F r i d a y , N o vpmb e r 1 , 1 9 7 4q
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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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Pick of the week:
Mr. Smith Goes
to Washington
Cinema Guild, Arch. Aud.
Sat., 7, 9
Few American directors have
ever succeeded in developing
as distinctive a style as the
brilliant Frank Capra. There is,
indeed, a "Capra look" to his
films: a homespun humor mix-
ed with some genuine flair. And
that'"look" was the root of some
of the best movies of Holly-
wood's biggest years.
Mr. Smith Goes To Washing-
ton is a fine example of Capra's
exceedingly delicate subtlety.
On the outside, Mr. Smith is a
humorous yet somewhat tragic'
picture about a naive young
man who almost becomes the
victim of a vicious political sys-
tem. Underneath the trappings,
however, the picture is a biting
comment on something that has
become all too familiar to us
as of late -- corruption in the
Congress.
James Stewart portrays Jef-
ferson Smith, the backwoods do-
gooder recruited to serve in
the Senate by an agressive Tam-
many Hall-type political ma-
chine. Jean Arthur backs him
up to the hilt as a dedicated
as the machine's veteran Sena-
secretary, while Claude Rains,
tor, provides the final ironic
twist.
Perhaps Mr. Smith is kitsch.
the complex mechanisms of tiie makes this film a psychlgiirl
jumbo jet, unless just maybe thriller. Tinkling wind chimes,
someone can be lowered into the images in mirrors, crank phone
cockpit and land it safely. calls, oozing blood, and a desa-
Director Jack Smight handles late Irish landscape projl ce
the melee as if he directed t by some veritable chills.
mail. The all-star cast, designed Images first appeared at :he
solely as a ploy to lure Unsu- 1972 New York Film Fesdival.
specting patrons into the thea- The fourth of Altman's films,
tre, is the typical cross section both written and directed by
of characters and personalI him, Images is totally different
dramas, from Helen Reddy as than any other film he has
a singing nun to Linda Blair made.
in a non-existent part as a sick -Sarah Polar: k
kid in need of a kidney trans-
plant.
As expected, it's the he-man ! ink Flamingos
heroics of big Chuck Heston, New World, MLB
gritting his teeth through ano- Sat., 7, 9
ther one-dimensional role, rescu- Billed by Saliva Films :s "on
ing not only the plane full of exercise in bad taste," P i n k
neople, but the stewardess Pt Flamingos by John Waters is
the controls -- whom he j u s t just that.
happens to be in love with. It's The film tells of a rivairy for
a lot to swallow. the title of "the filthiest person
The folks at Briarwood could in the world" between a three-,
pull off a great publicity stunt, hundred pound transvestite nam-
and at the same time provide ed Divine, and the Marbles who
a genuine service to their cus- sell 'hot' babies to lesbian cou-
tomers, if they would provide ples. Also crowded into +he film
each patron with an air sickness are an ex-tap dancer who cats;
bag. It would sure save the eggs in her playpen, an actor
janitor one helluva mess in the halfway through a sex change,
morning. and enough assorted acts of
--im Valk filth to last a lifetime.
* * Something like a tabloid nex.'s-
naner in film form, "Pink Fla -
McCfdbe and if rs. mingos" is a pure example of
Miller bad filming, horrible acting and
Cinema II, Aud. A a script designed to pack a nx'
Sun. 7, 9:15 ie so full of sensationalist trine
This is one of those movies that it can offend anyone. The
Tobody caseem tosge aots film is a testament to how hor-
nobody can seem to agree about. rible a film can be and xst=ll 3e
Critical appraisals of Robert rIeea
A - . , N-r'-k- -A 14- «: _ released.--
the movie progresses it tends making The Heart Is A Lonely
towards the absurd and the un- Hunter a study of real char-
believable, and it becomes acters in real situations. On a
grossly exaggerated. The antics more universal level, this f'm
and nonsensical humor of Peter is a sensitive and inspiring par-
Sellers and his comics lost their able of the human condition.
appeal as there is constant repe- -Linda Fidel
tition of the plot and theme, *
--------- --
with little innovation in 'diaogLei or
or situations.Julietof the Spirits
Unless one is able to find hu- Cinema Guild, Arch. Aud.
mor in the utter ridiculousness Fri., 7, 9:3 s
of this uncoordinated caricature,1 It's difficult to appraise the
Where Does It Hurt? really is surrealistic fantasies of Fedrico
neither a worthwhile movie "9 Fellini because the yardstick te
P o, which you measure them is the
I
TGIF 4
Thank God It's Friday
Today
and every Friday
sew., .11 m li~d
-Debby Bienstock
Stt the Revolution
Without Me
Mediatrics, Nat. Sci. Aud.
