favorite movie #97 - holiday edition: planes, trains, and automobiles & only the lonely

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #96 - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) & Only the Lonely (1991) - I really love these two John Candy films, which not only showcase his comedic talent, but how effecting he could be emotionally, too. In John Hughes's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, one of the all-time greatest road pictures, he is the thorn on Steve Martin's side as the two try to make it home for Thanksgiving. There are many memorable moments — especially "Those aren't pillows!" Martin and Candy are great together, and Hughes takes his typical Chicago affluent suburb setting and character played by Martin and lets Candy disrupt him for both big comedic and emotional payoffs.

In Only the Lonely (produced by Hughes and again set in Chicago, but written and directed by Chris Columbus) Candy is a policeman who is torn between his loyalty to his overbearing mother (played by an amazing Maureen O'Hara) and a blossoming romance with a funeral home worker (Ally Sheedy). You really feel for Candy as he struggles to break away from his tough-as-nails mom and maybe, finally, live his own life. He and the film are truly wonderful.

Link to Christmas: The movies takes place during the holiday season

favorite movie #80 - halloween edition: little shop of horrors

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #80 - Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - I like the original B&W Roger Corman film too, with Jack Nicholson's wonderfully masochistic dental patient, but this is the one to see over and over again. Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II are all amazing. Even though director Frank Oz wanted the "darker" ending that was in the Off-Broadway show, the originally released "happy" ending is still pretty ambiguous. The movie doesn't shy away from its sleazy Skid Row locations, S&M romance between Audrey and Doctor Scrivello (Steve Martin), or this version's patient who is in love with pain (Bill Murray). The scene is set by Crystal, Ronnette, and Chiffon (Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell) and the songs are great, too, especially: "Prologue: Little Shop of Horrors", "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Some Fun Now", "Dentist!", "Feed Me (Git It)", and Ellen Greene steals the show with "Suddenly, Seymour" and "Somewhere That's Green".

favorite movie #57: dirty rotten scoundrels

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #57 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) - This film has a special pace in my heart. It is silly fun, and the three main players — Steve Martin, Michael Caine, and Glenne Headley — are all wonderful together. Director Frank Oz makes many funny movies, and this is one of his best. The French Riviera scenery adds to the breezy, champagne bubbly tone.

Freddy Benson (Steve Martin, as "Ruprecht the Monkey Boy"): Excuse me. May I go to the bathroom first? 

Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine): Of course you may. 

Freddy: [after a pause, and with relief] Thank you.

Lawrence Jamieson: Freddy, as a younger man, I was a sculptor, a painter, and a musician. There was just one problem: I wasn't very good. As a matter of fact, I was dreadful. I finally came to the frustrating conclusion that I had taste and style, but not talent. I knew my limitations. We all have our limitations, Freddy. Fortunately, I discovered that taste and style were commodities that people desired. Freddy, what I am saying is: know your limitations. You are a moron.

Related:

bedtime story vs. dirty rotten scoundrels

bedtime story vs. dirty rotten scoundrels

There aren't many actors in my mind who can compare to a young Marlon Brando. Maybe I was scarred (in a good way) by seeing him in Guys and Dolls (1955) on television when I was a kid. He was smooth, sophisticated and a bit of a bad boy. It's that Marlon Brando, the improbably singing Brando of Sky Masterson, more than his brilliant Don Corleone, who I hold in my heart.

Luck be a lady tonight: Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson

Brando is primarily responsible for an entire school of acting. So many actors since his critically acclaimed work of the 1950s — James Dean, Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen, Robert DeNiro — have followed in his footsteps. And what footsteps. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Viva Zapata! (1952), The Wild One (1953), Julius Caesar (1953), On the Waterfront (1954), The Young Lions (1958).

His film work in the 1960s, by comparison, has been criticized as lightweight. But it is more than understandable, after such an intense run of films, that Brando might want to shake up his image and reputation — of a hyper-intense Method mumbler. Brando didn't consider himself a proponent of The Method. He was taught the Stanislavski technique by Stella Adler, which stressed naturalism above all else. He did attend classes at The Actor's Studio, but was resentful of Lee Strasberg's trying to attach himself to his acting style.

