close friend, Charles Williams, died around this period of his life. Second, the movie left the viewer with the impression that Lewis left his simple Christianity and grew into a better understanding of the world. He truly suffered when Joy died as the book, "A Grief Observed" describes beautifully, but he did not leave the faith.

I like the BBC version better. It is closer to the original play.

I recommend the movie, because it well done. However, I do not recommend the movie as a way to learn more about C. S. Lewis. It is a beautiful, fictional love story.

TIMELESS, INTENSE ROMANCE WITH LOADS OF OLD-FASHIONED VIRTUE
You should certainly see Joss Ackland's version of this film, which was a BBC production and hence true to the original play etc. Come to think of it, you may also want to read the original play itself by Hanff (which is on my wishlist but I have not yet read.)

Nonetheless, the thrilling chemistry between Debra Winger and Anthony Hopkins is very, very hard to resist and I wholeheartedly recommend this supposedly "Hollywood" version. It's ranks for me in the same genre as "The Remains of the Day" and "84 Charing Cross."

To begin with, how immaculate the casting is: Debra Winger plays an uninhibited and witty American poetess, while Anthony Hopkins plays a reclusive British middle-aged scholar at Oxford.

They meet over tea. She is in a withering marriage, but in her bull-in-a-china-shop American fashion, she arrives like a fresh wind to rock his musty ivory-tower existence.

As the film progresses, her crudeness (only exacerbated by Winger's awkward NY accent) is soon peeled away to reveal a heart of gold and a life-affirming sense of humor. For instance, while escorting her around Oxford, Hopkins haughtily says, "I do not really go in for seeing the sights." In response, she says, "So what do you do, walk around with your eyes shut?"

Such sprightly but tender moments evoke the screenplay's stirring underlying message -- pain is an inevitable ingredient of love. If you are looking for a somewhat weepy but always warm and wonderful romantic film, this is one of the best you'll find.

the hollywood-ized version of an interesting love story
When I discovered this movie was being made I was so excited. Unfortunately I spent most of my viewing time thinking, it didn't happen that way and WHERE IS HER OTHER KID?!?

But, if you know absolutely nothing about CS and Joy Lewis' life together and know nothing much about CS and Joy Lewis at all, you will enjoy this movie. It is a well-made, Hollywood love story. The acting is excellent and the storyline is compelling. Just keep in mind that this is NOT how it really happened and PLEASE go read for yourself the true story.

Oh, yeah, don't forget the Kleenex. It's a three box-er. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Bergman shines in religious epic
Overlong but fairly engrossing bio of Gladys Aylward, an English-woman who, despite her lack of qualifications, becomes a missionary in China. The film is episodic and covers Aylward's brief career as a parlor maid (saving money for her trip to China), her journey to China, her work at the Inn of the Sixth Happiness and the Chinese-Japanese war which results in her guiding 100+ children in an arduous journey through the mountains to a safer village. I didn't find the film as moving as other reviewers but it is well mounted and nice to look at. Bergman is outstanding as are other supporting players, most notably Curt Jergens and Robert Donat. This was Donat's last film (he died before it was released) and his last screen words are prophetic - "We shall not see each other again, I think. Farewell."

What is most notable about this dvd release is the excellent commentary by Nick Redman, Aubrey Solomon and Donald Spoto. Redman talks about the real Gladys Aylward, Solomon talks about the film production and Spoto discusses Ingrid Bergman. There were many things changed for the film version and many of them are small and inexplicable. For example, Aylward's given Chinese name was Ai-weh-deh (not Jenai), an adopted child was actually named Ninepence (Sixpense in the movie), etc. Other changes were more larger in scope - Aylward's journey to China was quite harsh and she almost died several times. The inn-keeper, Jeanne Lawson (memorably played by Athene Seyler) was no as agreeable a woman as portrayed in the film - she was actually a cantankerous person prone to fits and thought to be quite mad by the villagers. Aylward herself was thought by many to be fanatical and to put it bluntly, off her rocker. Many other fascinating aspects about the film and the women (both Aylward and Bergman) are included.

A must for every video library ! An inspiring tear-jerker !!
One rainy afternoon I was channel surfing and came across this movie and fortunately for me it was very close to the beginning. I was so drawn into the story and captivated by Ingrid Bergman's performance that I forgot I was even watching television!! This is one of the most touching and moving stories I have ever seen and (I won't give this part of the movie away) when the Chinese gave "Gladys" a new name and what that translated to in English I thought I was going to go through a whole box of tissues right then and there. The storyline, scenery and acting are superb and the fact that it is based on a true story only makes it more inspiring. My cousin is 18 years old and wants to pursue a career in the mission field and I told her many times that she has to see this film. So I'm not only going to purchase one for MY video library but one for HER'S as well.

following God's call
This is a magnificent film in every aspect; the acting is brilliant, the landscapes beautiful, the drama intense. Based on the true story of Gladys Aylward, a house maid in England who was "not qualified" to be sent to China as a missionary, so went there on her own, saving every shilling earned for a ticket on the Trans-Siberian railroad. Taking place in the pre-WWII era, it's an adventure story of great spiritual courage, the chaos of war, and a romance between two independent people who never thought they would find love.

Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Gladys. It is one of her very best performances, and my personal favorite. Robert Donat, who passed away before the film was released, is also marvelous as the Mandarin of Yang Cheng, and Curt Jurgens as Captain Lin Nan is handsome and believable as the man who falls in love with Gladys. In a small but pivotal part, Athene Seyler is terrific as Jennie Lawson, the elderly missionary who helps Gladys in her early years, and Peter Chong is a delight as Yang the cook.
It is odd that the only Oscar nomination went to director Mark Robson; perhaps Bergman was overlooked because she had received a "Best Actress" for "Anastasia" two years earlier, but Bergman fans will give this film their own five-star award.

The fabulous location filming by Freddie Young was done in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, a remarkable substitute for Shaanxi Province, in the heart of China. The village reproductions are very well done, and look incredibly similar to films I have seen shot in China. The lovely score by Malcolm Arnold adds much to the film, and Alan Burgess, whose book "The Small Woman" is the basis of the story, wrote the script, which is witty, wise and wonderful, with Isobel Lennart.
Many times I've laughed out loud , and many times I've cried watching this film; it's good for several viewings, as it is epic in scope, and the script has an intelligence that makes it a rare gem. total running time is 158 minutes.

