Pete’s Dragon

Tags

1970's, Adventure, Disney, Don Chaffey, Fantasy, Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, Mickey Rooney, Musical, Pete's Dragon, Red Buttons, Sean Marshall, Shelley Winters

My second entry into the Shelley Winters blogathon is with the Disney fantasy adventure Pete’s Dragon, in which she plays a wicked supporting role. I must say thanks to both Erica and Gill for inviting me to take part

Charming and both bittersweet and funny in parts, Pete’s Dragon is undervalued as a film in my eyes. I think it should be reassessed and while some of it won’t hold up, you’ll definitely get some joy from it.

It’s the turn of the century and in Maine, young orphan Pete(Sean Marshall) runs away from his adoptive guardians. They are the vile Gogan’s, a hillbilly clan headed by the nasty Lena(Shelley Winters). They’ve treated him unfairly and made him a slave, prompting his escape. Aiding him is Elliott; a large, green dragon who can turn invisible and often is only seen by Pete. They venture into the town of Passamaquoddy hoping to start a new life. With Elliott being a clumsy creature, a string of mishaps occur. Eventually, Pete finds shelter with the kind-hearted Nora(Helen Reddy), who lives in a lighthouse with her often well meaning but drunk father Lampie(Mickey Rooney). This bliss is changed by the arrival of showy quack Dr. Terminus( Jim Dale) and his sidekick Hoagy(Red Buttons). Always on the lookout for money, when he gets wind of a dragon, he schemes to capture it. Though while both Pete and Elliott are wanted by nefarious forces, it seems that Nora and Lampie are there for them to face the evil that covers them.

Don Chaffey keeps events ticking over with humour and heart. You’re guaranteed to have a smile when watching a lot of this movie as Pete and experience thrills, adventure and danger. While Pete’s Dragon isn’t held in as high a rank as other Disney films, I think it’s unfairly overlooked. Sure it’s far from faultless and there are various issues with it, such as the length of the film, but the infectious energy and spirited heart can’t be ignored or resisted. Plus, it’s surprising how dark some parts of Pete’s Dragon are, like the singing of ‘The Happiest Home in these Hills”, in which the Gogan’s detail the horrible fate that Pete will meet if they get their hands on him. Though the overall tone is hopeful and cheery, the darkness and occasional bittersweet pang underneath in areas is a welcome addition as it doesn’t allow the film to overdose on sugary sentiment. Speaking of music, Pete’s Dragon has some lovely songs, with ‘Candle on the Water’ sung by Helen Reddy a great highlight and the sweet Boo Bop Bop Bop Bop a real gem. I’ve always liked this movie and may be a tad biased when reviewing it, but it really holds a certain place of nostalgia for me. I adore the blending of animation and live action, with Elliott being a wonderfully funny and endearing vision. Yes it’s not as slick as today’s effects, but damn if it isn’t darn effective at bringing to vivid life. The theme of wanting to belong resonates deeply with the viewer as it’s explored in numerous ways, not of least the eponymous orphan who is on his way to luck, if nothing bad befalls him first.

Sean Marshall takes the role of Pete and gives us a protagonist to root for, due to his honest face and general decency. He could have become annoying, but thankfully, Sean Marshall is a good child actor who doesn’t grate on the nerves. Helen Reddy is winsome and feisty when called for, plus using her gorgeous singing voice wonderfully. Mickey Rooney, all bluster and expressive eyes, is great as the initially terrified Lampie, who eventually comes around and takes Pete under his wing. Jim Dale is a hoot as the nasty but often hilarious showman Dr. Terminus, while Red Buttons is effective as his not above goodness sidekick. And now we come to the woman of the hour and her name is Shelley Winters. Dirtied up, spouting nastiness and generally being one evil villain, Winters is obviously having a blast playing such a vile character. Villains are in good order with the Gogan’s, but it’s Winters who stands out the most as the queen of mean. The villains are over the top and yet that’s what makes them good. They are just so nasty and often cartoonish that we want their plans to fail.

While flawed and a bit over long , Pete’s Dragon is very underrated and deserves a bit more love from people for its magic, music and story.

The Poseidon Adventure

Tags

1970's, Carol Lynley, Disaster Film, Eric Shea, Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman, Irwin Allen, Jack Albertson, Leslie Nielsen, Pamela Sue Martin, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Ronald Neame, Shelley Winters, Stella Stevens, The Poseidon Adventure

Film Title

The Poseidon Adventure

Director

Ronald Neame

Starring

• Gene Hackman as Reverend Frank Scott
• Ernest Borgnine as Mike Rogo
• Red Buttons as James
• Stella Stevens as Linda Rogo
• Shelley Winters as Belle Rosen
• Jack Albertson as Manny Rosen
• Roddy McDowall as Acres
• Eric Shea as Robin Shelby
• Pamela Sue Martin as Susan Shelby
• Carol Lynley as Nonnie
• Leslie Nielsen as The Captain

A memorable example of the 70’s disaster movie, The Poseidon Adventure retains its suspense and danger with an all-star cast as the survivors of an overturned ocean liner   attempt to reach safety.

