calquirky Reviews

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

It stand on its own

[10/10 · 19 February 2007]

Ignoring all the hype surrounding the star performances and the endurance it took to make this picture, Lawrence of Arabia stands firmly on its own as an incredible film.

Told with exactitude, David Lean chose wisely the long story of TE Lawrence and his time helping to bring an end to the last of the Turkish Ottoman Empire by bringing together disparate tribes of Arabs.

The casting is excellent. From O'Toole, Sharif, Guinness to even the lowliest servant, this is a movie where the acting is lean and on point. O'Toole's Lawrence is astonishing. Boyish, idealistic and in the end, on the verge of cracking, he brings a full character to the screen. The one thing about O'Toole that you see in this picture that follows him through "Lord Jim," "The Ruling Class" and "Becket" is that he is fearless. In all of his roles, he brings forth both the admirable and the less pleasant aspects of a character's emotional life. O'Toole positively hums as the troubled and emotionally solitary, but always feeling and thinking: TE Lawrence.

Becket (1964)

Wonderfully Restored

[10/10 · 19 February 2007]

We're so lucky this movie has been restored and is now playing in select markets on the big screen.

This is the chance to see two of the top actors in the history of English-speaking theatre come together and parse lines. The joy in which they work together is apparent throughout.

Burton's performance is both intelligent and thoughtful. But it is O'Toole who steals the show with his characterization of Henry II, taking him from an irresponsible and demanding young king, to a less than happy husband and father and ultimately, to Burton's (and his own) worst enemy. Again, O'Toole leaves no emotional stone unturned, and it is his unleashed performance that gives the story its engrossing pace.

Lord Jim (1965)

A Period Piece

[19 February 2007]

Based on the novel, this movie is not only representative of the period piece that Joseph Conrad's story was, but also of movie-making at that time (1965). It's an epic story told in the way that they did back then --sweeping landscapes, exotic locales, hundreds of extras, good performances and many questions regarding philosophical and practical values. At times a bit clunky and unexplained, the movie is a study in movie-making during that era.

It brings up the same issues that Conrad did in his book, sometimes so much so that the dialog feels as though it is dragging. O'Toole's character emotes plenty, despite acting flat for a good portion of the first third. The scene between him and James Mason is the spark of the piece. At 2:34, this movie flounders and drags in the middle. Still, it's a good piece to watch.

Venus (I) (2006)

Acting Sans Botox

[8/10 · 7 January 2007]

This is one of those movies that grows on you once the credits are done. Quickly paced, sharply written and deftly acted, Venus is a movie that unfolds so quickly that one is immersed in the action from the very start.

The background is actors living off small pensions and acting jobs in working class London. The cinematography catches the dullness of the surroundings and one is easily transported into this world of sameness, peppered by occasional wonderful lapses back into the magic of acting and well written lines. Their world, and also the girl's world is turned upside down by meeting one another.

O'Toole is wonderful as Maurice, the ex-raconteur who proves that love, lust, flirtation and marvel are attributes that never go away with age. It's a delight to see these feelings rekindled in the old man, and O'Toole is the master of bringing zest and poignancy to the screen. Just going to see him quote Shakespeare is worth it alone. The setting in which he does it is unexpected and moving.

Jodie Whitaker is indeed a fresh new face. Without airs, this actress expertly matches wits with O'Toole. She conveys the right amount of grittiness, insecurity and bravado as a teenage girl thrust into the big city without a concrete plan would. The growth in her character takes place when an event that she has caused takes place, and she must either own up to what she has done, or forever be stuck in the life as a yob's girlfriend.

Vanessa Redgrave and all the others round out an honest cast that isn't afraid to let "Hollywood" see their age. This is acting "sans botox," and what a delight it is to see. This is smart writing, good thinking, and gutsy in a day when actors are expected to look a certain way even in old age. It's a delight, and trounces all stereotypes about aging.

There are lines here which are utterly breathtaking in their insight and playfulness. The writer is to be applauded for not falling back on the "senior citizen" stereotype. O'Toole's character swoons, he drinks in the quixotic experience of remembering the beauty of a naked body, of kissing a woman's neck, of the entire and total experience of falling in love, of pleasure, and of jealousy and of heartbreak as well. Young screenwriters should take note: write against type and delve into the real human experience, the one that everyone else tries to conveniently box away.

Why an 8, and not a 10? There were some choppy bits of editing. I would have liked to see even more growth and recognition in Maurice. Just a bit more from the writers would've brought it all the way home with the same aplomb given by O'Toole. But overall, a movie worth seeing, a performance worth rewarding. Bravo! Well done. Applause for Mr. O'Toole.