Casting Coup Month: On the Waterfront

NOMINATIONS

Best Picture (WON)

Best Director - Elia Kazan (WON)

Best Actor - Marlon Brand (WON)

Best Supporting Actor - Lee J. Cobb

Best Supporting Actor - Karl Malden

Best Supporting Actor - Rod Steiger

Best Supporting Actress - Eva Marie Saint (WON)

Best Story and Screenplay - Budd Schulberg (WON)

Best Cinematography - Boris Kaufman (WON)

Best Editing - Gene Milford (WON)

Best Dramatic or Comedic Score - Leonard Bernstein

Best Art Direction/Set Decoration - Richard Day (WON)

It's strange to me that the same people can praise On the Waterfront yet condemn its director, Elia Kazan, for naming names to the House Un-American Activities Committee. Naturally, when he got his Honorary Oscar years later, there were some boos, and some in the audience, like Ed Harris, refused to applaud, or stand. Yet On the Waterfront is the story of the necessity of naming names, and how the stigma of being a rat is a silly notion; sometimes, it is necessary to name names. (Kazan's own reasoning was the insistence by members of the Communist party that there be no paper trail or list of members. To Kazan, an innocent organization would not operate in such a fashion, and naming names shouldn't threaten them anyway if there's nothing to hide.)

This probably explains why my grandfather called me a "pinko commie" over Thanksgiving, for not having seen the film. Naturally, as soon as I returned to university, I picked up the VHS from the library. And, as so often happens, I was impressed. It's a story that never dates: the rights of the people, the myth of not squealing, the nobility of the working-man, the beauty of Eva Marie Saint. It's cinema at it's finest, with an ending that had me cheering and tearing. Clearly, the Academy of 1954 felt the same way, awarding the film eight wins out of its twelve nominations.

I think it's interesting to think about these films in the context of now. Certainly, with the current economic crisis caused by greedy corporate bosses, we can identify with the dock workers trying to keep their jobs at any cost and the greedy boss who takes advantage of their desperation. We all want a Terry Malloy, the ex-prizefighter who realizes he was used as bait to lure a childhood friend to his murder, to fight for the disenfranchised.

But who would be worthy of taking up those reins? And who is worthy of the moral Father Barry, or even the villainous Johnny Friendly? Some possible answers after the cut:

It's Here! It's Finally Here!

It happened. After about nine months or so of anticipation, worry, second thoughts -- it's here. Oliver Stone's W. has arrived at the cinema.

And what a movie it is. Much like Nixon, it confuses the word "fair-minded" with "crying, pitiable protagonist." But fuck me, Nixon was great. And I have to say, I loved W. Not the same way I love the Nicolas Cage version of The Wicker Man, either. This is love Speed Racer style.

Yeah, the first quarter is a little shaky. Like Nixon. The cutting back-and-forth chronologically does not always work. But once Laura (a perfect Elizabeth Banks) steps into the ring, the movie finally finds its footing runs with it. We get a fascinating study of a cool guy who was put in a position he was not ready for. And it works. It's just absolutely incredible the way Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser have crafted this thing. For a story told too soon, it feels just right.

Josh Brolin is incredible. He does Bush just enough to avoid caricature, or a mere imitation. He gives us a Man, not a Character. We want to shoot the shit with him. We sympathize with his daddy issues. We like the guy, we care about him. Yet at the same time, we shake our heads at his arrogance, his ignorance, his -- dare I say it? -- stupidity. It's pretty powerful, I must say.

Okay, so maybe it was fair-minded. But if so, only to the few. Brolin's Bush is awesome, Banks' Laura is sweet, James Cromwell's Poppy is well-defined (if not always engagingly portrayed), Ellen Burstyn's Barbara is lovable (for me, at least), and Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell is, well, the tits -- the only voice of reason, the sole soul. The rest of the gang -- Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove -- are either hand-wringing Bond villains or just plain "out-of-touch with reality." In these respective roles, Richard Dreyfuss, Scott Glenn, and Toby Jones are, respectively, kick-ass, decent, and thumbs-up.

I'll tell you who isn't, though: Thandie Newton. Why does she get cast in movies? Why do people want to throw praise and awards on her? There must be something about her on-set manner that fools directors into thinking she's giving good performances. Her hammy Condi Rice impression is barely worthy of a MadTV sketch, much less a political drama. Sure, it's satire, and there are a few winks thrown here and there, but holy shit, did no one think to reign her in? Does Thandie Newton have a wrangler? Were Tracie Thoms, Anika Noni Rose, Sophie Okonedo, even Halle Berry -- were they all too busy? Good God, Stone, don't give me a great movie then force me to watch Miss Community Theatre almost single-handedly disembowel all the quality in the room.

Whew. Anyway. Newton notwithstanding, W. is great. Weiser's screenplay is spot-on, Stone's direction is superb, the score is beautiful, the actors fantastic. It's not for everyone. Mom, Grandparents, some aunts and uncles, and at least one of my sisters would not like it. Even some democrats I know probably wouldn't like it. For me, this is one of the best movies of the year. ***3/4

OMG W. TEASER TRAILER!

It. Looks. CLASSIC.

The Awesome Fall of Mr. Stone

In W. news, two roles were cast, one of them quite recently.

Scott Glenn


is playing Donald Rumsfeld


instead of Tommy Lee Jones


as previously reported.


Oh, and do you want to know who's going to play Vice President Dick Cheney? Shit, I know you do.




will be played by


RICHARD DREYFUSS!

Ho.
Ly.
Shit.