The S.S. Poseidon is a large ship that is making its way from New York to Athens, on what is believed to be its final voyage. The Captain of the ship is concerned about the fact that it’s carrying to heavy a load and knows that if anything where to go wrong while at sea, the ship would turn into a disaster. The new owners however don’t want to hear this and through blackmail forces the ship onward, heading towards a damaging fate. We are then introduced to the principal characters of the piece. Impassioned but unorthodox Reverend Frank Scott is being sent to a different parish for his views, which are mainly that he believes actions are how best to serve God, as opposed to prayer. Growling Detective Mike Rogo and his younger wife Linda, who he rescued from a life of prostitution. Lonely bachelor James Martin, who needs someone to take care of and fill the void of solitude. Middle aged Jewish and long married couple Belle and Manny Rosen, who are travelling to see their young Grandson for the first time. The observant waiter Acres who frequents the resident dining room. Teenager Susan Shelby and her younger, inquisitive brother Robin are travelling back to see their parents. And rounding out things is vulnerable lounge singer Nonnie. The spirit of New Year is in full swing for everyone, in an ironic twist of fate, disaster will soon be at hand. Just as everyone is welcoming in the New Year, a massive tidal wave strikes the ship causing it to capsize. With the Captain and main crew dead, panic sets in as the ship is now upside down. Scott has the right idea and persuades the aforementioned main characters to follow him to what he hopes is safety. Others stay behind believing they will be rescued in time, but Scott is not one to sit around and takes it upon himself to be leader of this band that agree to follow him. The mismatched group of survivors, lead by firebrand Reverend Scott, must now navigate their way through a labyrinth of hazardous corridors, flooded compartments and dangerous events if they are to have any hope of making it out of there alive.

Ronald Neame is in the director’s chair and his flair for drama is evident by how he gets some emotional chapters in among the action, with the characters you sympathise with more than others. Neame is the director and a very astute choice, but the biggest vision comes from the ambitious Irwin Allen, who became something of a pioneering producer with the cycle of well designed obstacle course that is as unpredictable as it is dangerous. The sets, specifically considering that everything is turned on its head, are crafted with immense skill and passion. And if you’re talking about set pieces that stuck in the memory, The Poseidon Adventure is fit to bursting. The first is when the tidal wave hits, which definitely sets the ball rolling and is followed by the survivors using a large Christmas tree on the first step to hopeful safety. Another memorable set piece is when the group must swim for a long period of time through a multitude of chambers to reach the next destination, which involves each holding their breath for longer than expected. There is genuine tension here and seeing when Scott becomes stuck and tenacious(despite her advancing years) swims to rescue him is pretty exhilarating to watch. While some of it creaks in the beginning, the main thing you go into movies like this for is the effects and excitement of it all. And while yes some of the characters aren’t that interesting, there are some parts and various characters that give off a real poignancy. There are some lulls in the action and the opening is a little slow, but once that wave hits, it’s a thrill a minute spectacle. With the production design, the direction of and the grandeur vision of producer Irwin Allen, The Poseidon Adventure definitely delivers on its title in terms of what it presents and the often tense but always engaging struggle for survival from the ragtag group. And as it isn’t an overly CGI fest, because that kind of technology wasn’t even around much at the time, the dangers and perils of the journey are rendered with a bit more grit than the average disaster epic. You can feel the arduous task that lies ahead of them as they attempted to reach the bottom of the hip, which is now ironically the top. Visual effects like explosions and if course the destructive tidal wave are used, but it’s the way that they are employed that ensure it doesn’t feel fake or patchy in the long run. Instead, full on adventure and excitement are the name of the game here and the effects that are used seamlessly give life to the perilous fight for survival. John Williams, one of my favourite film composers, gives a stirring sweep to the adventure at hand, while also pausing for some very moving moments.

