Independent Spirits

 I could have not picked two more disparate movies than:

 “Sand Pebbles” w/ Steve McQueen, 1966, and

 “The Far Country” w/ James Stewart, 1954, to watch, these last two nights.

Different historical eras. 1926 vs. 1896; different themes,

  power versus lust;

or are they that different?

A key dialogue line in both films, tying them together was,

 “Prepare Ship to Repel Boarders.!”

It was a standard Hollywood line to raise audience apprehension.

For the Scriptwriters, it was a shift to the “Rebel Force”.  The American patrol boat was now morally led by Steve McQueen; the steamer to Dawson by Jimmy Stewart.  “Don’t Tread on me” is the rebel’s motto.

The underdog wins against all odds.  It’s the American Way.

The generational gap between film production merely signifies,

the public’s coming to grips with the reality of death accompanying moral conviction more often than the miraculous escapes, repeatedly, of Jimmy Stewart.

Realism.

 Pride & Prejudice the 2005 movie with Keira Knightly

 

All the critics say, “A timeless saga”; and I couldn’t agree more.

A brilliant movie.

Keira Knightly was perfect for spicy, “z”, Elizabeth.

 

I especially liked, Donald Sutherland, the vapid father.  I thought he  died decades ago, after Animal House., but he was up for this role.

He perfectly made no decisions, of any sort, in the film.

 

Judi Dench has become a character actress in the classic movie

  sense from the post-war era.  She was great as a nasty bitch,

    never will plot lot lines reconciled her, as all the others were.

 

But the best character actress,

  I hope and predict to be a legend in the future is

    Rosamund Pike.

   Only her name will hold her back,

   She has the background, staging, education, and experience to become one of the greatest legendary actresses of all time.