BetterInBlackAndWhite Reviews

Green Wing (2004–2007)

Brilliant Show--NOT just another hospital show.

[13 July 2005]

This show is so utterly brilliant. The other day my husband came home while I was watching it and said he could hear me laughing halfway down the sidewalk. May take one or two episodes to acquire a taste for this show, as it is so different from what you're used to watching, but there is so much richness and depth to Green Wing. The characters, while extremely quirky, are still real. While you may be screaming with laughter at some outlandish physical comedy moment or gag one moment, the next they will surprise you with a relatively sober, very dark scene (Joanna and her flip-book of Polaroids of herself as she ages).

In the US, this airs on BBC America. I would recommend it to people who love "Arrested Development." Of course, some of the most quirky and original shows can't last through very many seasons without losing some of their sting. I just hope "Green Wing" doesn't flare out soon, or disappear as its actors become stars in high demand in Britain and the US, as I'm sure many of them will.

By the way, for those of you who are sick of "hospital" shows, don't be fooled. This show couldn't care less about the patients! You almost never even see one, unless used as a meaningless prop beneath a sheet in the operating room. Definitely no "ER," this, thank God.

A Guy Named Joe (1943)

A wonderfully subtle study of the nature of love

[20 September 2004]

Some reviewers have complained that certain parts of the movie are unbelievable--agreed. However, "A Guy Named Joe" isn't a documentary. It's a riff on the nature of love and loss.

I've seen many Spencer Tracey movies, but none in which he is so subtle, charming, and heartbreaking. I won't give away his final line at the end, but it is a very simple line, delivered simply. But in his understated way, he encapsulates the most complex of human emotions.

Irene Dunne, a truly fine actress, is at her best here. Yes, her style does take a little getting used to for modern audiences, but she, too, has some incredibly difficult work to do in this film, and she meets the task impressively. And Van Johnson, whom I've never really given much thought, turns in a fine performance here, early in his career.

It is obvious that these three actors had a healthy rapport together. The lines of communication had to have been wide open for them to have turned in such gentle, subtly nuanced performances.

I can't say enough about this film. It may sound corny, but if you have ever loved anyone, and if you have ever lost anyone, you will immediately recognize the characters in this film. It's also worth mentioning that the screenplay contains some of the most beautiful poetic language I've ever heard in a movie. If you've never seen "A Guy Named Joe," I strongly recommend it; it will do your heart good.

The Sugarland Express (1974)

The backroads of the Great State of Texas are the real star of this fantastic flick!

[22 October 2003]

In the great Texas tradition of Bonnie and Clyde, a young couple in love go on the run (though this time, they're married ex-cons trying to "rescue" their toddler from a foster home, and they've taken a highway patrolman hostage). The great film critic Pauleen Kale praised this movie as one of the greatest directorial debuts in cinema history, and I have to agree. It amazes me that Spielberg, who was about 28 at the time, had directed only television before this, although he was already building up a strong buzz because of some really solid TV work he'd done.

As the young mother, Goldie Hawn is good; although she plays her typical blonde bimbo to some extent, there is a real truth the the emotion she finds of a scared young mother. William Atherton is very solid as the feckless, somewhat browbeaten husband she forces to escape out of Pre-Release.

Ben Johnson and Michael Sacks both shine as the police captain and the kidnapped young patrolman, respectively. Johnson is perfect as a simple, good man who has never been in a situation like this and simply doesn't want to see anyone hurt, but knows his responsibility comes before his feelings. Michael Sacks (who retired from films and the public eye WAY too soon) is just wonderful as the talented rookie in the wrong place at the wrong time--he starts out completely in control of the situation, loses that control, bit-by-bit, and gets deeper and deeper into conflict as he finds himself strongly identifying with and caring about the young couple. It is a great depiction of "Stockholm Syndrome." It may be a difficult condition to understand, but you can totally understand it when you see it acted this way.

Spielberg's direction is tight, focused, and with just the right balance of the serious with the action of the thrill of the chase, and also a well-placed and tasteful humor.

As a Texan born and raised in the South Texas prairielands, I also appreciate the fact that the State Troopers are portrayed as sensitive, intelligent professionals rather than bumblers (although the Louisiana Highway Patrol seems to be a little reckless in this film--in one truly strange and unnecessary sequence). Movies about Texas are always best when they stick to the sleepy villages and the backroads, and treat the state with respect. It is this view of Texas that all Texans recognize and love, but also that all non-Texans can identify with as the "Texas legend." Spielberg somehow really captured the feel of those lonely Texas roads and the kindly souls who live along them.

So--all in all, a really great film, but especially remarkable as the debut of a truly talented filmmaker. *** and 7/8

Little Bill (1999–2004)

Charming!

[4 October 2003]

This is a really sweet, charming cartoon based on Bill Cosby's childhood. The animation is unique and evocative of the era. I especially love the relationship between Little Bill and his great-grandmother, whom he calls Alice the Great. A nice little family show.

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Not for the Ardent Austen Fan

[16 March 2002]

This version is charming and humorous (the lovely actresses and beautiful costumes and scenery alone make the film worth watching). But while they stick the the "spirit" of Jane Austen's masterwork, they certainly don't stick to the "letter." As a devout Austen fan, I cringed at entire scenes added, such as a garden party scene in which Darcy rescues Lizzie from Mr. Collins and she beats him soundly at archery (not bloody likely!). Indeed, for much of the movie, one begins to wonder if the filmmakers had ever read the novel. Alas, although Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier have charming onscreen chemistry (probably due to their real-life romance), Austen needs no improvement, and the 1995 BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice is a much better choice.