January 2013 book and film review

BOOKS

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN, by James Baldwin. The children of a hellfire preacher in early 20th century New York struggle to emerge from his shadow. However, the pious one hides a dark past of his own. Absolutely amazing tale of belief and hypocrisy in a black family in the post-slavery era. The climax, where the preacher's son experiences his own great epiphany is one of the great passages in American literature. Stunning.

AGENT ZIGZAG, by Ben Macintyre. A charming spiv is arrested in Jersey just before the German occupation and finds himself recruited into their secret service. But he intends to betray them and work for the British as a double agent. One of the most famous of wartime spy stories, the exploits of Eddie Chapman have become legend. Ben Macintyre's book does a careful job of deconstructing the myths and highlighting the facts, some of which have only recently entered the public domain.. And they're extraordinary enough by themselves... Readable.

FILMS

DESK SET (1957) D-Walter Lang. A time-and-motion specialist is brought in to install a computer in an office building. Naturally the computer cocks up hilariously... Another vehicle for the Tracy/Hepburn team, which by the late 50s they had refined to a supremely comfortable level. For me, the film is a little pedestrian, but the colours, the sexual politics and the dress-codes reminded me more of Mad Men than anything, and if nothing else showed just how much work they did to make that series look totally authentic. An historical relic.

JOE KIDD (1972) D- John Sturges. In 1870s south Texas, an unscrupulous landowner (Robert Duvall) prepares to exterminate the Mexicans whose lands he has appropriated. He hires Clint Eastwood to help carry out the killings, but then Joe goes native and fights for the Mexicans instead... By 1972 Clint was carrying all before him and indeed had just directed his first, highly successful feature (Play Misty for Me). He was therefore big enough to wait for the best roles, and Joe Kidd is definitely one of them. Highly watchable.

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (2012) D- John Madden. A crew of British ex-pats descend on a sort of retirement community in India. Their ability to cope with the culture clash varies considerably... This is the sort of thing we do well, and with the excellent Bill Nighy on board how can we lose? Rather easily, as it turns out. Judi Dench does her usual frowny thing in quite a small role which still somehow is marketed as the film's biggest attraction. The result is light and sadly, rather inconsequential. Disappointing.

EDGE OF THE CITY (1956) D-Martin Ritt. A troubled young man (John Cassavetes) lands a much-needed job as a New York stevedore, but soon finds complications. By chance he makes friends with a black docker (Sidney Poitier, in an early, brilliant performance). Also known as A Man is 10 feet Tall, this film demonstrates with devastating clarity that Martin Ritt is one of the greatest of Hollywood directors, not just from the point of view of his technical prowess, but also because of his finely tuned social conscience and acute eye for human character. Absolutely brilliant. I know it's only January, but this could be my film of the year.

LAS ACACIAS (2011) D- Paulo Georgelli. A trucker en route from Asuncion in Paraguay to distant Buenes Aires picks up a hitch-hiker with her baby. After a faltering start, their relationship gradually blossoms. Simply made (and I mean that as a compliment), understated piece which nonetheless arrests the attention of the viewer. Superior.

BIG MIRACLE (2011) D- Ken Kuapis. An oil company wants to drill in the high Arctic. There an exploration team finds a family of whales trapped under the ice. Sensing a publicity coup, the company allows a rescue attempt to be mounted. Soon everyone, even the hated Russians (it's set in the cold war era) get in on the act. Rather enjoyable piece of light-weight hocum.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2010) D- Lynne Ramsay. A young man's middle class parents are a bit worried about about his geekish tendencies, but they have yet to discover it's far, far worse than that... Tilda Swinton gives her usual strong, compelling performance as a mum who senses something's wrong with her son, but can't work out what it is. Scary.

TRIPLE CROSS (1967) D- Terence Young. The film of the book (Agent ZigZag I mean). Sort of. The book reviewed above only came out in 2007 when much more had been revealed to the public gaze. This film should have been great: Christopher Plummer chose to take the lead role directly after coming off the success of Sound of Music, and he plays the charming robber Eddie Chapman with oodles of urbane style. Moreover, Terence Young, the director, knew Eddie persoanlly from his time in the Soho of the 1930s. A pity then, that the film lacks coherence and cohesion, with Chapman's character portrayed in 2 dimensions, and often just one. A big disappointment.

WILLOW (1988) D-Ron Howard. A little man finds a baby floating on a river and adopts it. What he doesn't know is that the baby has magical powers and is sought by an evil witch. OK then. All the George Lucas elements are there (he conceived the project), fantasy, humour, some dwarves (including Warwick Davis, who of course has had a career re-boot since he met Ricky Gervais) and, you've guessed it, a lousy script. Somehow nothing about this movie works, from the uncertain direction (Ron was yet to find his feet) poor acting (Warwick as guilty as any) and its length (it's a good 1/2 hour too long). Well, at last I've seen it, but boy, I could have left it out permanently as it turns out.

WILD BILL (2012) D- Dexter Fletcher. An old lag is released from prison and goes to care for his 2 sons, but finds that by necessity (mum abandoned them) they've been doing the job by themselves for years. Then he discovers his 10 year old has been recruited as a dealer. He is not best pleased... Charlie Creed-Miles puts in a terrific performance of raw power and understated emotion in this gritty, highly realistic story of life in the sink estates. In fact all the players are excellent. A splendid find which I came across almost by chance. Catch it or miss out.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2010) D- Woody Allen. A wealthy young American in Paris (Owen Wilson) is having second thoughts about his upcoming marriage. Then one night he finds a taxi which somehow takes him back into the 1920s, and he begins, incredulously at first, but then with growing delight, to rub shoulders with Hemingway, Picasso and Gertrude Stein (a superb Kathy Bates). A welcome return to form for Allen, whose recent offerings have failed to satisfy. I was beginning to worry he might be past his sell-by, but this film shows he is very much not.

Post script. Thanks for working through the list. Including the 3 docus I have reviewed in another post, this makes 15 "new" films I have seen this month, which I believe to be a record for me. I've a way to go though. I'm sure Mark Kermode sees at least 2 new films a day, though that is his day job. You might say I should get a life: I'd say I've already got one. See you next month!.