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Based on writer Vincent Patrick's novel (and adapted by himself for the big screen), this is a splendid drama that conveys so much about how people relate to their parents, and how our outlook in life and our identity can be shaped one way or another by our families. It's interesting to see how the subject of crime has a different meaning for each main character. For Jessie, it's a natural way of life, and intriguingly, even a moral one (one scene in particular conveys his view on this). For his son Vito, it's a source of risk and trouble, as much as he can enjoy it deep down (an early scene in the meat packing plant already shows us that for better or worse, crime runs in his blood to some extent). For Adam, Vito's son, crime is a means of having the fun he feels he lacked in his childhood, and at the time we catch up with him in the film, it's also the best way he can muster to try to define his own identity, especially in contrast to his father's hopes and expectations for him (both Jessie and Adam find the concept of living a safe, stable life to be absurd, much to Vito's frustration). I like how the film approaches all these aspects in a straightforward, non-patronizing, non-judgmental way. It just presents the situation and we're allowed to draw our own conclusions.
Connery, Hoffman and Broderick are all very good, each of them bringing a lively presence, hitting all the right emotional notes, and coming across very believably as a family, if not entirely in terms of age (I'm especifically referring to Connery and Hoffman here), then most certainly in terms of how they relate to each other. Rosanna DeSoto as Hoffman's wife must also be singled out, in an engaging performance that feels perfectly natural. Victoria Jackson's casting for a crucial little scene was spot on, and I loved seeing James Tolkan, who makes the most out of his very brief appearance.
If there is one thing I might (repeat, might) change about the film, and more especifically its ending, perhaps it would be making Broderick's character a little more repentant at the end, as a means of conveying that while he can't bring himself to agree with what his father tried to do for him, he can appreciate it was born out of love for him. This would bring a stronger sense of emotional closure to the story. But with the ending as it is, at least it further conveys that Adam inherited much of Jessie's tough, uncompromising essence, and at any rate, we're left with Vito and Adam patching things up ("I'm sorry", both of them say), and Vito recognizing and respecting the fact that Adam has to follow his own path, which is neither what his father had in mind for him, nor what Adam himself had thought it might be, when he became enamoured with his grandfather's romantic notion of crime.
I also enjoyed the contrast between Adam's paternal and maternal grandfathers, in terms of their lifestyles, their blood and their cultural differences.
Wonderful film, thoughtful, detailed and touching. Absurdly underrated in my view.
And it's the 27th Connery film I've seen.
It's good, but not one of my favourites. I prefer Crimson Tide as a submarine drama, but I think Connery alone is one of the main positives for Red October.
Nice review. I actually caught this on opening weekend and kind of liked the lowkey way it moves, and Connery is in nice scoundrel form here. Not one I'd be quick to revisit, but I'd recommend everybody give it a try. It's not fast-moving, but nowhere as plodding as, say, The Russia House.
To keep this more on topic, I must say, you gotta love the career of a guy from Edinburgh, Scotland has played characters of English, American, Irish, Russian, Lithuanian and Egyptian-Spanish nationality. I guess this is partly because Connery’s accent isn’t quite what you’d call a typical Scottish accent, so it’s a little more flexible. Think of all the times Arnold Schwarzenegger played Americans, Russians and the like, despite the painfully obvious Austrian accent. :))
Wow, that's a completely different approach to me. I never set out lines to get the proportions of each part of the face, I draw completely from what my eye sees and straight on to the page. For some reason I always start with the most visible ear and then get the shape of the face from that.
Some good advice there. I always start with the nose, then the eyes, then the mouth, the jaw, ears, head, hair. Then fill out . If a body is attached, I just continue from the head and work my way down. Never thought about why I do it this way.
When I was younger, I always started out drawing lines and shapes like in the video. These days however, as I almost exclusively draw digitally, I sketch out the complete figure in full without helping lines, then do adjustments layer by layer until I get the result I want. It's not the "correct" way I guess, but it works.
Indeed. It's always interesting to see how artists approach making artwork, as their techniques varies so greatly.
Very impressive, Birdleson. Good technique.
I do full colour caricatures! They're more cartoon though, not vicious. I tend to sketch with a blue pencil first, doing lots of lines. (Eyes are very important!) Then draw with a soft B pencil. My eye tells me which is the correct line! Its a bit harder than a portrait as you have to exaggerate expression! As you say, use your own system!
Yes, the love theme is surprisingly lush and full, it's fantastic.
That's so sad news.
RIP.
No doubt about it, yes indeed.
I think it's a sad fact (correct me if I'm wrong) that Goldfinger has become the first James Bond film where no member of the main cast survives.
I have never seen this interview before.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-13087132
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41523800
Shirley Eaton is still alive, I believe.