In the film, Chinese tradition has five "Happiness" wishes: Wealth, longevity, good health, virtue, and a peaceful old age and death. "Each person must decide in their heart what the sixth happiness is".

Break out the Kleenex...
...for this manipulative, mawkish tear-jerker. The story feels superficial (you never get a feeling for Aylward's sense of spirituality, only the very ocassional bit of tacked-on religiosity), and it's all grossly sentimental. All those feel-good moments with singing kids and long hugs actually detract from the important message about selfless service by making self-sacrifice seem all too easy and romantic, even in the face of brutal Japanese invasion.

The casting choices will try your suspsension of disbelief, to say the least: a Swede as an Englishwoman, a hulking German as a half-Dutch/half-Chinese colonel, and an Englishman as a Chinese mandarin. That said, this is still a fun film if you take it for what it is. It boasts an unusual story and exotic setting, and Bergman is as radiant as ever (even if she overacts in a couple scenes). Donat and Jurgens are uqually winning, in their own way.

Hardly Bergman's best film, but certainly worth a watch if you're a fan.

Noah visits the baby Jesus
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness was filmed in Wales and the scenery is beautiful. Ingrid Bergman is in top form as Gladys Aylard would be missionary to China. One of my favorite scenes is when her assistant Yang, who has a fondness for Noah and his ark, is telling the diners at the inn that Noah came in his ark to visit the baby Jesus along with the wise men. When she gives him a disapproving look he goes on to explain that even though Noah was born long before Jesus people lived alot longer back then, so no one could say for sure that he couldn't have been there. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Every civilization needs a medicine man
Dr. Campbell (Sean Connery), a biochemist who has been doing extensive medical research for years in the lush rainforests of the Amazon, has found what just might be a MAJOR medical breakthrough. But that's not to say that he wouldn't enjoy just a little bit of help. Dr. Crane (Lorraine Bracco), a fellow biochemist comes to the aid of Dr. Campbell to help him as much as she can.

Will Dr. Campbell and Dr. Crane be able to find this miracle cure that could be just over the horizon? Will they be able to set aside their differences and actually be able to get along one of these days? These are the major questions that watching "Medicine Man" will answer for all the viewers who watch this great movie.

"Medicine Man" is one of those movies that doesn't need a bit of special effects to make it an unforgettable movie. It's a film that is real compelling and interesting to watch from start to finish without ever getting boring. With Sean Connery as the lead character, you know there will be great acting included.

If you're a fan of great movies, I definitely recommend to not miss out on your chance to watch and even own "Medicine Man."

Maligned Minor Masterpiece
The critics really blew it on this one. (Leonard Maltin must have been having a really bad day.) Some of the reviews are absolutely bewildering - as if they saw some other movie.

"Medicine Man" is the rare action/adventure film with something more than car chases and shootouts on its mind, a passionate parable of the rampant destruction of the rainforest and the miracles of nature now threatened by "progress".

Sean Connery gives one of the best, most nuanced performances of his career, almost certainly the definitive "mature" Connery role, and Lorraine Bracco is a perfect foil as the sharp-tongued but endearing "Dr. Bronx" - their conflict thoroughly understandable and its resolution none too easy.

The breathtaking beauty of the rainforest and the haunting images of the native tribes driven from their homes (or decimated by the white man's diseases) are punctuated by thrilling aerial sequences high above in the jungle canopy - "the top shelf in the pharmacological superstore".

Forget the critics. This is an almost perfectly realized film, one that just gets better with each viewing, one that stays with you long after it's over.

For Connery fans, I also recommend one of his early (and nearly forgotten) films, "The Hill".

For Medicinal Purposes
Before Medine Man, I didn't think of director John McTiernan, as someone who would put a "message" into his films. After all Die Hard, Predator, and The Thomas Crown Affair remake, are not exactly known as "thinking people" movies. I am an admirer of his action work very much and like Connery too. I was impressed with the way Medicine Man was able to combine enough action and message without going overboard in either direction.

Totally removing himself from modern society, Dr Robert Campbell (Connery), has become a Medicine Man to the people of the Amazonian village, in which he now calls home. Thanks to an unforeseen mishap, Campbell has discovered that the cure for cancer can be derived from a chemical found in a Brazilian flower. Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco), a fellow scientist from the states, tracks down the elusive Campbell in an effort to monitor his progress. The two doctors are practically at odds from the moment they meet. When a villager becomes sick, Campbell wants to use only remaining bit of cancer curing serum, to save the native's life. Rae isn't sure if that's a good idea. As if battling each other, weren't enough, the doctors find themselves having to also deal with a group of loggers who pose a danger to the village and to the cancer cure.

Shot in Mexico and Brazil, director McTiernan delivers the goods and the theme of conservation is delivered but not on a soapbox using a bullhorn. Also gone is the gore from McTiernan's other films, but the action is exciting to watch just the same. The sparks and chemistry between Connery and Bracco are intense. They are evenly matched in the film. Campbell is as memorable a character for Connery to play, as his turn as Malone was, in The Untouchables. Mention must also be made of composer Jerry Goldsmith's very fitting score to the film and how it adds flavor to the mix.

Medicine Man deserves to have a special edition DVD release. The bonus material is, to say the least, lacking. Aside from the forgone theatrical trailer, the disc also has an EPK style, and all too brief production featurette. Unfortunately, the featurette is even less interesting than watching paint dry.

Recommended until a better version comes along.

Really terrible casting....
When film historians look back at the early 90's, they will remember it as the decade that Hollywood started running out of ideas on how to do good movies. This film might have worked but the casting was just not there. The director should have seriously looked for the right actors to play the parts. The ones choosen here did not and could not pull it off, and it looks more like an infomerical.

Great Tree Hugger Flick!
If you are into anthropology or the environment, then you will definitely love this flick. It's hard to describe the movie without giving away the story, but it has a very interesting twist ending. I must admit that it could be taken as a bit of a propaganda movie for environmentalists...but for me, that just adds to its charm.

The casting, acting, and staging are all very well done. The movie is from 1992 but brings up an issue that is very pertinent in today's world.

As with many older movies that have been switched over to DVD, the special features can be considered weak/non-existent. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

How do you lose an American journalist in Chile?
Missing begins with journalist Charlie Hormon (played by John Shea) and his wife Beth (Sissy Spacek) spending time in Chile during the coup of 1973. Charlie wants to get the big scoop and although the streets are muddled with dead bodies and tanks, he feels quite safe, and consoles Beth with the line "They can't hurt us, we're Americans."