"After I had some success, Lee Strasberg tried to take credit for teaching me how to act. He never taught me anything. He would have claimed credit for the sun and the moon if he believed he could get away with it. He was an ambitious, selfish man who exploited the people who attended the Actors Studio and tried to project himself as an acting oracle and guru. Some people worshipped him, but I never knew why. I sometimes went to the Actors Studio on Saturday mornings because Elia Kazan was teaching, and there were usually a lot of good-looking girls, but Strasberg never taught me acting. Stella did – and later Kazan."

Certainly one of the best American actors of any generation, Brando must have wanted to pull back, from time to time, from the many intense stage-to-screen dramas he starred in and try something different, even funny. In 1964's Bedtime Story, in which he starred with David Niven, he is definitely having a blast.

Marlon and friend in Bedtime Story

"Working with David was the only time I ever looked forward to filming. I just couldn't wait to wake up each morning and go to work so he could make me laugh."

I have always been a big fan of Frank Oz's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which stars Michael Caine and Steve Martin as two rival con men, one polished, one boorish, who try to fleece an American heiress, played by Glenne Headley. Filmed on the French Riviera, it is a bright, smart comedy that isn't afraid to look silly. Oz has always had a great hand with farces and comedies of manners (What About Bob? Housesitter, In & Out, Bowfinger) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is an ever-escalating exercise in comedic one-upmanship. I was surprised to find out recently that this favorite comedy was actually a remake, of the 1964 film starring Niven and Brando. Bedtime Story was not just the basis for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, but an exact blueprint. From the plot to the characters' names, to the location — the second film is almost a scene-for-scene copy.

Brando & Niven: Private Freddie Benson teaches Lawrence Jamieson about women

Martin & Caine: And again

I think of Brando's '60s work as a respite. He pulled back from Hollywood and tried to sort out how he felt about the world. He became involved politically, especially focusing on civil rights issues. By the '70s Brando was "back" in Hollywood, as the critics and public were concerned, with his amazing turns in The Godfather (1972), Last Tango in Paris (1972), and Apocalypse Now (1979).

[When asked how he spent his time away from the camera] People ask that a lot. They say, "What did you do while you took time out?", as if the rest of my life is taking time out. But the fact is, making movies is time out for me because the rest, the nearly complete whole, is what's real for me. I'm not an actor and haven't been for years. I'm a human being — hopefully a concerned and somewhat intelligent one — who occasionally acts.

Con men Freddie and Lawrence — Marlon as Ruprecht the Monkey Boy

At the casino: David Niven, Marlon Brando and Shirley Jones

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels all: Michael Caine, Glenne Headley, & Steve Martin

I still love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, but after seeing Bedtime Story (the whole movie is available on Youtube, and I was able to mirror it full-screen to my Apple TV) I am amazed at how funny Brando and Niven were together. And even more, I was really amazed to see whole bits of business  —especially Brando's take on "Ruprecht The Monkey Boy" that Steve Martin lifted wholesale. The only bum note for me in the older film was Shirley Jones as Janet. She plays a typical bland '50s good girl, and her voice and performance are very one-note throughout. Glenne Headley, on the other hand, may start off in a similar manner, but her character takes an interesting twist. She's also frankly, a much better actress, and can hold her own with her two scheming boys.

Don't get me wrong — a dramatic Brando is also a superb Brando. His performances in all of the '50s films listed above were brilliant. He positively oozed sex appeal, not unlike his friend Marilyn Monroe. But this most naturalistic of actors also had a flair for comedy. Check out Bedtime Story and you'll see what I mean.

Brando quotes from imdb and Wikipedia

happy birthday frank oz

Not only is Frank Oz the puppeteer and voice of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover, but he has directed some of my favorite comic films. And of course he is the man behind Jedi Master Yoda. Sounds like it's time for a Frank Oz film fest, but which one to watch first?

