Part 84: 1996
MOVIES:
Sense and Sensibility
Apollo 13
El Postino (The Postman)
Braveheart (winner)
Babe
Sense and Sensibility
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Imogen Stubbs, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Gemma Jones, Harriet Walter, James Fleet, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Robert Hardy, Elizabeth Spriggs, Tom Wilkinson, Emilie Francois, Richard Lumsden
Oscar Wins: Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Other Nominations: Best Actress (Emma Thompson), Best Supporting Actress (Kate Winslet), Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Music (Original Dramatic Score), Best Picture
When it comes to Jane Austen’s men, few can compete with Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. He’s dashing. He’s handsome. He’s mean in that kind of hot way. Most Austen fans would pick him – or his hand (IYKYK) – out of a lineup of her male offerings…but not this girl. I’ve always been drawn to Col. Brandon from Sense and Sensibility. He’s kind. He’s compassionate. He’s sad in that kind of hot way. And while my heart is, and always has been, his after reading the novel, my love for him grew even more after watching this film adaptation.
Sense and Sensibility is about as loyal to its source as Clueless is to Emma. It’s by no means an honest retelling, but that really works in its favor. People will complain that the characters are too old or that it’s missing major chunks of the story or that the men in the movie are way more likeable than in the book – and honestly, it’s all true…and it’s all for the better. An honest film retelling of Sense and Sensibility would be even longer than this film’s 2+ hour runtime…not to mention a complete bore. Emma Thomspon, who not only starred in the film but wrote the screenplay, created plotlines and characters that worked well on film and helped drive along a story that’s otherwise kinda boring.
The heart of the story, though, remains the same. Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones) and her three daughters face eviction from their home when her husband dies and his son by his first marriage, James (James Fleet), comes to take over the home with his wife, Fanny (Harriet Walter). Despite making a promise to his father on his deathbed to see that they are all cared for, James backs away from his commitment.
Soon Fanny’s brother, Edward (Hugh Grant) comes for a visit and is immediately enamored with the oldest Dashwood daughter, Elinor (Emma Thompson). She, too, takes a special shine to him after watching him interact with her youngest sibling, Margaret (Emilie Francois).
However, Fanny is adamant about exorcising Elinor and her family from her new (stolen) home. Fanny informs Mrs. Dashwood that her brother would be disowned if he were to marry beneath him, and all but forces the Dashwood girls to move to a cottage, far away from the only home the girls have ever known. But that doesn’t stop Elinor from pining over Edward.
The middle Dashwood daughter, Marianne (Kate Winslet), attracts two suitors after their move to the country. Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) hears her singing and is immediately smitten with her…but before he can act, she falls for the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise), who literally sweeps her off her feet. The romance between Marianne and Willoughby blossoms, leaving Col. Brandon friendzoned in the background.
Eventually, both Elinor and Marianne learn they’ve been deceived by the men they love. Edward holds a deep secret that’s prevented him from being able to give himself completely to Elinor; and Willoughby drops Marianne like a hot potato when he finds a lass with a larger dowery. Meanwhile, Col. Brandon, knowing what a damn catch he is, just bides his time. With spinsterhood on the horizon, Elinor and Marianne must come to terms with what they’re willing to live with – and without – in order to find their own true version of happiness.
What gives Sense and Sensibility its tension and mystery is that the characters rarely say what they mean. There is great gossip within the sewing circles in the women’s sphere but – with the men – the conversation is made up of clever euphemisms, leaving the women to puzzle for weeks over what was or was not said. This gives the screenplay added humor and wit, both missing from the novel. More importantly, it makes these characters relatable to today’s audiences. The character of Edward, for example, is much more flushed out in the movie than he is in the book. It was a role specifically written for Hugh Grant, and it shows. He gets amusing lines, delivered in the stumbling aren’t-I-a-cute-buffoon way that was already his trademark.
Both Elinor and Marianne were also written to highlight the better and worse parts of each other’s personality. Elinor is introverted, articulate, methodical, and understanding. Marianne is adventurous, passionate, musical, and emotional. The two have very different approaches to life and relationships and it’s a great setup for viewers, who will find themselves gravitating towards one or the other.