Needless to say Charlie turns up "Missing" and the majority of the film follows Beth and his father, Ed (Jack Lemmon), on a search for him. During their search Ed finds himself dumbfounded by the corruption and bureaucracy he constantly comes across, not only of the Chilean government but also surprisingly of the one he trusted most, the American government.

One may find this movie slow-moving if you don't really have too much background into the coup or are old-enough to remember some of the Cold War politics of the past. You don't get to know Charlie well enough through the script to really care that he's missing. These factors may add up to a dull movie for some viewers or it could motivate you to learn more. The film rewards every viewer with great acting performances and a cool soundtrack by Vangelis.

MISSING is left-wing propaganda? Not by a long shot!
Based on the true story of Charles Horman,a young American journalist who mysteriously vanished during Chile's 1973 coup and was later found dead, MISSING is an extremely well-constructed political drama--the first American film from Greek director Costa-Gavras (Z, STATE OF SIEGE).

John Shea portrays Charles Horman, who, while covering Chile with a friend (Melanie Mayron), disappears from view, causing his wife (Sissy Spacek) to ask for help from Shea's staunch "my country right or wrong" father Ed (Jack Lemmon). Lemmon openly disapproves of Shea's and Spacek's political views and staunchly supports the preservation of the American way of life. Unfortunately, his rose-colored view of his country slowly but surely come apart as he and Spacek, who are initially at considerable odds, unravel bit by bit important details. As one Chilean informant tells them, Shea disappeared because "he knew too much." He knew that thousands of innocent people were being murdered by the new Chilean government, a staunch right-wing one that ousted a far more Marxist regime led by Salvador Allende.

Eventually, MISSING comes to a point of increased sadness and anger, as Lemmon comes to realize that not only was Shea killed (in the national soccer stadium), but that his own government probably had a hand in doing it. The unfolding tragedy brings Lemmon and Spacek together in the end.

A very poignant and highly dramatic story, with a fine score by Vangelis, MISSING also boasts typically top-of-the-line performances by Lemmon and Spacek, who have never been anything less than watchable. The script by Costa-Gavras and Donald Stewart (the latter of whom would do the adaptations of three Tom Clancy novels in the 1990s), won a richly-deserved Oscar for adapted screenplay (from Thomas Hauser's similarly-titled novel).

As to the previous reviewer's attack on the film as left-wing propaganda, I honorably but strongly disagree with that notion.

The facts have shown that the U.S. government supported the coup against Allende only because he believed in communism, but the regime that came to power then systematically trampled over the basic human rights of its people. And here, it very well may have contributed to the death of a young American--and the U.S. government turned its back on that man! No government anywhere in the world, anti-communist or otherwise, is worth American support if it ignores human rights. THAT is the political arguement clearly at the heart of this excellent 1982 drama.

A MUST HAVE
Thought-provoking,shocking,and brave. As relevant today as it was when it first appeared in the early 1980's. The fact that this movie will most likely not be available outside the U.S. and Canada says a mouthful. There is no way you can walk away from this movie and not be disturbed.

Outrageous, unbelievable and true.
I have looked at the cover of this video many times and then put it down again-not being very interested in South American history. It just so happens that I'm taking a class in South American history (!) and we watched the film this week. If you want to know what a 'military coup' is...this film does an excellent job of illustrating just that. It is absolutely terrifying. And the fact that it was U.S. backed has simply outraged me. Richard Nixon's administration was so corrupt. Henry Kissinger had knowledge of this torture and allowed it to happen. I can understand why he's afraid to leave the country. He could easily be charged with war crimes against humanity. This is not an easy film to watch, but for over a decade, this is how Chile existed.

The Classic Search Theme
Yes, Costa-Gavras couldn't help putting his Leftist beliefs into this film, but to dismiss MISSING as mere propaganda for the Left is to miss the entire point of the movie. Beneath the thin political veneer is the classic theme of people searching for a loved one who is lost. There was John Wayne in THE SEARCHERS (nobody called that propaganda against Native Americans). Then there's Hitchcock's THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH where parents search for their kidnapped son. More recently, there was THE VANISHING (not the miserable American version--I mean the original French film).

So it is in this movie. Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek play the father and wife, respectively, of a young American man who vanishes off the face of the Earth during Chile's most violent uprising. They are an unlikely pair: Lemmon's character, Ed Hormon is a proud conservative American, whereas his daughter-in-law, Beth (Spacek) is a vaguley leftist hippie. However, their search for the missing Charlie, and their love for him, bring them together in almost typical Hollywood fashion. But the relationship is more complex. What saves the film from that two-dimensional Hollywood ending is that they are also brought together by the horror and very real fear of the violent chaos all around them. Each interrogation of witnesses, each visit to the local militia, each stop-over at the stuffed-to-the-windows morgues seem to quench a little more the sparks of hope and belief in their fellow man in their eyes.

I've always loved Jack Lemmon (God, I miss him!) in his brilliant comedies, but never cared for his serious roles (SAVE THE TIGER? Feh!). In MISSING, however, his performance is without flaw. Sissy Spacek delivers her reliable skills to this movie as well. See it.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS. ... Read more

Reviews (206)

Not as Great as it Should have been but It`s Well Made.
When a young man (Leonardo DiCarpio) decided to Travel around the World, in the Search of Adventure. When he meets a Strange Mystery Man (Robert Carlyle), who tells him about a Great Treasure abandon all sense of Humanity and Basic Decency, becoming Pananoid to a Degree of Visual Hell.

Directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) made a Unique film, which have should have been Better. Filmed Beautifully by Darius Khondji that keeps your attention. Director:Boyle keeps the viewers watching the film, Visual Style and Energy. Based on a Novel by Alex Garland (28 Days Later) from a Screenplay by John Hodge. This was a Box Office disappointment but it become a Cult Classic. DVD has an strong anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:An running Commentary Track by Boyle, Deleted Scenes With/Without Commentary and a Alternate Ending and More Extras. This Film is Not for All Tastes. Super 35. Grade:B+.

