It's my pick as the one masterpiece of the year, but among my friends (and spouse) the consensus is that it's interesting but flawed.  My gut is that the movie subverts certain expectations that one might have in how the subject matter of cult captivitiy ought to be told.  Rather than accept the story on its terms,…

It's my pick as the one masterpiece of the year, but among my friends (and spouse) the consensus is that it's interesting but flawed.  My gut is that the movie subverts certain expectations that one might have in how the subject matter of cult captivitiy ought to be told.  Rather than accept the story on its terms,…

I took a film class in college in the early 80s where this film was screened.  The T.A. for the class was too moved to bring it up in the discussion section.  His reason was that he had always seen it on a black and white T.V. when he was growing up, and seeing it in 35 millimeter, in color, was just too overwhelming..

I took a film class in college in the early 80s where this film was screened.  The T.A. for the class was too moved to bring it up in the discussion section.  His reason was that he had always seen it on a black and white T.V. when he was growing up, and seeing it in 35 millimeter, in color, was just too overwhelming..

The exposition at the beginning is a bit heavy, but once it gets going the time really flies.  Prepare for changes in tone and narrative digressions.  Probably about a third of the novel actually deals directly with JFK, but there are other suspense elements, a fairly successful love story, and period atmosphere that…

The exposition at the beginning is a bit heavy, but once it gets going the time really flies.  Prepare for changes in tone and narrative digressions.  Probably about a third of the novel actually deals directly with JFK, but there are other suspense elements, a fairly successful love story, and period atmosphere that…

For more liberal films, also check out HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY  and SERGEANT RUTLEDGE.  THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE is a terrific, stylized revisionist Western Ford was a committed liberal politically up until the mid sixties, although after W.W. II he tended to drift towards genres with a more conservative bent,…

For more liberal films, also check out HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY  and SERGEANT RUTLEDGE.  THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE is a terrific, stylized revisionist Western Ford was a committed liberal politically up until the mid sixties, although after W.W. II he tended to drift towards genres with a more conservative bent,…

This dates me, but when I was a lad first becoming aware about classic films, STAGECOACH was considered the essential Ford film, along with GRAPES OF WRATH (which is now everyone's 11th grade homework).  The growing stature of THE SEARCHERS and some of the post W.W. II titles in the Ford canon is largely a product of…

This dates me, but when I was a lad first becoming aware about classic films, STAGECOACH was considered the essential Ford film, along with GRAPES OF WRATH (which is now everyone's 11th grade homework).  The growing stature of THE SEARCHERS and some of the post W.W. II titles in the Ford canon is largely a product of…

For a variety of reasons, both political and aesthetic, THE SEARCHERS is a tough entry point for getting into the John Ford/John Wayne Western canon, although the latter's performance is one of his best and  the movie offers a mature expression of themes and powerful flashes of visual storytelling that exemplify  the…

For a variety of reasons, both political and aesthetic, THE SEARCHERS is a tough entry point for getting into the John Ford/John Wayne Western canon, although the latter's performance is one of his best and  the movie offers a mature expression of themes and powerful flashes of visual storytelling that exemplify  the…

Fort Apache is one of my favorite Ford films.  It's an even bigger departure, persona wise, for Henry Fonda though.

Fort Apache is one of my favorite Ford films.  It's an even bigger departure, persona wise, for Henry Fonda though.

Farnsworth was the real deal too—just as nice, kind and gracious as the roles he played.

Farnsworth was the real deal too—just as nice, kind and gracious as the roles he played.

—-And who knew you could get a killer martini at Lamps Plus?

—-And who knew you could get a killer martini at Lamps Plus?

there is little evidence to suggest that Smith and Pocahontas ever spoke to each other, much less had an affair.  Smith's account of his "rescue" emerged in a later reprint of his autobiography which appeared after the Native American princess had achieved a degee of celebrity in Britain.  The adventure also closely…

there is little evidence to suggest that Smith and Pocahontas ever spoke to each other, much less had an affair.  Smith's account of his "rescue" emerged in a later reprint of his autobiography which appeared after the Native American princess had achieved a degee of celebrity in Britain.  The adventure also closely…