This idea of contrast plays through other characters as well. Edward is funny and charming; his sister Fanny is selfish and cruel. Willoughby is hot and passionate; Col. Brandon is sad and introspective. One is sense, the other is sensibility (in today’s terms, “sensibility” is better translated to “sensitivity”).
In the great battle of decision, the brain and the heart often go head-to-head when it comes to leading us towards our romantic partners. While there are countless movies, books and stories that try to convince us that we should be listening to one and not the other, the truth of the matter is we rely on both for different reasons. We need both for different reasons. Headstrong as she is, Elinor needed to embrace her emotional side in order to find her own true version of happiness…and Marianne, who was so head-in-the-clouds in love with a man she hardly knew, had to come back down to earth for a minute in order to realize what she really needed.
Head and heart. Passion and logic. Sense and sensibility. These things exist separately and in tandem, first driving us, then balancing us…leading us towards someone who -hopefully, at least – bewitches us, body and soul.
Apollo 13
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Mark Wheeler, Larry Williams, David Andrews, Ben Marley, Brett Cullen, Ned Vaughn, Ed Harris, Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Marc McClure, Clint Howard, Ray McKinnon, Todd Louiso, Loren Dean, Jim Meskimen, Christian Clemenson, Carl Gabriel Yorke, Xander Berkeley, Kathleen Quinlan, Jean Speegle Howard, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Max Elliott Slade, Emily Ann Lloyd, Miko Hughes, Rance Howard, Tracy Reiner, Michele Little, Jim Lovell, Marilyn Lovell, Jeffrey Kluger, Roger Corman, Walter Cronkite
Oscar Wins: Best Film Editing, Best Sound
Other Nominations: Best Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Best Supporting Actress (Kathleen Quinlan), Best Music (Original Dramatic Score), Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Picture
Nine months after Neil Armstrong stepped out of Apollo 11’s lunar module and issued his famous “One small step for man” quote, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert stepped aboard Apollo 13 and shot off towards the moon. Forever trying to win our own Space Race record, America was adamant about going to the moon the moment we could, with whatever tools we had at hand.
Unsurprisingly, the technology that built the foundation for the American Space Race was antiquated to say the least. During one scene in Apollo 13, an astronaut brags that they have a computer “that fits in one room and can send out millions of instructions.” Today, we have better computers in our pockets.
This, of course, comes with its own set of problems. More advanced technology means we don’t need to rely on our own mental prowess as much, if at all. Hell, I could have AI write this entire blog if I wanted. But this wasn’t the case in the 1960s. If technology failed, it was up to the scientists, the engineers, and the astronauts to troubleshoot any issues – and that is what makes Apollo 13 such a riveting story.
Apollo 13 features a constellation of stars, the brightest of which is Tom Hanks as command module pilot Jim Lovell. The last time Lovell was in space, he was on Apollo 8, which orbited within 60 nautical miles of the moon’s surface. Eager to step foot on the moon before it’s too late, Lovell jumps at the opportunity to captain Apollo 13 – both to fulfill his dream and dodge questions from visiting VIPs at NASA about how astronauts go to the bathroom in space.
Also on the Apollo 13 mission are astronauts Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), who takes the spot of Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) after Mattingly is exposed to measles two days before the April 11 liftoff date. The film does its due diligence in giving us some good pre-launch prep scenes before jolting us into space with a seemingly perfect takeoff…however, an oxygen tank explodes two days into their journey to the moon, meaning Lovell and his team face the very real threat of being marooned in space. Worse still, their oxygen could run out, they could be poisoned by carbon dioxide, or they could straight up freeze to death as the power on the ship continues to fail. Their instruments malfunction, the heat shield is damaged, and all that isn’t even the half of it. “Houston, we have a problem,” reports Lovell, whose delivery is so understated it’s downright funny.
With no power to run their instruments, the fate of the Apollo crew rests with the nerds at Mission Control, who jury-rig solutions that use everything from duct tape to the ship’s momentum to get the crew home. Several challenges present themselves, including the fact that the engineers tasked with coming up with solutions are bound by whatever Lowell and his crew have access to in their ship. But the biggest challenge is flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), who won’t accept failure as an option.
Eventually good news makes its way to the crew – there’s a solution; however, they have to enter at precisely the right angle in order to be successful. To steep, they could be incinerated. Too shallow, and they could skip off the top of the atmosphere like a stone on a pond. These men are literally basing their re-entrance to Earth on a wing and a prayer.