Well, I enjoyed it....
As a preface/disclaimer, I am a film studies major who appreciates inventive directing etc., but I also enjoy a cheap thrill...In terms of writing and style of directing, I wouldn't say it was the most original. However, it brings up an interesting moral dilemma, much like that of the great high school read "Lord of the Flies;" being, how much should you sacrifice for the good of your society, or whatever you would title the somewhat primitave infant island culture. Besides this question, it also delves into the life of Leo's character, who is at the age where he's not young anymore but not ready to settle into a career or a life role when he is still searching for his identity. As a college participant, I can certainly identify with this problem and I am sure that many others within 10 years of my age can as well. I wouldn't say that I would grant this movie a best picture nomination but it is worth viewing for the ideas that it brings up, not to mention the sites it depicts are well worth seeing. I guess girls who went to see Titanic 20 million times would like it as well, just so long as they could mute the movie and giggle with their friends about DiCaprio's pouty lips.

The best film yet!! Five stars it deserves 10 stars though!!
This movie is one of the best films that I've gotten yet, of course we all know Leonardo DiCaprio acted in Titanic (1997) but this movie is actually better than Titanic put it that way but I still love both movies!!!! I saw this movie on Satelitte before and that's what made me want to really B-U-Y this movie. I HIGHLY reccomend that you B-U-Y this movie today, if not today then whenever you can!! It's the best! My favorite scene is when the 3 of them go swimming to the Island.

????????
This film is so boring that I'm going .......... to fell ...... a .. sleep................zzzzzzzz

Paradise Lost...Again
The reason I'm taking a star off is because I've read the novel by Alex Garland. The novel is more intense and I was stunned by the hippie meltdown Armageddon at the end. If you liked the movie, definitely check out the book.

Like FIGHT CLUB and DONNIE DARKO, THE BEACH is a challenging film, and what makes it different is that you're watching a movie from the point of view of character who cracks up. You're drifting into dangerous new waters when you can't trust the star of the movie.
I also loved how paradise was, again, defiled by human beings--no matter how noble their efforts were.
If you're looking for Leonardo in a lame BLUE LAGOON-ish bit of tropical fluff, forget it: THE BEACH has something deeper and darker to say about this world's "paradise." ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

There was a time before Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago when David Lean made smaller, more effortlessly picturesque movies, and this splendid Venetian travelogue and love story is one of them--the last, actually, before the epic onslaught started with the Oscar-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai in 1957. "Sometimes I think a schedule in Venice is just, well, all wrong," observes a bewitched tourist to Katharine Hepburn's vacationing spinster near the beginning of Summertime, which is based on Arthur Laurents's play The Time of the Cuckoo. Before the end, however, Jane will have thrown her idealized romantic notions into the canals and embarked on a passionate affair with a married art dealer (Rossano Brazzi). More blissful than Lean's adulterous fable Brief Encounter 10 years prior, but not entirely guilt- or pain-free, this deceptively simple romance is an often-fascinating glimpse at a time when sexual revolution for Americans--and especially middle-aged women--was confined to fanciful European trysts. Plus, with all the architecture, art, Italian conversation, music, and fine cuisine around you (all richly photographed on location by Jack Hildyard), who's to pish-posh a furtive all-nighter between one repressive country and a free-loving one? The two leads are graceful and even musical in their movements and line deliveries. Hepburn's initial outrage at the idea that illicit love is part of her impossibly beautiful surroundings may at first seem outdated, but the Academy Award-winning actress is too good not to suggest as well the poignant, deep fear her character has of opening up emotionally to anybody. Ultimately, Summertime is the movie equivalent of a deep, satisfying sigh. --Robert Abele ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Venice, Katharine, Rossano, Romance; enough said!
I have watched this magical bittersweet movie at least 25 times. And it only gets better every time. Katharine Hepburn is just superb as the spinster who finally makes a much anticipated trip to Venice, Italy. 'Everything' about this delightful film creates the ultimate escape for the true romantic viewer. The scenery of Venice, filmed in 1955, is breathtaking. Katharine is at her very best and Rossano is perfect as the married Italian man she reluctantly but helplessly falls in love with. The symbolism expressed throughout the film is sweet, sad and haunting. The little boy she befriends is adorable, and the almost ever present theme song quickly becomes, "One of your favorites"... I cannot recommend this charming, captivating and heart-warming film enough!

take me to venice!
this criterion collection "sleeper" is a treasure! the film itself is a poignant love interlude for the independent but lonely jane hudson on her long-awaited trip to venice. hepburn gives a beautiful performance and is matched every step of the way by rossano brazzi as her love interest.a bitter-sweet tale of "be careful what you ask for" that doesn't sweeten the pill. the real winner(apart from you, if you purchase this disc!),is the stunning dvd transfer by criterion-simply one of the most beautiful of films and a showcase for the format venice has never looked as ravishing!a must have for any serious collection.

A thoughtful and colorful Hepburn film
Katharine Hepburn plays Jane Hudson, an unmarried woman vacationing alone in Venice. The city captivates her, though it's not long before her loneliness begins to take away her enjoyment of its sites. When she meets Renato, an Italian who owns an antique shop, she is nervous and thrilled by the near instantaneous attraction between them. Like the city itself, Renato holds out the promise of an unforgettable experience, even though he's a married man. Hepburn does a fine job as a spinster seeking a little bit of romance before she grows too old.

Summertime
My second all-time Katharinge Hepburn movies. I have seen it at least five times. It is the epitimy of romance movies. Miss Hepburn and Rosana Brazzi, with the masterful touch of David Lean, make Venice come alive on film. Watching it is the best 90-minute summer a movie lover can spend.

An really good movie for Criterion
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

This is a good movie filmed entirely on location in Venice, Italy. Just getting back from a trip to Italy a week before writing this review makes it more interesting. The film stars Katherine Hepburn in one of her most memorable roles. It is also filmed in Technicolor making it more interesting.

There is also a memorable scene where she backs up and falls into a canal while attempting to photograph a certain building. This scene was filmed in the same location of the exterior shots of the "library" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This building is actually a church. Chiesa di San Barnaba. Located south of the Grand Canal in Venice.

The DVD itself only has the theatrical trailer as a special feature but it still is a nice movie to watch and very well photographed. ... Read more

Description

Based on Anais Nin's pre-WWII book. The lead character is an eager American writer with sex on her twentysomething mind, either as voyeur or as a participant. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Not for the faint of heart
This movie, as with all of Zalman King's, has its weaknesses, but of them all, this is the best. I never fail to find it empowering, beautiful, envigorating, and, of course, scintillating to watch. Very few of this type of movie reach an emotional level as well as a physical level, and as such, very few are truly aimed at the thinking and feeling woman. Even Red Shoes and the Wild Orchid series (don't forget Shades of Blue) miss at times and sink to the common standard of male oriented meaningless sex. This movie, based on a novel that is about nothing but the meaning of sexual exploration and emotional risk, rises far above the norm to be a cornerstone in any woman's video library. Anais Nin would have been pleased.

