Olive Films serves up two biographical, award winning actors' showcases, both of
which chronicle the tragedies and triumphs of their subjects. One is
a timeless classic, while a tour de force performance by a British
legend keeps the other interesting.
THE
MIRACLE WORKER
Starring
Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Jory, Inga Swenson, Andrew Prine,
Kathleen Comegys. Directed by Arthur Penn. (1962, 106 min).
Revisiting
The Miracle Worker for the first time in at least 30 years, I
was struck by how often it has the look of a claustrophobic horror
movie from that era, particularly during the first act. Whether or
not that was an intentional aesthetic decision by director Arthur
Penn, it's suitably fitting. The scenes in which troubled teacher
Annie Sullivan (Anne Bancroft) struggles to reach deaf, mute and
blind Helen Keller (Patty Duke) remain as intense and harrowing today
as they did 55 years ago.
Of
course, everyone knows who Helen Keller is, but this is just as much
Sullivan's story. Considering the personal obstacles she herself has
to overcome in order to teach Keller literally everything, The
Miracle Worker might be one of the most accurately-titled films in
history (at-least until Snakes on a Plane came along).
Sullivan's resolve is just as inspiring as her student's and one of
the chief reasons the film's climax still packs such an emotional wallop.
 |
| KITTY CONSENSUS: MEE-OW! |
The
Miracle Worker wouldn't be the beloved classic it is today
without the performances. Bancroft and Duke both won well-deserved
Oscars for the roles they originated on Broadway, the latter getting
this writer's vote for the best child performance of all time. But
these two aren't the whole show here. Victor Jory and Inga Swenson as
Helen's beleaguered parents are effective antagonists; even their
frequent clashes with Sullivan's methods are done with the best
intentions, meaning we still empathize with them.
THE
MADNESS OF KING GEORGE
Starring
Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Amanda Donohoe, Rupert
Graves, Rupert Everett. Directed by Nicholas Hynter. (1994, 111 min).
A
debilitating dilemma of a different kind strikes the titular
character in The Madness of King George.
King
George III (Nigel Hawthorne) precariously rules England, still in a
tumultuous state after losing control of America. Already somewhat
eccentric, George begins to display increasingly bizarre behavior
that has those around him questioning his sanity. George's allies
want to keep his "illness" secret, while opportunistic
members of Parliament - led by George's conniving son (Rupert
Everett) - try to exploit it to their advantage and gain control.
Dr.
Francis Willis (Ian Holm) is brought in to try and save the king from
his dementia. His methods are less barbaric than previous "cures,"
and if nothing else, the viewer walks away thankful that they don't
live in an age when blistering and purges were common forms of
treatment. Still, Willis' methods are also an ordeal to endure.
 |
| KITTY CONSENSUS: NOT BAD |
Despite
how it was promoted at the time, The Madness of King George
isn't really a comedy. Early scenes depicting the king's manic
behavior are somewhat amusing, but even then, the viewer might feel
uncomfortable laughing with them. Much of that is due to Hawthorne,
delivering the performance of his career. He, too, was nominated for
an Oscar and is perhaps a little too convincing for these scenes to
be anything but troubling signs of a deteriorating mind. The
fact that George isn't simply a whimsically daft buffoon sucks much
of the fun from the entire film.
Still,
Hawthorne's bold performance is something to behold. That alone makes
The Madness of King George worth checking out.
No comments:
Post a Comment