MISFITS Video Picks for May 2, 2000
This dramatization of the Scopes trial (the names were changed so they could
call it fiction) is just an incredible drama. Spencer Tracy plays a gruff,
take no nonesense Clarance Darrow. Frederick March's William Jennings Bryan
is an old orator who has become too used to spouting sound bites, pompous,
holier-than-thou but at the same time sincere in his beliefs. And then
there's Gene Kelly, who's H.L. Menken drips wonderful acid in every syllable
that leaves his throat.
The trial scenes are great, the supporting cast is great, the movie is
great.
Watch it and enjoy.
In 1897, Edmond Rostand created his Masterpiece in the epic play
Cyrano de Bergerac. Over the years this play about a
poet warrior with an enormous nose has been brought to life on the screen
in several adaptations. In 1950 the first
version was released starring Jose Ferrer that brought a theater look
and feel to the screen. The next time was in 1988 when Steve Martin
starred in Roxanne, a modern day translation to the
tale. The most recent, was made in 1990 starring Gerard Depardeu as
Cyrano and directed by Jean-Paul Rappeaneu.
This remake, released in 1990, was incredible with its acting,
costumes, and set design. Nominated for 6 Academy Awards ®,
including Best Actor for Depardeau's performance and a Best Foreign
Language Film, it took home only one for its elaborate and beautiful
costuming. The cast was an incredible one and you were truly able to feel
the anguish of Cyrano as he helped the man that was the obsession of his
beloved Roxanne.
I personally have loved this story since the first time that I read it and
was glad to see that Rappeaneau did such a marvelous job with a story that
has been told again and again. The only down side to this was that it is in
French with subtitles and if you choose the English dub edition you'll be
doing this movie a great disservice. You can find this in the foreign
section of almost any video rental store. I give this 4 out of 5 beakers,
and I hope that you will take the time to watch this classic masterpiece
that is as fresh with this telling, as it was when it was written over one
hundred years ago.
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Inherit the Wind
