The Trial of the Chicago Seven (Netflix)

 

The Trial of the Chicago Seven (Netflix)

The Chicago Seven trial was about 52 years ago (1968). I remember some parts but not to the detail of the movie. The historical and cultural significance of this event is enough reason to watch the film. Chicago of 1968 belonged to Mayor Richard Daily and he was not going to tolerate “hippie anarchists” demonstrating in his city. The police were his private l tug force. The protests were against the Vietnam war.

The film is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. The film’s excellent production is as a result of his detailed and emotional script. Trials can be as dry as toast but here the film is engaging and tense. The movie uses cuts from actual news footage of the riots and beatings which are edited into the film. As to the authenticity of the movie I am sure there was some poetic license  but from what I read most of the events were true. The production went out of its way to have the actors reassemble the actual people.  Abie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin were quite accurate. Abie Hoffman is played by Sasha Baron Cohn, of “Borat” fame. I can not watch any of the Borat movies, they are cringe worthy and in poor taste. But Cohn was outstanding in this role. Not only did he mimic Hoffman but he displayed sincerity to Hoffman’s beliefs. Another outstanding performance was presented by Mark Rylance as William Kunstler, the main  defense lawyer. He sported Kunstler’s ubiquitous glasses atop he forehead. What he  lacked in appearance he made up in his passionate performance. Frank Langella was brilliant as the autocratic Judge Julius Hoffman. Langella used a modified Nixon voice and some of his repartee was almost  Vaudevillian.  Obviously, there were no cameras in the court room so Langella did a lot of over the top ad-lib acting.  He must have had great fun.

This is an ensemble performance with a talented cast too many to list. Sorkin has directed a master peace. For all you kids below 40 this film is a required civic lesson. For the rest of us it is a bittersweet through back. In 1969  I was eighteen and required to register for the draft. In the lottery I had a low number which increased my chance of being inducted. I was not picked.

 

 

Les Miserables - Two Beefs

I do not particularly like movie musicals. There are exceptions of course like West Side Story (Once your a Jet,your always a Jet, snap,snap). Les Miserables does not have any snap, rather it is quite  bleak. The main force of the movie is redemption. Hugh Jackman's character rose from a prisoner to a factory owner of rosary beads who pledged his life to the salvation of an orphan girl whose dead mother worked in his factory. 

Anne Hathaway is one of the big stars in the movie. I have two beefs with her. She is only in the movie for about 25 minutes. The movie is about  three hours. Ads imply she is in the movie for the entire time. The other  thing is her signing. "Dream the Dream" is the soaring anthem of  Les Miserables (remember Susan Boyle). Anne Hathaway's rendition never left the tarmac.In this movie there were more actors singing than singers acting. Almost all the dialogue was sung, which was very boring.

The one bright exception was Hugh Jackman. As a song and dance man and he sang his numbers with power and passion. His entire performance was outstanding. He deserves any nominations he gets. Then there is Russel Crowe. He plays the meanie (what a stretch). His acting arch is from sour to dour. Russel sings in his own band... so much for resumes.

Sasha Baron Cohen mercifully adds some desperately needed humor to this epic. He play's a Fagin like character who owns a tavern where he lifts  valuables from his customers. It is not so much what he says that is funny it is more how he looks. I do not recall if he sings, thank God.

One thing  bothered me. There was this kid who was a member of the French Revolutionary cell. His East London accent was as thick as Stilton cheese. What gives? They couldn't find some little frog to play the role? One positive thing he was the only actor with bad teeth in the movie. With all the grim and filth heaped on  Anne Hathaway, her perfect white bright teeth glowed.   

I think you should still see the movie and make up your own mind. Oh, yeah there is no dancing ( I want to be in America, I want to be in America, snap, snap).

joe