Little Shop of Horrors is a hoot, with Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene an adorable couple, Audrey II as a very impressive space alien plant, and Steve Martin as a particularly creepy dentist.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels pits Steve Martin vs. Michael Caine as con men on the French Riviera, with a lovely Glenne Headley giving them both a run for her money.

Steve Martin and Michael Caine strike a pose

Bill Murray shows his support for his doctor, Richard Dreyfuss

What About Bob? may be Bill Murray's best film, as he unloads all of his neuroses on his shrink Richard Dreyfuss's doorstep, with of course, hilarious results.

Housesitter pairs Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn in a romance that is part comedy, part duel.

In and Out, is another funny funny film, featuring Kevin Kline as Howard Brackett's a high school English teacher who is outed by a former student at the Oscars played by Matt Dillon. Joan Cusack is amazing as Kline's fiancee and Tom Selleck is wonderful as a self-centered entertainment reporter who wants to get the scoop of Howard's coming-out party.

Joan Cusack and Kevin Kine watch the Oscars

Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy in Hollywood

Martin heads the cast again in Bowfinger, a wicked Hollywood farce that also stars Eddie Murphy in one of his best comic performances.

Although I love all of the films listed above I may have to start with Death at a Funeral, which I haven't yet seen. I've seen the pretty funny remake with Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and Peter Dinklage, but Oz's film is set in England and it also features Dinklage. Maybe a double feature with Bowfinger ...

the big year

The big year, if you're a birder, is very big, indeed. Probably most people who went to see The Big Year starring Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson had no idea that there was such a thing as competitive birding (whatever you do, don't call it bird watching.) They may not have even realized that birds had anything to do with the plot. The advertising promos for the film make it seem as if three friends go on an adventure together — one with a mid-life crisis, one facing retirement, etc., etc. But the movie, which is based on the book The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession, by Mark Obmascik, is actually far more interesting than advertised. 

The Big Year takes us behind-the-scenes, in a gentle, humorous way, of just how competitive birding can get, when folks go in search of the prestigious title of most birds seen in a year, "the big year."

Owen Wilson plays Kenny Bostick, the current holder of the title, sighting over 700 birds in the previous year. He is a celebrity in the birding world, obsessed with both seeing the most and the rarest of species, as well as desperate to retain his title, a title which is an honor only. The person who logs the most sightings is proclaimed winner in Birder magazine, but there are no prizes or endorsements. Kind of refreshing.

Narrator Brad Harris, played by Jack Black, wants to unseat the champion and win the title — and prove to himself and especially his father (a perfectly cast cranky Brian Dennehy), that he can follow things through, that he isn't a loser. Brad has a full-time job in a nuclear plant and not much money, and must finance his big year by depleting his savings and maxing out both his and his supportive mom's (Dianne Wiest) credit cards.

Steve Martin's Stu Preissler is a wealthy executive. He is trying to retire from the rat race and do something he's always wanted to do, which is to finally take the time to indulge his interest in birds. And to combine that with having his big year.

The three men eventually start crossing paths as they crisscross their way across the country. One of the best aspects of The Big Year is all the beautiful places the birders go to find that elusive snowy white owl, pink footed goose, or red spotted woodpecker. The audience may wonder if we are getting a better sense of their big year than the birders, who are so intent on recording their latest sighting that they may literally be missing the forest for the bird in the trees.

Their quest involves planes, trains, and automobiles as well as any other mode of transportation available to get a sight of a rare bird in transit. They take boat tours, charter planes and helicopters, and bicycle across a remote Aleutian island, all for the love of birds and to increase their count of species. At first we just watch the trio, together or separately, each elbow their way through migration patterns. But after a while it's impossible not to get caught up in the chase and feel rewarded when they (and we) catch a glimpse of an elusive hummingbird, or two bald eagles in mid-flight embrace.

