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Reviews
The Hanging Gale (1995)
Kitchen makes it great
One of the things that makes this series great, instead of just really good is the nuanced performance by Michael Kitchen of the conflicted land agent. This man is a truly fantastic and totally underrated actor. It would have been an easy cliché to make the land agent a total monster, but instead he is very human, but also has an ugly job to do. The scene in which he tries to connect with the servant girl Mary by telling her about his years in India and issues with Lord Cardigan, while not the most dramatic, is poignant. He's lonely and trying to connect with a girl who has no idea what he's talking about and just wants to get out of the room. Very subtle and nicely done.
Nickel Mountain (1984)
Michael Cole gives sensitive performance
This movie is a story about loneliness. Lonely people in a lonely, desolate town. The movie never makes clear where the town is, but it doesn't matter. These could be any people, anywhere. Michael Cole gives a down-to-earth performance as the loneliest one of them all. Cole really captures Henry's sadness and compassion -- no surprise to anyone familiar with his work. Even on the Mod Squad, Cole's performances always showed a huge heart. This movie really showcased that, especially with him a little older and stripped of the prettiness of his previous roles. I remember seeing this movie when it was first on HBO in 1985 and being impressed. Twenty-plus years later, it still holds up. Brian Kerwin wins the silver medal for an equally on-the-mark performance. It's a nice, subtle movie that sticks with you for a while.