Movies at the Library: A fall line-up of classics
The autumn series of Movies at the Library epitomizes the slogan “known and unknown” as it presents two very well-known films, two that should be better known and two that are unlikely audiences will ever have heard of.
Starting with the well-known and heralded “Good Will Hunting” on September 30 at 7 p.m., the showing also remembers the great Robin Williams who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal.
This film shone an early spotlight on screenwriters Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who have since gone on to major Hollywood careers as actors and in Affleck’s case, as a director. They shared the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the movie.
The film tells the story of four working-class friends from South Boston, one of whom is Will Hunting, played by Damon. He is as pugnacious as the others but he has one additional and unusual gift. He is a mathematical genius and the story centers on what he does with that gift.
Roger Ebert, in his positive review, quotes Louis Armstrong who said, “There’s some folks that, if they don’t know, you can’t tell ‘em.” The movie is about whether Will is one of those folks.
On October 14, the film will be “El Norte.” Made in 1983, it could easily have sprung from yesterday’s headlines. One of our least known films, it was co-written and produced by Anna Thomas for American Playhouse. In English and Spanish, it is a sweeping, emotional saga of a brother and sister who leave their violence-torn village in Guatemala to find a better life in the North.
Leonard Maltin called it “compassionate, heart-rending and unforgettable.” Roger Ebert opened his review with “From the very first moments of ‘El Norte,’ we know we are in the hands of a great movie.” Of course, we know that our northern streets are not paved with gold, but the two young people still believe the pictures from their worn copy of Good Housekeeping. It is the only film in our fall series included in the anthology, “1001 Films You Must See Before You Die.”
“The Candidate,” starring Robert Redford, is another well-known American film and it is also one that could be taken from current headlines, although it may not be so easy today to find the kind of idealistic candidate portrayed by Redford, a California lawyer who is known for fighting for the little guy.
His charisma and integrity get him noticed by the Democratic party machine, which convinces him to declare in a race he is unlikely to win by promising him absolute integrity. This is a keen-eyed political satire that doesn’t stray far from reality.
The screenplay is another Oscar-winner for author Jeremy Larner. Others in the cast include Melvyn Douglas (who was no stranger to political shenanigans) and Peter Boyle; it was directed by Michael Ritchie. The 1972 film will be shown on October 28, the Tuesday before Election Day.
In observance of Veteran’s Day on November 11, the film will be “The Shooting Party,” a 1984 British gem set in 1913 in the days just before World War I. While Europe stands on the brink of war, Sir Randolph Nettleby, played by James Mason, hosts a group of European aristocrats for a weekend of shooting.
The film examines the varied personalities, intrigues and conflicts among the guests. The cast is British film royalty, including John Gielgud, Edward Fox, Dorothy Tutin, Robert Hardy and Gordon Jackson. The screenplay is by Julian Bond, based on a novel by Isabel Colgate. The film develops quietly and builds to its shattering climax.
Roger Ebert wrote, “There is nothing new in the message of this film but a great deal of artistry in the telling.”
Next is the second unknown film, one of a trilogy by the Indian director, Deepa Mehta. Its title is “Water” and it was made in 2005. Set in 1938, it is a drama about a group of widows, banished to live in communal poverty in the holy city of Varanasi. While this is preferable to being burned on their husbands’ funeral pyres, it is difficult for the very young widow at the center of the story. When she meets a young man and falls in love, she faces many obstacles.
The New York Times wrote that it is “an exquisite film about the institutionalized oppression of an entire class of women and the way patriarchal imperatives inform religious belief.” Time Magazine called it a “triumph.”
It will be shown on November 25. It was a Canada/India production and it is in Hindi and Sanskrit.
The last movie of the fall series will be the great madcap comedy, “Ball of Fire,” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper.
To be shown on December 9, it was produced by Samuel Goldwyn and written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett. The story is their delightful twist on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
Directed by Howard Hawks, Stanwyck is a burlesque dancer who moves in with eight ivory tower lexicographers who need to hear how real people talk. Stanwyck finds herself having to explain “slang” to them. Made in 1941, it is one of Hollywood’s comic masterpieces. It also stars Dan Duryea, Dana Andrews, Oscar Homolka and Henry Travers. The Classic Film Guide calls it “an hilarious essential comedy.”
As always, each film will have a special introduction and movie “treats.” Remember to enter the library’s lower level from Bateman Road, especially on November 11.
See you at the movies!