Hotshot Kenny is the "pro" of the group, always with top gear, sporting the most fashionable outfits, frequently in neon colors — a rare bird with striking plumage. Although he is a villain of sorts, using his wit and skill and any devious means necessary to stay one step ahead of all potential challengers, all three characters are really nice guys — just obsessed, to an unusual degree, with birds. Like any true obsessive, they can wax on about their interest, spouting facts and figures, but can never truly tell why they are into their subject. It's mystical to them, a calling.

The three actors play versions of their usual film personas. Black has dialed down his manic energy and plays a sweet, Everyman version of his usual slacker. Martin plays a more sophisticated wild and crazy guy, and Wilson a more competitive version of his wisecracking charmer. The three work well together and against one another. There are also some fun cameos, from Angelica Huston, as a guide who has crossed paths with Kenny before, Tim Blake Nelson as another birder who is a fan of Kenny's  and occasionally teams up with him to spot a rare species, JoBeth Williams as Stu's supportive and loving wife, and Rashida Jones as a fellow birder with a great skill at doing bird calls who Brad finds very appealing. Also visible in smaller parts are Jim Parsons, Joel McHale, Kevin Pollak, Steven Weber, and Corbin Benson.

The only bum note is Rosamund Pike, who seems to be acting in another movie — in the thankless role as Kenny's wife — she wants to start a family and sits on the sidelines at home, pouting at his frequent absences. When we see the crowds of birders at peak sighting locations there are plenty of women in evidence, so the audience need not feel that women are not being represented, or that they are just happy cheerleaders or disgruntled, neglected partners. The Big Year is not just about birders, but about the competitive nature of men, three particular men who each want to be named the best birder, to secure the elusive title of the person who spotted the most species of birds in North America within one calendar year.

Directed by David Frankel (Marley and Me, The Devil Wears Prada, Miami Rhapsody), the film has clever graphics that help the audience keep track of the bird species, the running counts of Kenny, Stu and Brad, and the locations the trio travels to, which gives it at times not exactly a documentary feel, but at least a movie that wants to get most of its facts straight, even if it opens with the humorous disclaimer, "This is a true story, only the facts have been changed."

For all of its protagonists' running around, The Big Year is a relaxed comedy. There are no big yuks. The humor is low-key and aims to point out quirky aspects of the birding community, without ever resorting to ridicule. The film could have easily taken a snide tone and played its subjects for laughs, but it chose the high road. That may disappoint some viewers, who may have been expecting belly laughs, but it makes for a better film. I also couldn't help but notice that The Big Year highlights an activity that requires that people get out in the world, away from their homes, and get involved in nature. With all of the screens that control our lives — the computer, smartphones, and even movie screens — watching Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson run across fields and through forests with notebooks in hand was literally a breath of fresh air.

movies I'd like to visit, maybe even live there

Hollywood is not really a town, if you've ever visited. Not a town like the small one that some folks come from, or a bigger one, like where I live, here in D.C. But every once in a while Hollywood puts out a movie that takes place in "a small town," just like the ones that we know never really existed, but maybe would like to visit, or at least pretend to live in, for ninety minutes to an hour. And it's clear that the key to the attraction is as much the locals as the remote location.

In Doc Hollywood Michael J. Fox plays his usual smart-ass, this time as a hot-shot doc wanna-be Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who lands smack dab in the middle of the squash capital of the South. After waking to a morning skinny-dipping goddess vision and a pee-in-the-woods mating ritual, he is smitten with the girl, the town and its cast of kooks and so are we. And it's got Woody Harrelson in a good bit part, among others. Anther film with the same small town fish-out-of-water fun is the brilliant Groundhog Day, with Bill Murray reliving a day and getting to know everyone and everything really well until he gets it right. He also is in one of my all-time favorites. What About Bob, where he takes over Richard Dreyfuss's vacation, family and life ably abetted by some helpful neighbors.