Although the ending of Apollo 13 is one most people know already, it’s still a powerful story, told with great clarity and remarkable technical detail. It may not be the best Space Race movie, but it’s certainly made of the right stuff. It’s a reminder of a proud moment in our past, an exhilarating and believable journey to the dark side of the moon and (thankfully) back again.
Il Postino (The Postman)
Director: Michael Radford
Starring: Massimo Troisi, Philippe Noiret, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Renato Scarpa, Linda Moretti, Mariano Rigillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Simona Caparrini, Michael Diana, Sergio Solli, Bruno Alessandro
Oscar Wins: Best Music (Original Dramatic Score)
Other Nominations: Best Actor (Massimo Troisi), Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Director, Best Picture
Mario Ruoppolo (Massimo Troisi) is a gentle man, a lonely soul resigned to the monotony of life on a quiet island where he lives with his father. Mario doesn’t talk much, but he has been raised in a place that provides him with almost nothing to talk about.
Meanwhile, the great Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret) has taken residence on this small island. Exiled from his homeland due to his communist views, Neruda has become somewhat of a local celebrity in this small town. His high status means he receives huge quantities of mail, so much so that the local post office must hire an extra postman to deliver Neruda’s mail. Eager for work, Mario takes the job.
Though shy and quiet, Mario is not unintelligent. Unlike most people on the island, he can read. He simply seems adrift, as if he’s living most of his life without a reason or passion. It’s no surprise, then, that he takes an almost instant liking to Neruda, a man who finds beauty in all aspects of life. Mario loves reading Neruda’s poetry and wants to understand it. He asks Neruda what a metaphor is, how to craft one and how to put feelings into words. Neruda is so charmed by the fresh simplicity of Mario’s enthusiasm and the unlikely duo become friends, with Neruda helping Mario to follow his dreams, express his love and win the heart of the local beauty, Beatrice (Maria Grazia Cucinotta).
Set against a stunning Italian backdrop, it’s easy to see why Il Postino is so well-liked. The film’s balanced pacing and eye-catching cinematography make it a pleasure on the eye while captivating the heart. But the real beauty of the film lies in its quietness, telling a captivating story of friendship, poetry, politics, romance, and heartbreak.
And speaking of heartbreak, we can’t really talk about Il Postino without mentioning the tragedy that was going on behind the scenes. Massimo Troisi, who also co-wrote the screenplay, gave a deeply personal performance, heavily influenced by the fact that he was gravely ill while making the movie. He suffered from heart problems his entire life and was told before shooting that he needed surgery immediately. But Il Postino was a true labor of love for Troisi – he had been trying to get it made for years – and so the shoot went on. The literal day after filming ended, Troisi died at the age of 41…his story complete.
Hesitant, shy and uncultured, Mario had the heart of a poet…but didn’t know how to express himself. Similar to Tom Hanks’ character in Forrest Gump, Mario would often make some startlingly insightful observations, such as “the whole world is a metaphor for something”, often without realizing how thought-provoking his comments were. Troisi wasn’t much different – creating a soft-spoken, simple film that says more in its quiet spaces than in those filled with dialogue. This is a film that touches the heart, delivering sweet sediments about love and friendship that are sure to resonate with those yearning to find passion in their own lives.
Braveheart
Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, James Robinson, Angus Macfadyen, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, Mhairi Calvey, Brendan Gleeson, Andrew Weir, Peter Hanly, James Cosmo, David O'Hara, Ian Bannen, Sean McGinley, Brian Cox, Sean Lawlor, Sandy Nelson, Stephen Billington, John Kavanagh, Alun Armstrong, John Murtagh, Tommy Flanagan, Donal Gibson, Jeanne Marine, Michael Byrne, Malcolm Tierney, Bernard Horsfall, Peter Mullan, Gerard McSorley, Richard Leaf, Mark Lees, Tam White, Jimmy Chisholm, David Gant
Oscar Wins: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Director, Best Makeup, Best Picture
Other Nominations: Best Sound, Best Costume Design, Best Music (Original Dramatic Score), Best Writing (Original Screenplay), Best Film Editing
Braveheart is one of those films that would be easy to criticize if it didn’t deliver. It’s historically inaccurate in pretty much every way, from the costumes to the dialogue, the plot to the characters. But frankly, who cares? Directed by Mel Gibson, Braveheart is not a film about history as much as it’s a film about myth. It’s a full-throated, red-blooded battle epic about the legendary Scot warrior William Wallace, who led his nation in battle against the English. It’s an ambitious film, big on simple emotions like love, patriotism and loyalty…and even bigger on the stuff that makes movies like this so engaging: the battle scenes.