A flowing, beautiful, and delightfully erotic film.
Those who are familiar with Zalman King know that he is one of the few directors who is able to create erotically stimulating films without sacrificing production quality, cinemtography and acting. Delta of Venus is, in my opinion, his greatest accomplishment as the film flows with poetic motion, draws sumptuous romanticism from its setting in pre-World War II Paris, offers a lovely musical soundtrack, and excites the viewer with beautiful actors who interact with splendid chemistry.

If you are looking for a simple sex film or a picture exploding with action, this is not the film for you. It moves at a purposefully slow pace, like generous foreplay, leading the audience through a series of visual and auditory climaxes. It will appeal mostly to women, but also to men who delight in the slow, attentive pleasuring of a woman.

Although the R-rated version of the movie is well worth seeing, it does not compare to the unrated copy, which bursts with scenes that will propel any couple into a torrid evening of lovemaking.

Visual poetry
"Delta of Venus" is beautifully filmed. The production values are exquisite. The acting is excellent. The character development is strong. And, yes, it is truly erotic. Beautifully and sensually erotic. The voice-over is softly and touchingly done, and the narration itself uses very poetic language. The editing is first rate. This is not just a good erotic movie. It's a good movie period. I warn you, though. You must be in the right frame of mind to appreciate it. You have to be mentally and emotionally prepared to immerse yourself in this beautiful delirium. I'm a harsh critic of so-called erotic films (check out my review of "The Image"). So believe me when I say, this one is a real winner!

Splendid
I too am a huge fan of Zalman King's, and this is by far the most beautiful film he has ever done. I am now spolied beyond repair.

Beautiful, supremely erotic, evocative, and so real... I can't say enough about this film. The historical references to the war are well researched and depicted, the people are gorgeous. It's an intelligent and very well directed film. I am stunned that I waited until this came out on DVD to see it.

about the movie delta of venus.....
What I can remember a little about this movie is that the movie in the end is something about the escape after the war broke out and what I know is that, this movie at NC17 did not contain explicit, very violent or sex sceneS. What I can say is that it contains two sex scenes inside, one is a few minutes after starting the movie and the other is at the part of the movie where it is at the staircase of the house(something like a house, don't know how people name it). ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Woods steals the movie...as usual
Finally, back in print!

I'll be honest and admit first thing that I'm not a huge Oliver Stone fan. I rented this because James Woods is so entertaining in almost anything he's in. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the movie itself turned out to be pretty good, too. The movies I liked that Stone directed didn't have a big political message, like U-Turn, The Doors, and Natural Born Killers (ok, that last one was slightly political) The only overtly hit-you-over-the-head-with-the-message scene in this movie is one where Woods and Savage were taking photos of a huge amount of dead bodies in a dump, and there's a subtitle saying "Blah-blah, dumping ground for corpses killed by death squads" (or something similar) Oh really? Thanks for the explanation Mr. Stone, I would have thought they were at the zoo.

I probably wasn't supposed to find this movie as funny as I did, but God James Woods was so hilarious. It's just his timing, or the way he says stuff --for example, "Hey man, where else can you get a 17-year old to (perform a sexual act that is unprintable here) for 7 dollars, man? 7...dollars!"--, or something, but he just totally steals the movie. He can just roll his eyes and I start cracking up. If it had a different actor in the starring role who wasn't as entertaining, I doubt I would have bought a copy. He was definitely robbed of a Best Actor Oscar for this movie--there's a scene near the start of the movie where he is barreling down the street in his crappy car and gets pulled over, that made me laugh so hard I played it back for my husband. Some of the scenes where they are driving down to Mexico are very Hunter S. Thompson-esque. The scene in the confessional where he asks the priest if it would still be okay to take a few hits of a joint once in a while is priceless. If you're a Woods fan, what are you waiting for? Get a copy fast! I can't imagine any other actor in the role, the other acting in the film is great, but he just acts circles around everyone else.

Oh yeah, and the movie itself is great, very emotional. You do care about the characters, even the sleazy ones. The ending also was unpredictable, and there a several scary, very tense scenes. One more thing--watch for John Doe of the punk band X in a small cameo as a restaurant owner-va va va voom!!! Recommended to Woods fans, Stone fans, or simply anyone who enjoys a good political thriller. Not recommended for kids, though.

A early powerful Stone film
Salvador is an early Oliver Stone film, which required overcoming many production hurdles, lying and cheating to complete filming, and committing fraud for additional money (all admitted by Stone in the commentary.)

It was underrated during its brief theatrical release, although James Woods earned and deserved his Best Actor nomination as a press photographer who goes to El Salvador, accompanied by Jim Belushi, to make some money photographing the political mess and killings there, including the murder of nuns and a priest. ("Romero" is a movie about the priest).

Based on "real events" and "real people" like all Stone movies, some license has been taken, also as in all Stone movies.

Political viewpoints aside, the movie pulls no punches in showing the atrocities of war. If you are squeamish about seeing dead bodies, burning bodies and bloody bodies, then you will have to look away on occasion. As in real life, there is some sex and swearing.

The DVD extras, including Stone's commentary, deleted scenes, and cast interviews and clips, are very interesting as well.

Old and Wrong
I know this movie is old, but I have to say it still makes me sick. From someone who was born in El Salvador and watched a parent get shot 50+ times from communist lefties, to watch this total lie of a movie is distrubing. James Wood "still" needs to be ashamed. This fiction has nothing to do with any reality in Central America, today, or yesterday.

Two thumbs up!
Without a doubt, Oliver Stone's masterpiece, 'Salvador,' is a great piece of film-making. Gritty, raw, and unrelentless, it drags you into a grim miasma of savagery and forces you to face a truly shameful chapter in American foreign policy. 1980, El Salvador. While Carter and Reagan slug it out for the keys to the world's largest 'democracy,' the wealthy elite of this Central American paradise realize their days of exploiting the have-nots are slowly eclipsing. With their CIA-trained advisors and Huey gunships, they embark on an all-out terror campaign to eliminate any opposition to their jack-booted oligarchy.

