Woodyanders Review of The Harvest

The Harvest (1993)

An excellent and underrated early 90's thriller gem

[9/10 · 5 July 2007]

Blocked, frustrated, Prozac-popping writer Charlie Pope (a terrific performance by Miguel Ferror in a rare juicy lead) goes to Mexico to research a script he's working on. Pope falls under the spell of sultry, alluring lass Natalie Caldwell (wonderfully played by the incredibly hot Leilani Sarelle, who's Ferror's former wife) and winds up having one of his kidneys stolen. Pope gets himself in further jeopardy when he tries to find out who's responsible. Writer/director David Marconi concocts one doozy of a moody and offbeat modern-day film noir thriller which offers a strong and provocative subtext on art vs. commerce, the grueling rigors of the creative process, the lengths one's willing to go for one's art, and suffering for one's art. Emmanuel Lubezki's slick, sparkling cinematography and Rich Boston's funky, flavorsome score both add an extra tasty zing to the vivid and tangibly sordid south-of-the-border atmosphere. The sterling cast rates as another substantial asset: Harvey Fierstein as sleazy Hollywood agent Bob Larkin, Anthony John Denison as the treacherous Noel Guzmann, Henry Silva as brutish, hard-nosed police chief Topo, Tim Thomerson as seedy hotel proprietor Steve Mobley, Matt Clark as amiable farmhand Hank, and George Clooney as a singing transvestite in a gay bar. A shamefully neglected sleeper.