A pretty talented ensemble cast play the remaining survivors of the disaster, with many game for the adventure and drama. Heading the cast is the ever excellent Gene Hackman as the passionate Reverend Scott; all unorthodox and unbridled determination and sense of leadership once the tragedy occurs. His ideas are dangerous but necessary as a man of action, as he figures out getting out alive is not going to be a piece of cake. Yet at the same time, Hackman imbues Scott with a potent care for the other survivors and how he really does think with faith, they can pull through instead of sitting around to die. It’s safe to say Hackman gives it his all as a religious man with different ideas, who keeps pushing on for the sake of others, even when faced with a seemingly impossible task. Ernest Borgnine is on typically imposing and bull-dog like form as the oppositional police detective, with a sense of authority that he feels threatened by Scott. A bruised sense of optimism comes courtesy of the delightful Red Buttons, who somehow tries to make the best of this dire situations with his sympathetic care. Stella Stevens has a lot of brassy and brash behaviour on show, playing the former good time girl making her way in a new lifestyle. Shelley Winters nicely plays the older Belle, whose gutsy gumption, sense of humour in crisis and selfless personality are balanced beautifully. The part requires Winters to show off considerable endurance, especially during the famous swimming rescue scene, a challenge the veteran actress rises to admirably as well as emotionally. Jack Albertson plays classily off Winters as her husband; there’s a simplicity and quiet certainty shared between them that is very special and sensitively handled. Roddy McDowall lends his talents to the proceedings well, while young Eric Shea is clearly having fun as the little boy whose interest in ships comes to be invaluable in the situations everyone is caught up in. The only two flaws in the cast are Pamela Sue Martin and Carol Lynley, who both come off as irritatingly whiny in the long run. There is a good cameo from Leslie Nielsen as the ill-fated captain of the vessel.

Thrilling and exciting, and not forgetting huge in terms of sheer spectacle, The Poseidon Adventure is the go to movie for an exhilarating example of a disaster flick that helped kick-start the boom in the genre.

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Tags

1960's, Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Dern, Dance Marathon, Drama, Gig Young, Great Depression, Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Red Buttons, Susannah York, Sydney Pollack, They Shoot Horses Don't They?

Film Title

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Director

Sydney Pollack

Cast

• Jane Fonda as Gloria Beatty
• Michael Sarrazin as Richard Syverton
• Gig Young as Rocky
• Susannah York as Alice LeBlanc
• Red Buttons as Harry Kline
• Bonnie Bedelia as Ruby
• Bruce Dern as James

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a cathartic, emotionally intense and allegorical look at the Great Depression seen through the weary eyes of those entered into a dance marathon. Desperation, broken dreams and manipulation all feature heavily in the well-acted story of the extreme lengths people will go to in times of economic decline.

In 1932, Richard Syverton is a drifter who one day stumbles upon a dance marathon, the prize for the winner being $1500 . He is then recruited by the manipulative Master of ceremonies Rocky to partner a cynical and discontented young woman named Gloria, when her partner falls ill. Although they barely know each other, they enter for the money that is much-needed at this time in their lives. Amongst the other contestants are Harry Kline, an old sailor who refuses to give up; Alice LeBlanc, a deluded English actress with dreams of making it big, and Ruby, a pregnant woman and her husband James.  As the contents starts, we witness how the oily Rocky exploits the insecurities of the couple’s for the audience’s enjoyment and how he puts them through a series of humiliating tasks. This begins to take its toll on the contestants as nerves begin to fray, anger begins to boil and pain becomes all to real. The film in part resembles what reality TV might have been like in the 30’s and the manipulative machinations that go on behind the scenes for the audience’s pleasure. It also functions as a haunting study of desperation within everyone and how it is brought to light through circumstance.

The use of lighting particularly shadows and hues of sepia conjure up a bleak picture of desperate people just trying to get along in this time of hardship. The various uses of old music further capture a nation’s melancholy but still a fleeting bit of hope; most apparent when the pregnant Ruby sings “The best things in life are free” in an emotion choked voice still clinging to her belief that something good will happen. Sydney Pollack has created an immensely believable portrait of the Great Depression and he should be praised for his kinetic direction during the exhausting derby that the contestants are put through. We are placed within this melee of people trying to stay on their aching feet as they race aimlessly round a course. By the end, your emotions are exhausted from the shock of seeing it. The cast assembled for the picture excellently embody the emotions of these people just needing to win. Jane Fonda is the biggest revelation as Gloria, essaying a multi-layered performance of desperation, cynicism and melancholy.  Her scenes with Michael Sarrazin are outstanding, as we witness two strangers closely forming a deep relationship against a backdrop of pain. Sarrazin exudes so much emotion through his searching eyes it is unbelievable. The supporting cast is equally as strong. Gig Young stars in an unforgettable Oscar-winning portrayal of greed and mendacity, his shouts of Yowza becoming menacing and taking on sinister tones as the contestants continue to dance for his enjoyment. Susannah York is heartbreaking as the deluded Alice, who for all her glitzy gowns and make-up can’t escape the desperation of her life. Her breakdown in the shower is so intense and shocking, as an audience all we can do is witness it as her blue eyes become haunted. Red Buttons, Bonnie Bedelia and Bruce Dern further add to the dramatic impact of the film.

All in all, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is not the most comfortable film to watch but is certainly a devastating evocation of anguish and the need to survive. If it’s dramatic emotional viewing that you require, try this film from Sydney Pollack.