Up in safe El Norte, washed-out photo-journalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) spends his time evading rent, staring at soiled diapers and hungering for renewal, when Salvador comes knocking at his door. With his ravaged Ford Mustang, Boyle persuades his best friend (James Belushi) to accompany him on his grand adventure. Cruising down the verdant spine of Central America, things start to wrong, DESPERATELY WRONG as the tequila-swilling losers cross into El Salvador. Burnt-out cars, charred bodies and straw-hatted thugs block their way. Boyle's easy-living decadence gets a wake-up call. Here, there's no guarantee you have'll a tomorrow, much less a today. Boyle weasels himself out of danger by chumming with the head of the local death squad. Saved. But only momentarily, as Boyle and Co. sink deeper into the murderous quicksand that threatens to swallow them.

With the help of his ex-lover, Boyle begins to find the meaning his life has been lacking of late. In fact, he slowly realizes the need for a 'salvation' of sorts, when he reaffirms a childhood faith upon the urgings of his girlfriend. Yet, Boyle's real salvation comes with his engagement in the bigger picture. Forced to take sides, he first tries to stop the mayhem his own government has sanctioned and then slowly learns that in war, everybody's hands are bloody. Knowing that his film rolls are the only hope for change, he ditches his dreams of Pulitzer-glory and escapes north with lover and children in tow. Almost on the verge of death, Boyle scraps through to the land 'where you can do anything you want,' only to be tragically robbed of that which has redeemed him.

With 'Salvador,' Stone has crafted an intricate political thriller where there are no easy answers. True to his colors, Stone deals his country an extremely shady hand in this film. With the exception of Boyle and his sidekick, the Americans portrayed in this film are nothing short of caricatures. With their coiffed blonde-hair, Don Ho shirts and cardigans, they scream of arrogant imperialism, blinded by fear, 'if Salvador falls, we'll have tanks on Rio Grande!' and by pure greed. Over-the-top no doubt, but not without grounds, lest we forget Allende's Chile. But Stone is no mere polemicist, he DOES show the murky complexity of things, the often-clouded demarcation between good and evil. For example, Uncle Sam-bashing Boyle gets his fanny saved by the very same US ambassador whom he chides earlier on. And while Stone gives a ridiculously idyllic portrait of the marxist guerillas as gentle Tao-spouting Che Guevara's, he avoids outright idolatry by throwing light on their cruelties as well.

'Salvador' will grip you by the senses and won't let you go. Although the sadism and rhetoric are sometimes hard to digest, we are nonetheless saved from total despair by the odd pop-ups of quirky humour, like Boyle at confession...."does this mean I can still smoke a couple of joints?" And above all, its James Wood's performance that carries this film into the GREAT category. Mesmerizing with his high-pitched whine and ADD-like hyperactivity, Woods IS the archetypal Hunter S. Thompson gonzo-journalist! Belushi provides sterling support as his Sancho Panza sidekick always looking for the pain-less way out.

In a way, 'Salvador' IS the modern Don Quixote story. With his lance replaced with a Nikon, Wood's Boyle shows us the noble futility of thinking we alone are enough to save ourselves and others.

Classic Oliver Stone Production...
Just having re-discovered this film on DVD almost 10 years after I saw it for the first time, it was a pleasure to see that after so many years, its quality hasn't degraded in the slightest.

James Woods has cornered the market (as far as character actors go) on SLEAZY dirt merchants, but he's also proven himself capable of going toe to toe with some of the best actors in Hollywood. Simply put, if you want James Woods, you'll have to hire James Woods.

Although the table-side speech by Boyle (Woods) is a bit of a soapboxing moment, the rest of the film is at times hilarious and terrifying to watch. If nothing else, Stone accurately captured the utter turmoil of a nation in the throes of a dictatorship.

As for the extras, the commentary by Stone is quite good, but the documentary portion renders it pointless, for the most part. The deleted scenes make it QUITE clear exactly why they were cut from the finished print, but they could have been re-inserted without causing much damage to the storyline.

One of the best films of all time, never mind the 80s. "Platoon" and "Wall Street" may represent the apex of Oliver Stone's resume, but in my book, this one doesn't suffer one bit in comparison. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Brokedown Movie
Claire Danes is the only thing that kept this movie going. She is so eye-fetching and compelling as an actress, that you just want to reach out and touch her. But, what a lousy ending. It had potential. The scenario is an all too familiar one, two good-looking American girls find themselves trapped in an Asian prison with seemingly no way out. But, this isn't a jailbait movie, it attempts to address the issue in a serious way, a la Midnight Express, but unfortunately falls flat on its face.

The characters are so unbelievable (except Danes of course). Fathers who allow their daughters to rot in jail. A private American lawyer hanging out in Bangkok who wiffs of second-hand Graham Greene novels ready to bail out the girls for a price. A friendship between the two girls that you really have to question in the face of what happens to them, and an ending that will leave you totally exasperated.

I don't suppose this was based on a true story. Rather, the director seemed in search of some gravitas and needed to concoct an ending that would carry with it the emotional weight he imagined would be the case in such a situation. But, it is simply too incredible to believe that Danes' character would sell herself in this way.

amazing talent
this movie tells it like it is, its dramatic, and very well acted. It shows strangth, power, friendship and betral.
its amazing

Wonderful Movie
Many negative reviews seem to be under the misapprehension that this movie is about something which it is not. Something that, if it were to incorporate those elements, would completely change the character of the film--turning it from a story about friendship, character, and life's little events to one about the horrors of the foreign prison.

This film is not about prison or about life in prison. It is not about drug smuggling. Criticizing it on this is like saying that Pirates of the Caribbean is a horrible movie because it doesn't represent an accurate portrayal of shipboard life.

It is a stunningly beautiful and well done (at points artistic) portrayal of the depths of friendship and the strength of human character ("if you are lying..."). The sets and acting are wonderful, the examination of the Thai legal system seemed fair (regardless of whether those are the actual conditions in prison, I am not qualified to judge nor do I care for the purposes of this film), and there were several underlying moral questions without clear answers.

Which is another thing: this movie doesn't leave you with all of the answers. Nothing is left accidentally dangling, but there are several things left for you to chew on.

Exotic lands are only fun until...
Sure, the movie was not (from what I know) completely accurate in terms of the conditions of Thai prisons. And I do agree at times the prison seemed so sunny, too friendly, too cheerful, etc to be realistic. But I think that the plot is that of a tale of friendship as much as it is of serving time in a Thai prison.