Fri., Sat., 7
rest of his films . .. Your opin-
ion of Juliet of the Spirits, then,
depends on your basic like or
dislike of Fellini.
Juliet eschews unceasing v>)-
levs ofhsymbolism as it ex-
olores the psyche of a womaen
From one of the funniest men
in America, Bud Yorkin, comes iunfaithfuil. As in all Fellini
Stant AmeervlutionWithout works, the visual delights offset
Start The Revolution yitothe symbolism and constitute a
Me, a sterling testimony to celebration of sight.
Yorkin's wit. Starring Donald For those able to sort out the
Sutherland and Gene Wilder, symbolic details, Juliet of the
this movie humorously deals Spirits might nrove a meaning-
with France on the eve of the ful message film. As entetain-
Revolution. ment, however, this 1965 e1ease
Two sets of identical twins are succeeds only on a visual level.
switched at birth, and t h e i r -Chris Kochmanski
subsequent meeting plays a role
in the outbreak of the French
Revolution. As period films go, Limelight
this one was carelessly done New World, MLB
(there were no cars in Paris Sun., 7, 9
in 1789!), but try to ignore the Charlie Chaplin's Limelight is
inaccuracv. not as much of a comedy as
This movie is far from a most of his movies. Chaplin
work of art, but some of Gene plays an outdated vaudeville
Wilder's one-liners make this comedian and Claire Bloom
movie a winner. Don't expect to makes her first screen appear-
learn anything about the Pre-_h ance as a self-doubting baller-
Retohition though - just sit ina.
back and enjo%. Though the comedian has fal-
-Mark DeB) sky len on hard times, he has Led
* lllif. ( ela .-a pilin :, m ni
!own
ima
15c Hot Dogs
2-5 P.M. WHILE THEY LAST
Ski Movies every Mon. & Tues. Nites
ive Entertainment:
1,tww b. cYmlERY
Jazz ay o'
Sunday night 1P
NO COVER UJ
310 MAYNARD
.'5
To be sure, it plays right for the:
gut - there's no psychological
fol-de-rol on this Capra effort.'
Altman's
>Mc~abe and Mrs. Mil-
-David Crumm
I
But then, 'Pauline Kael said it
best: "Our best work transforms
kitsch, makes art out of it." And
I don't think anyone can deny
that Frank Capra films are, in
the end, a unique art.
-David Blomquist
* *
Odessa File
The Movies, Briarwood
ler run the gamut from rharso-
dic praise to scornful dismissal.
However, despite this disparity
of opinion, all have agreed that
this is an intriguing and unusual
picture.
The plot is fairly simple. A
petty gambler named McCabe
comes to the rising fr mntier
Where Does It Murl?
Mediatri-s, Nnt. Sci. Ault.
Fri., Spt., 10
Where Does It H'irt?, lirec i
by Rod Amateau, is an inane %-
temnt by Peter Sellers to sat.-
ize the conseouences of h bnv
xi
k{'",
.
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Te Iieart Is ,1
L1nely Iunter
Ann Arbor Film Co-op
MLB, Aud. 3
Fri., 7, 9:151
village of Presbyterian Church subjected to the whims of the
and proceeds to set up a ca'ino medical staff in a typical hu',-
The Odessa File is an excel- and a three-bed bordello. He pital. Thnomas C. Ryans The adeart
lent dramatization of the Fred- struggles to keep his head above An innocent construction x.)rk- Is A Lonely Hunter is a .>ucn-
erick Forsyth suspense novel, water until an aspiring madam er, plaved by Rick Lenz,. 1I1- ing film abounding in religious:
Jon Voight gives a marvelous- by the name of Mrs. Miller knowingly becomes the victim me }ping, It is the story of a
ly intense portrayal of a report- shows up to provide big-city con- of the doctor's schemes, as he den f-mute, ironically named
er who tracks down former'nections and financial know-niw. merelv enters the hospital for John Singer, and the relarion-
Nazi SS officers. His infiltration This odd couple maintain their a routine checkup, but soon is shins he nurtures - partly out
of Odessa, the secret network of fragile world until reality inter- confined to the hospital for an of altruism, partly out of lone-
the Nazi officers, provides for venes in the form of Big Bus: indefinite stay, powerless to liness.