Julia Roberts manages to lure Richard Gere from the Big Apple, or is it the other way around, in Runaway Bride? The Maryland town she is supposed to inhabit is full of a bunch of people you'd want to hang out with. Any town that sports Joan Cusack would be worth looking into. There are strange, unexplained details that make you wonder. What's with all the multiples? There are different sets of twins and triplets in many background scenes. Maybe it's something in the water...Housesitter, directed by Frank Oz, is another small-towns-and-romance-go-great-together movie, where Goldie Hawn insinuates herself into Steve Martin's life after a one-night stand. It's interesting, because we watch her fall in love with his house and his life and his family and (most of) his friends and have to wait impatiently for him to catch up. Oz hits another home run with In and Out, which has Kevin Kline slowly but surely discovering his inner homosexual and learning that everyone in town still loves him as much as we do. The final scene where everyone parties down so that his mother can get the "wedding" she always dreamed of is pure fun. And again, Joan Cusack lives there.




Casablanca is a classic, with the magnificent Bogie and an exotic collection of individuals all trying to escape from something. Wartime and romance are major plot points, but as the credits roll, I am secretly glad that Bogie has decided to stay in Casablanca with Louis and fight the good fight. It sure seems like they're going to have a hell of a time.

There are some other excellent movies that have fascinating small towns that I am glad I only have to visit for a little while, as they would be terrifying to live in full-time. Hitchcock must have been fascinated by small-town America, because he depicts it many times, all to sinister effect. Two of my favorite of his movies, Shadow of a Doubt and The Birds turn the safety and familiarity of living in a place where you know everyone on its head, as one town is hosting a serial killer and the other is besieged by unexplained deadly bird attacks. A holiday classic, It's a Wonderful Life, actually shows a town, that no matter how wonderful some of its inhabitants are, would be a pretty rough place to have to live. I'll pass, thanks.

I don't live in New York any more, but once you have, it never quite leaves you. New York is not a small town, but there have been a few film fantasies that somehow manage to get a sense of the city. Guys and Dolls is a real slice of Broadway history, both musical and depicting the sorts of characters that used to hang out near Times Square. A far cry from the Disney theme park that exists there today. And Marlon Brando sings! The Godfather, Part II is a crime classic, but it also gives a slice of what it meant to be an Italian immigrant in this country, coming through New York. Another fun film set in downtown New York is After Hours, the ultimate trip through SoHo in the 80s with Griffin Dunne being dragged from one bizarre situation to the next. Woody Allen is well-known to be in love with his home town New York and has made movies set in the city many times, but as an ex-new Yorker, I don't really get a strong sense of the city, except as travelogue, in his films. Hannah and Her Sisters is one exception, where the SoHo and downtown sequences seem truly "the city," as Michael Caine tries to seduce Barbara Hershey in bookstores, her partner's painting studio, and on the street.

So whenever big city life gets to be a bit much, I know I can retreat to one of these film oases. Any other favorite film fantasy small towns?

oscar, oscar, oscar

I used to give Oscar parties. Actually, it was sort of a tradition that my friends (and I) would look forward to. When my movie-buff friend Mary and I would co-host the party, sometimes things could get quite elaborate, with fancy ballots and cool prizes. We would theme the party to coincide with the fabulous movie-related gift. One year the prize was an authentic vintage 1960s James Bond (Sean Connery, of course) action figure, in white tux jacket, with Beretta. I have to admit that I won that year and still have my gift in his original packaging.

As interested in watching and critiquing movies as I am, since I've had my daughter my movie going has dropped to almost nil. I used to at least keep up with everything new coming out, whether I chose to see it or not. Now the kid is telling me, "Look, The Tale of Despereaux!" when she sees an ad on television or in a bus kiosk. Of course we usually don't end up going, because she still isn't really old enough to enjoy the movie experience - even kid movies in the theater seem to be a fidget-fest or an invitation to nap. So I end up scheduling the rare film viewing that I simply must see on my day off. I finally get around to seeing the ones that I might have seen in first-run when they hit cable. If I can stay up that late...

Last night as I watched the Oscars, as much for the gowns (as always) as the random flashes of humor (Steve Martin and a very wicked Ben Stiller), I realized that there was one nominated movie that I had seen last year. Kung Fu Panda.