Most importantly, I think that anyone who is a first time traveler or planning on backpacking throughout Southeast Asia really should see this film. Darlene and Alice were typical girls from USA Suburbia. They had just finished school (like many who are about to do a gap year or some backpacking) and went to Thailand because it was exotic, different, faraway... They really didn't know much about Thai culture before they set out.

Sadly, they stayed in Thailand for much longer than they had planned to -- locked up in a women's prision (probably Lard Yao), for carrying drugs. Without devulging the plot, it is fair to say that they were innocent.

Again, another harsh reminder that if you are heading to Southeast Asia (or really any developing area), you need to be really careful. Watch this, read Sandra Gregory's "Forget you Had a Daughter," and don't try anything stupid (or don't be coerced, tricked, etc). Southeast Asia is a wonderful place, and you will have a blast. Just know that there are consequences if you are caught with anything.

Reason I didn't give it a one star
Warning -semi-spoilers

Okay, there is one reason I did not give this film a one star. If a young teeny bopper adolescent girl crazed over Claire Danes can learn a lesson about flying off to an unknown place without understanding that country's laws, and stop thinking it's so cool to go away with her best gilfriend and live it up in another exotic locale...then all is not wasted.

Otherwise...this movie was really sad. Not as entertaining as the commericals lead me to believe. The girls were too incredibly naive and arrogant while in another country. Depressing stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Don't Drop The Golden Bowl
The Golden Bowl is a beautiful movie that, like the bowl in the title, seems perfect, but there is a crack somewhere. I highly recommend it because the story and the production are so intriguing. The sets, costumes, ambiance and writing are signature Ivory/Merchant quality. The cast is first rate. I looked really closely at the acting to find where the break is, and the movie needs to warm up to climb to the emotional activity that brings its meaning to life. I struggled during the first half of the movie to pay attention. When veils of complacency give way to questions and expression of true or other feelings is when everything comes together. Jeremy Northum as Prince Amerigo is dashing enough to remind one of Giancarlo Gianini in The Innocent. Kate Bechinsale, Nick Nolte, Anjelica Huston and James Fox offer measured but effective performances that have to ride the story. It is Uma Thurman who has to bring it home, and she does a very good job. The novel by Henry James is not easy to pack into a 2-hour movie, but this was a very good attempt. DidnÕt Masterpiece Theater have to spread it into a miniseries? I think it starred Gail Honeycutt. DonÕt drop The Golden Bowl. You have to see it once. Maybe the flaw is as important to the movie as it is in the original complicated story.

Moves a bit langorously but the acting and scenery pays off
Based on a Henry James novel that I haven't read, The Golden Bowl moves at a leisurely pace but the acting and, especially, the scenery and costumes make the movie well worth your time if you are fan of this genre. The movie was made by the team of Merchant Ivory, who also made the well received Howard's End and Remains of the Day, both starring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins. The Golden Bowl stars Uma Thurman as an American named Charlotte who had an affair with a poor Italian prince named Amerigo and played by Jeremy Northam (Emma and An Ideal Husband). Amerigo breaks off his relationship with Charlotte because he is marrying her rich American school friend Maggie played by Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor). What completes this quadrangle is that Charlotte eventually ends up marrying Maggie's billionaire, art collector father played by Nick Nolte. So the quadrangle is set up with Amerigo and Charlotte having a relationship they try to keep hidden from Maggie and the ensuing results. Another good character in this movie is played by Anjelica Huston who played matchmaker by setting up Maggie and Amerigo. I won't go into more detail about the different interplay of relationships but the movie plays them all out very well. Plus, the movie takes place in the early 1900s and has very sumptous costumes and scenes that take place in castles in Europe. I enjoyed this movie the most because of the scenery and costumes but I also enjoyed the acting and character studies of the two relationships. The movie is a bit long at 2 hours and 10 minutes but well worth the time especially if you liked movies like Howard's End and it unfolds in much the same pace as a good classic novel.

Jeremy Northam miscast
The only crack in the movie is the casting of Jeremy Northam as Amerigo. Northam, with his phony Italian accent, pretending to be an Italian, is incredible, a bit hard to take. Couldn't James Ivory have cast a real Italian actor in the role?

Boring!
This movie was very boring, it was hard for me to beleive the actors and enter into the story, I could not wait it to end. I do like Uma thurman has an actress and the atmosphere and all the beautiful costumes was great but it could not help to save this movie.

Disappointed Merchant Ivory fan
Merchant Ivory is known for costume drama. But this dramatization - and I use the word loosely - of James's The Golden Bowl - is all costume. As beautiful as it is to look at, you still find yourself drumming your fingers on the arm of your chair, waiting for the spectacle, please God, to end.

As for the acting, yikes! Why, oh why would any director settle upon Nick Nolte for a major part? In his last several forays in front of the camera, Nolte speaks his lines - indeed, every drawn-out syllable - very, very carefully, but his mind is obviously elsewhere. I do not know what he is paying his agent, but that fee is worth every penny. Anjelica Huston, normally a good, solid actress, was all at sea, and could never quite settle upon her character's accent. Such as it was, it came and went. Uma Thurman played her character as extremely unlikable, even repellant, which cannot be what Henry James had in mind, and which makes no sense dramatically. After all, it was her character, Charlotte, who initiated all the action in the story. Whether this was Thurman's misinterpretation or the director's misguided coaching is anyone's guess. Kate Beckinsale as the wronged wife was completely and utterly dull. Only Jeremy Northam inhabited his part with any credibility. A contemporary Englishman playing an Italian prince, ca. 1903! And you know, he wasn't bad.