Having lived in the 1300s, not much is known about the real William Wallace, except that he unified the clans of Scotland and won famous battles against the English before being captured, tortured and executed as a traitor…and all of that is present in Braveheart. What happened historically in between all of that was probably nowhere near as exciting as Gibson made it out to be, but again, who cares? Historical accuracy didn’t matter to Shakespeare…or Spielberg…or even Walt Disney…why should it matter here? What DOES matter in this case, and the case of other historically inaccurate films like Agro, Jurassic Park, Shakespeare in Love and Disney’s Pocahontas, just to name a few, is telling a good story…one that not only pays tribute to its hero, but perhaps reminds us how that hero would want to be remembered…and Gibson’s Braveheart does just that.
The movie follows the tale of William Wallace (Gibson) – a freedom fighter who rose to liberate Scotland from the rule of King Edward of England, known as “Longshanks” (Patrick McGoohan). As a young boy (James Robinson), Wallace witnesses the aftermath of Longshanks’ execution of several Scottish nobles, then loses his father and brother when they resist the English.
After years spent away with his uncle Argyle (Brian Cox), Wallace returns home a man, complete with flowing locks and a killer physique. Almost immediately he begins wooing his childhood friend Murron (Catherine McCormack). The two are married in secret to elude and English law allowing a nobleman to rape a Scottish bride on her wedding night (jus primae noctis). The romantic marriage ceremony, held at night in a clearing in the woods, is so evocative of Romeo and Juliet that it’s impossible to believe these two will have a happy ending.
Unsurprisingly, the relationship ends in tragedy…and Wallace’s anguish uncorks pent-up hostility as a growing band of rebels take arms against the king’s forces. At this point, Braveheart turns into a muscular and brutal medieval war movie, with Wallace constantly outsmarting Longshanks with enough Gibson persona to make Wallace likeable. These battle scenes are technically amazing, massing men and horses for large-scale warfare on film. Gison deploys what looks like thousands of men on horseback, as well as foot soldiers, archers, and hot-headed Scots wanting English blood – yet they don’t turn into confusing crowd scenes. We understand the strategy and we enjoy the tactics, even while doubting if some of them will work.
There are also flashes of irreverent wit and dark humor, including a hilarious rock-throwing contest between Wallace and his friend, Hamish (Brendan Gleeson) and a can’t-help-but-laugh-at-the-absurdity moment when Longshanks casually pushes his son’s homosexual lover out a window as if he were shooing a fly.
To face martyrdom bravely. To die with one word on his lips – “FREEDOM!!”. To persevere on behalf of his oppressed countrymen, their children, and their children’s children. There are a lot of powerful messages here. Part history, part mythology, and all action-adventure, Braveheart tells a heroic story that many 21st-century Americans take for granted: one of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Babe
Director: Chris Noonan
Starring: James Cromwell, Madga Szubanski, Zoe Burton, Paul Goddard, Wade Hayward, Brittany Byrnes, Mary Acres, Janet Foye, Pamela Hawkins, Karen Gough, John Doyle, John Erwin, Doris Grau, Marshall Napier, Christine Cavanaugh, Danny Mann, Miriam Margolyes, Hugo Weaving, Miriam Flynn, Russi Taylor, Michael Edward-Stevens, Charles Bartlett, Evelyn Krape, Paul Livingston, Roscoe Lee Browne, Ross Bagley, Gemini Barnett, Rachel Davey, Debi Derryberry, Jaszzmine Dillingham, Courtland Mead, Kevin Woods, Jane Alden, Kimberly Bailey, Patrika Darbo, Michelle Davison, Julie Forsyth, Maeve Germaine, Rosanna Huffman, Carlyle King, Tina Lifford, Genni Nevinson, Linda Phillips, Paige Pollack, Kerry Walker, Barbara Harris, Jacqueline Brennan, Doug Burch, Tony Hughes, Linda Janssen, Daamen Krall, Charlie MacLean, Justin Monjo, Antonia Murphy, Neil Ross, Scott Vernon
Oscar Wins: Best Visual Effects
Other Nominations: Best Supporting Actor (James Cromwell), Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Film Editing, Best Picture
One reason Pixar’s movies are so well-loved is that they don’t talk down to their audience. Movies like Toy Story, Wall-E, Coco, and Up are certainly appealing to kids, but they still carry heavy themes that viewers of all ages can recognize and talk about.
