Ca

SIN Entertainment

'The Grass Harp'

Rated PG

A

businessman; Amos Legrand ly hard to hear clearly; her
(Roddy McDowell), a barber words were lost in the great
whose barber chair is the seat of outdoors. It was also dis-
town gossip; and Sister Ida concerting to have her al-
(Mary Steenburgen), a traveling ways seem so dewy-eyed —
evangelist. Also, the sher-
just this side of tears.
iff (Joe Don Baker),
Collin, who is de-
MOVIES
whose sidekick is a
scribed as sullen,
rooster named Ralph;
comes off as a bit
Reverend Buster (Charles Durn- more wooden than that de-
ing) and Judge Cool (Walter scription would lead us to
Matthau) contribute memorable expect.
touches to the down-home char-
Overall, the film offers
acterizations.
laughter and beauty, real
Visually, the film provides in- people speaking real words

utumn. The wind gently
nudges leaves from the
trees and rustles through
the Indian grass, whisper-
ing life's secrets: a grass harp.
The film The Grass Harp, di-
rected by Charles Matthau and
based on a novel by Truman
Capote, depicts lives in a small,
1940s Southern town as they de-
velop and change. It is a touch-
ing, warm and poignant story,
admirably demonstrating that
there is life beyond
car-chase violence.
.Collin Fenwick
(Edward Furlong)
comes to live with
his father's maid-
en cousins, Verena
and Dolly Talbo.
Verena (Sissy
Spacek) is a rigid
businesswoman
who owns half the
shops in town.
Dolly (Piper Lau-
rie) is the delicate,
romantic type, and
her lack of practi-
cality is a source of
2
irritation to her
sister. Catherine
a.
(Nell Carter) is
their outspoken Collin Fenwick (Edward Furlong), Dolly Talbo (Piper Laurie) and Judge Charlie Cool (Walter
housemaid.
Matthau) star in The Grass Harp, directed by Charles Matthau.
When Collin,
Dolly and Catherine escape the teresting contrasts between the and facing and trying to solve
home to live in a treehouse to get dark, regimented Talbo house, real problems.
away from Verena's control, they reflecting Verena, and the open,
"Love is a chain of love as na-
set in motion a chain of events, airy riverwoods, reflecting the ture is a chain of life," says
some rather comic, that change sense of freedom experienced by Judge Cool. In this chain, The
their lives and those of many of the runaways. The 1940s at- Grass Harp is a strong link.
the townspeople.
mosphere is authentically cap-
The cast also includes Morris tured in the cars, fashions and
Q6-) -0
Ritz (Jack Lemmon), a slick attitudes of the people.
One weak aspect: the quiet,
Sy Manello, editorial assistant,
almost whispery tones of Dol-
—Sy Manello
is a member of Detroit Area
ly. Though in keeping with her
Film & Television (DAFT).
character, she was occasional-

erect between actor and audi-
ence. There also are interviews
with Shakespearean scholars
and other prominent actors
which help the growing famil-
iarity with what is happening in
the production.
The play segments are excel-
lent; it would be a real treat to see
Mr. Pacino's Richard III in its en-
tirety. The wit Mr. Pacino dis-
plays while sea/thing for Richard
is completely lost in the wonder-
fully evil-incarnate Richard
Gloucester. Other members of
the impressive cast are Estelle
Parsons as Queen Margaret, Alec
Baldwin as Clarence, Kevin
Spacey as Buckingham, Winona
Ryder as Lady Anne and Aidan

Quinn as Richmond.
Mr. Pacino's stated
goal was to reach an au-
dience that would not
normally understand
Shakespeare. As a
teaching tool, Looking
For Richard is an ex-
cellent one; as an en-
tertainment vehicle, it
will enjoy only limited
appeal.

Rated R

Of course, their imaginations
are somewhat stunted and the
f a team of mad scientists most they can offer is a relent-
worked feverishly to create a less tour of cocktail lounges and
monster bearing the mannish coffee shops in permanent pur-
good looks of George
suit of "beautiful ba-
Clooney and the neu-
bies."
rotic charm of Woody Vince Va ughn and
In spite of their ef-
Allen, the creation Jon Favre au out on forts to coach him
the to wn in
would probably have
through his slump,
Swin gers.
an uncanny resem-
Mike can't get over his
blance to Mike (Jon
ex-girlfriend; he rou-
Favreau, who also wrote the tinely commits social suicide, us-
script), the mopey lead charac- ing the telephone as his weapon.
ter in Miramax's new release,
In these politically correct
Swingers.
times, Swingers gracefully ma-
Mike is a transplant-
neuvers its way through
ed New Yorker in L.A.,
many mine fields with an
MOVIES
who left the love of his
amusing, energetic script
life behind to pursue thes-
and an amiable ensemble
pian aspirations. He's regretted cast. Even though these fellows
it ever since. Even though he seem to be constantly drinking
was the one who left, Mike is martinis or trying to bed a babe,
consumed with his ex-love and the movie is not a glorification
cannot dismiss the idea that she of vices as much as a celebration
will call him "any day now."
of friendship.
He checks his answering ma-
In lesser hands, the charac-
chine more often than most peo- ters could have come across as
ple check their watch. Such boorish and immature; in the
behavior drives his buddies, a hands of Director Doug Lyman
pack of retro-Sinatras, to great and writer/actor Favreau, they
aggravation as they employ just seem like, well, guys. And,
every method they can imagine for crazy cocktailers or timid tee-
to convince him that he's "mon- totalers, these guys are worth
ey" and should get on with his swinging with for an evening.
life.
Richard Halprin, between
1/2
watching movies and writing
about them, is a self-employed
—Richard Halprin
attorney.

I

01
C)

Bagel Barometer

—Sy Manello

Al Pacino in Looking For
Richard: A look at the play
and the players.

'Swingers'

10(k)

Outstanding

t® ck)

Very Good

Good

(-)
O

0

Fair

CC

CO

LU

OD,

93