I used to (past tense) look forward to the next new movie from Merchant Ivory. But there was always the danger that their style - of a too-reverent, nostalgic regard for the upper-class style of the Edwardian era - would grow ever more mannered, sugarcoated, and lifeless. They are reaching the point where the viewer would be well advised to watch their movies with the sound turned off. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Quiet American proves that elegant and intelligent filmmaking can be emotionally powerful. Michael Caine plays Thomas Fowler, a British journalist in 1950s Vietnam with a lovely Vietnamese mistress named Phuong(Do Thi Hai Yen) and a jaded view of the political strife teeming around him. He befriends a seemingly innocuous American named Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), who falls in love with Phuong--and slowly, Pyle's real purpose inVietnam becomes revealed. Fowler finds that, to hold on to the carefully balanced life he's created for himself, he must make choices he's long avoided. Caine and Fraser are both superb and give a human face to complicated politics; as a result, The Quiet American manages to becompelling as both history and a story about very specific people embroiled in a very personal conflict. An impressive film from director Philip Noyce (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Patriot Games). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Caine scores again
Michael Caine gives yet another outstanding performance in "The Quiet American," Philip Noyce's 2002 adaptation of the Graham Greene Cold War novel (the first movie version was released in 1958). Set in 1952 Saigon, the film features Caine as Thomas Fowler, a world-weary British journalist who's been sent to Vietnam to cover the attempt by colonial French forces to hold back the communist insurgence from the North. But Fowler has a problem. Despite the fact that he is a reporter, he freely admits that this country exerts a sort of magical hold on him and that, in order to maintain that image, he must will himself to look beyond the ugliness and strife that are tearing the country apart. In fact, reporting is the last thing on Fowler's mind. He is even madly in love with a beautiful young Vietnamese girl who lives with him. When his publishers back in England threaten to call him back, Fowler realizes that he must become more actively engaged in the events around him if he hopes to be allowed to stay.

One day he meets Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), an American eye specialist who falls in love with Fowler's girl. Even though they are drawn together by much that they have in common, Fowler and Pyle soon become rivals for the woman, though by the end, their conflict has broadened to include the issues of war vs. peace, truth vs. deception, and personal feelings vs. political expediency.

"The Quiet American" is typical Greene in that it provides an intense personal drama played against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil in an exotic setting. Both Caine and Fraser bring a quiet intensity to their scenes together. Caine, in particular, is brilliant at conveying the many moods of a man who wants to be left alone to live a simple life with the woman he loves but who knows that circumstances are conspiring to make such a life impossible. He is heartbreaking as he sees that ideal existence suddenly slipping away, with little he can do to stop it from happening. He also begins to see just how difficult it is to remain emotionally detached from the horrors happening around him once the atrocities begin to encroach on his world directly. Fowler also has to decide whether his final action is truly rooted in a humanitarian impulse or the product of wanting to eliminate a pesky rival from the field of competition.

In addition to telling a fairly solid story, "The Quiet American" also provides a glimpse into the history of its region, particularly showing how the Americans ended up usurping the role of the French in that far off, alien country in the late '50's and early '60's. This is reflected in a wonderful coda that chronicles the steps leading up to this slow handoff of power and responsibility.

But for all the film's various virtues, it is Caine's performance that is the real reason to catch "The Quiet American."

The seduction of American innocence
Of all the films I've seen over the years concerning America's involvement in Vietnam, THE QUIET AMERICAN is perhaps the most seductive.

It's 1952, and Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) is the aging correspondent for the London Times in Saigon. France is in the process of being tossed out of Indochina, but the former doesn't realize it yet - Dien Bien Phu is still in the future - and its military fights on ineffectually against the communists. In the meantime, Fowler submits the occasional story to the head office while finding comfort in the arms of opium and his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Do Hai Yen), a former taxi dancer at a local club. Then, one day, THE QUIET AMERICAN Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser) shows up. Pyle claims to be with a medical aid mission in country to combat trachoma, a bacterial disease causing blindness. But what is Pyle, really? He seems awfully chummy with the conniving powers over at the U.S. legation. In any case, Alden very soon falls in love with Phuong, attention that neither the jealous Fowler can prevent nor Phuong finds particularly unwelcome.

Not since LITTLE VOICE (1998) has Michael Caine acted so powerfully, and this is perhaps his greatest role ever. An Academy Award nomination is deservedly due. Fraser is perfect as the clean-cut, idealistic and naïve Yank who may be something other than he claims. Yen is positively exquisite as the delicate Phuong. As Fowler puts it, his death would begin if he lost her.

THE QUIET AMERICAN, based on the Graham Greene novel, can be seen as an allegorical story of America's fledgling interest in succoring Vietnam from the Red Menace. After all, the French seem unequal to the task. Pyle perhaps comes to symbolically represent the American innocence that is seduced by Vietnam in the form of Phuong, and the former wishes "to save" the latter from the escalating national chaos. Only the tired and world-weary Fowler knows that this is impossible. He would "save" Phuong himself if he could, but he can't.

THE QUIET AMERICAN is an anti-war, anti-intervention film best viewed these many years after America withdrew from its Southeast Asian debacle and passions have cooled. This is one of the best films of 2002.

Beatiful film
I've always loved both Michael Caine and Brendan Frasier, but I was surprised when I saw them in a film together.

'The Quiet American' contemplates the effects of unbridled passion, jealousy, and war. The violence is not overwhelming, and not over-the-top gorey, but is honest, nonetheless. Besides the Vietnamese war that is omnipresent, the film focuses on the mental anguish that it causes, as well as the relationships that are the product of it.

Overall, a wonderfully acted film. I highly recommend!

Fine performances, good story, well acted; questions.
This adaption or adaptation of Graham Greene's novel, features fine performances, by Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, and the lovely actress who played Caine's mistress Do Thi Hai Yen. Set in Vietnam, when the French were involved, the movie surrounds the relationship of these three people. It concerns the involvement of an American (Fraser) and a journalist (Caine), and their love for the same woman (Yen). It also poses questions about the involvement of the Americans (especially as the headlines are shown at the end of the movie-about U.S. troops and others). All is not quite as it seems with Fraser's character turning out to be a CIA operative and dealings with the regime, who it turns out is as bad as the communists it's trying to replace; with help from the Americans. The brutality that is set against the backdrop of the "love story" is truly horrific and leaves one (at the end of the movie) questioning the United States' involvement, like that of the French before, in Southeast Asia. [Not unlike our involvement now in the Middle East.] A well acted movie with stellar performances, as usual by Mr. Caine, who is among the premiere actors Britain has ever produced, to my mind, and who always brings a certain class and passion to his roles. Mr. Fraser is also good. Worth seeing.

A bright diamond of a film.....
The plot has been described well by a number of reviewers. This is a steadily paced film. In it we see the lives of its characters growing more complex and nuanced, precisely as Vietnam itself is undergoing the same. Michael Caine is in love with a beguiling, beautiful and disciplined Vietnamese woman, but tethered to a wife in England. In one remarkable scene, a man joins Caine at a table at a