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BENNYTI
Reviews
Lianna (1983)
Sayles gives us Codependents Are Us
I don't know what is more depressing: that the great John Sayles crafted this piece of cartoon character lesbian propaganda or that people today who have the tremendous increase in psychological knowledge available to them and should know better still can't see that Sayles was glorifying a narcissist.
The "hero" of our film, Liannna, is attracted to emotionally unavailable people of either sex. Yet she takes no responsibility for her sick actions. She has no problem with unethical behavior, whether it be having sexual relationships with authority figures or a meaningless one-night stand of loveless sex with a stranger. Are we to stand up and cheer because she learns to act like her sexual predator husband in the bar? Lianna trades a loveless marriage with Dick for a loveless lesbian affair with Ruth. She abandons her two young children for a life of hedonism and doesn't give her devastating actions a second thought. All that matters is her being a naughty and daring pioneer for the sexual revolution. By the end of the film Lianna finds out everyone else is just as self-centered as she is.
The sad conclusion drawn from watching Lianna is that John Sayles betrayed his audience. He used our moral outrage at Dick's unconscionable behavior to justify Lianna's initial actions, but she turns into another Dick. But now I know why he had to resort to such a cheap cinematic trick to engage the audience: throughout the rest of the film Sayles fails to make the case that this life is worth examining or this character is worth caring about.
The Hard Way (1943)
Feminism and the American Dream in One Movie!
The viewpoint of the movie was one of disapproval of Ida Lupino's character's selfish and manipulative actions to elevate herself out of a hopeless existence. But she was in fact a valiant feminist who was ahead of her time. Remember, Ida in real life was a trailblazer herself in a time when movie production was a men's only club.
Most of the reviews take the 1940s view that Ida depicted a monster who forced her sister to become a star. But in fact Ida didn't force anyone to do anything against their will. The key scene is at the audition where Joan Leslie's character wants to be a star but is too bashful to charge up to the stage after the drunk aging star bombs out. In that moment Ida's character provides the literal push Joan needed to get up on stage and become a star. Joan wanted to be a star and she proves in that moment that she had the talent. She only lacked the confidence, savvy and connections that her sister provided in spades.
Ida's character in "The Hard Way" is flawed, but in the prism of post-modern feminist society, is hardly a monster. Like many successful men and women in real life, captains of industry, CEOs, union leaders, politicians, star athletes and lawyers, Ida's character didn't know when to turn off the drive the succeed after she had succeeded (like sports star Michael Jordan).
Joan Leslie's character had attained fame and riches and wanted to stop and smell the roses and live happily ever after with the Prince Charming-like Dennis Morgan, but Ida's character couldn't stop competing. That was the real tragedy of the movie and it happens in real life to successful people every day across capitalistic America. These people rise out of humble beginnings and are driven towards the goal of attaining The American Dream, but there is no joy, only relief and the need to keep going in the same manic manner, with no peace of mind.
I have met many Ida's in my life and they are tortured souls. They just can't let up and relax. They can't play fair when there is nothing at stake. They can't stop manipulating when they come home from the office. They alienate friends and family. The thing that gives them career success gives them personal failure.
This movie accurately captures a true human experience, the dark side of achieving your dreams. This dark side is now experienced in the 2000s by both men and women. That's why this movie is still so contemporary and fresh when so many acclaimed movies of that era, like "The Little Foxes", fade like a prom corsage. "The Hard Way" is a neglected classic.
Mrs. Parkington (1944)
Great scene that lasts just a second
The best scene in the movie is when the recently married Greer Garson and Walter Pigeon are shopping. While Greer is looking at some flowers, she notices Walter's gaze has drifted off to some pretty young women. Without betraying any anger or sadness she says loudly, "Beautiful, aren't they?" With that double entendre, Greer's bitter acceptance of her husband's philandering and the never-ending hell she has created for herself by one bad decision is communicated to the audience instantly. Walter gives a quick look to Greer that shows he has been caught, but he doesn't apologize, showing the permanent rift between them. Great acting!