There are, of course, people who will avoid these films, as well as books with illustrations or TV shows with talking dogs, because they’re “just for kids”, i.e., poor quality. This has never made sense to me. If anything, we should hold children’s entertainment to the highest standard, not the lowest. They’re the ones who are still shaping and forming their concept of the world. They are the ones whose mind is still sucking up every detail like a sponge. Show an adult a terrible movie, it’s forgotten by dinnertime. Show a kid a terrible movie, it makes an impact on their world.
And when it comes to setting that standard, few films can do what Babe has done.
Babe is a delight…a cinematic bowl of chicken soup that warms the heart in every possible way. Every movie for children should be made with this much care, expressing this much unparalleled richness and beauty. The story is slight: a piglet (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) is won by a sheep farmer (James Cromwell), taken in by the farmer’s dogs, and learns how to herd sheep. Everything else is just perfect (and necessary) adornment.
As with any fairy tale – and Babe is nothing if not a fairy tale – it’s the details that make it truly special. For it’s in the details that the Hoggett Farm, nestled in a quiet corner of Australia, blossoms into a tiny microcosm of all humanity. Love and anger, innocence and cynicism, even life and death are all explored in Babe, using the gentlest touch that could convince you you’re watching a nice, simple bit of fluff. And, even as fluff, it’s a wonderful film – a beautiful blend of sharply etched characters, both two and four-legged alike.
In a way, Babe is also reminiscent of Toy Story, where the culture and value system are personified in the characters. Yet on Hoggett Farm, there are important contrasts, even prejudices, that give added depth to these barnyard critters.
Take Rex and Fly, the border collies who ‘adopt’ Babe. Unlike the livestock, they’re allowed in the house with “the bosses” (the Hoggett’s) and are valued not for what they produce, but for their work. “The bosses only eat stupid animals,” Fly explains to her puppies – stupid here being animals that don’t work, like sheep, cows, and chickens. The dogs particularly regard the sheep as stupid, while the sheep consider the dogs vicious “wolves”. It’s a mark of the film’s subtlety that neither prejudice is baseless, nor is either the whole truth.
Despite the dogs’ opinion, the sheep and the cows on the farm have a stoic acceptance of their lot in life: “The way things are is the way things are,” they say. But not everyone is on board with this way of thinking. Ferdinand the Duck (voiced by Danny Mann), who neither produces nor works, knows that he exists only to be eaten, vehemently rejecting the status quo: “The way things are stinks!” he says.
Ferdinand’s efforts to craft a new destiny for himself provides a comic counterpoint for Babe’s own ambitions of taking on an untraditional role as a sheep herder. Ferdinand is desperate to make himself useful, doing whatever he can to avoid being turned into Christmas dinner. It would be easy to think, then, that Babe has some hidden agenda within its story, subtly telling people to stop eating meat, but that isn’t the case. The film certainly doesn’t shy away from touching on the cruelty of factory farming, but it never says or even implies that eating meat is bad. Farmer Hoggett eats meat and most of the animals on his farm are being raised for that reason – but he also raises them with humanity and respect, and that is the lesson.
Being about a smart little pig, Babe inevitably invites comparisons to another peppy piglet: Wilbur of Charlotte’s Web. But Wilbur is a passive player. His main accomplishment is making friends with Charlotte, the crafty spider, who saves Wilbur’s bacon with a clever little PR campaign. Wilbur isn’t even the hero of his own story.
Babe, on the other hand, takes his fate into his own little trotters. He faces challenges, learns new skills, and challenges the prejudices of his barnyard world. He’s personable, funny, and polite to everyone.
He’s some pig.
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