very exciting viewing. Maximi-|ness (enter social commentary) combat the forces of medicine, Alan Arkin is one of the most
lian Schell also gives a fine per-' which eventually destroys the: ensnared in their trap. versatile actors on today's
formance as Voight's quarry, a precarious partnership. As the conniving hospital ad- screen. As the hero, 'or sav-
leader of the SS ring. This movie has much to re- ministrator, Sellers maintains iour, as it were), he displays
There is a quiet, yet shatter- commend it. It captures the an incompetent staff .whose his gift for mime, conveying his
ing tension throughout-the film. essence of frontier life: t h e greed for money leads them to struggle to communicate in the
Still it avoids the gratuitous sex harsh environment, the grubby charge exorbitant medical ex- world of silence. He gives faith
and violence of many of today's atmosphere - all are portrayed penses for ludicrious and un- to the lost souls he attracts, not
thrillers. Much of this is due with a keen sensitivity. necessary examinations of their throeh desperate pleading, but
to the fine direction of Ronald Warren Beatty and Julie patients. through his own modest ;xam-
Neame, who re-establishes him- Christie turn in convincing p er- Although the movie's portrayal ple.
self after the disastrous Posel- formances in the title roles. The of the excessively high hospital The fine acting carefully
don Adventure. olot is lively and full of spunky expenses is very realistic, as avoids any trace of melodrama,
The Odessa File's action, fun. But in the end, this picture
while low-key in many moments, falls victim to the overworked
will leave the viewer breathless. symbolisms of director Altman.s
This, along with the superbHe loses the devastating subtle- " r1-MEDIATRICS
characterizations by Voight and tv of his earlier efforts and re-:
Schell, enables this film to be places it with a pretentiousness
entertaining and highly recom- which blunts the edge of this PRESENTS
mended viewing. fundamentally excellent mov.,e.
-Michael Broidy -George Lobseaz
* * * ** ADOUBLE FEATURE
Air port 1975 Images
The Movies, Briarwood Cinema II, Aud. h R
Fasten your seat belt; the dis- 'Fri., Sat., 7, 9
aster flicks are starting to ooze StrrngDOAL ST'RLN
in. Continuing the onslaught of In Images, Robert Altman of Starring DONALD SUTHERLAND
Hollywood's newly discovered fers up a schizophrenic night- GENE WILDER
gold mine, the biggest rip-off mare which is wholly suitable
yet arrives on the scene. Air- for this Halloween weeks17d. -AND--
port 1975 has so little to do with A wealthy writer of children's
the original Airport (1979)) hat stories (Susannah York) is sent Where D I I
it's embarrassing. The only to the country for some rest and WhrIt Hurt.
thing they have in common is relaxation after suffering some w E
that yearning for the almighty sort of breakdown. There she is with PETER SELLERS
buck, mowing down good taste confronted by her husband Two Complete Showings at 7 and 10Q
and cinematic quality 'n the (Rene Auberjonois), two former
process. lovers (ghosts?), an enigma'ic
This time the disaster takes child (who looks exactly like a Fri., Nov. 1 Sat., Nov. 2
place in the air. A private plane , young Susannah York), and a 2
collides into the cockpit of a I mysterious murder. Not, Sci.,Aud. only$
747, killing two and injuring one. It is the lack of distin(:ian be-
It's up to the stewardess to land tween fact and fantasy wni.h
t
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t
I
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y
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a tunl life. we see hnapan s own
philosophy as the comedian
keeps giving the dancer encour-
agement by teling her why life
is worth living. We see that the
comedian can still be funny as
he entertains the ballerina or
has fantasies about her.
(Continued on Page 8)
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IT'S THE SAME GUY . .
BUT A WHOLE NEW
BALL GAME !
"THE LONGEST YARD" is a
movie that cracks a lot of Y
jokes. And a lot of bones. Burt
Reynolds stars-tough, sassy--7
and always that fire.
Reynolds is at his most virile.
The wrath of a woman scorned;\
starts his trouble. -However,
he's got some wrath of his own.
And the last 45 minutes of the
film is unlike anything you
have, ever seen. It will have youhe l
howlincj and cheerinci like no
movie ever has.
"THE LONGEST YARD" is a
fierce, funny movie. For men, I
for women, for everyone,
"RANKS WITH THE BEST .
A GEM OF A PICTURE."
---A. McLain
Detroit News
E\
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Saturday & Sunday Matinee
THE WORLD'S FIRST
SCRUMPDI DDLYUMPTIOUS
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"WILLY WONKA & THE
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at I and 3 p.m. G
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