My Wonderful Weekend, A Football Game Sandwiched In Between Four Films

L to R, Pangborn, Bracken and Demarest, Hail the Conquering Hero

My weekend was nice.

I watched Bullit (1968)Yates Friday afternoon, a film I first saw upon its initial release. I’ve never stopped loving it. My enjoyment of it comes despite the confusing — dare I say — plot. The script is a bit of a mess but director Peter Yates managed to rescue it. Supposedly an iffy script dooms a movie, but here is an exception to the rule. Of course the film would be nothing without Mr. Cool himself, Steve McQueen in the lead role. Bullit and The Great Escape (1963 J. Sturges were McQueen at his coolest. That the gorgeous Jaqueline Bisset played his love interest didn’t hurt either. McQueen is not only up against the mob (or the “organization” as everyone in the film calls it) but a crusading District Attorney (Robert Vaughn in his self-proclaimed best performance) who cares more about self-promotion than justice. The city of San Francisco is another main character and looks lovely throughout. It is highlighted in the film’s famous chase scene where, as those of us familiar with SF can vouch, a car turns down a street near the marina and suddenly is on the other side of town. Details are not what Bullit is all about. It is about maverick detective trying to do the right thing in the face of a criminal gang and slimy politician. That he goes about his business as such a cool guy enhances the fun immeasurably. The car chase scene is a masterclass in directing and editing. Two other chases -- on foot -- the latter at the movie's climax, are also noteworthy. 

Friday night I watched Preston Sturges’ Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) P. Sturges, the last of an incredible run of seven great pictures in five years that Sturges made from 1940-1944 (among them classics like Sullivan’s Travels (1941) and The Lady Eve (1941)). This is a film dominated by outstanding performances from supporting players, most were part of Struges’ “stock company” of regular bit players. The “star” of the film is Eddie Bracken, not exactly someone who shone in the firmament, but the shining is done here by lesser knowns particularly William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn who may have had more screen times and more lines in Hero than they did in any other picture. Harry Hayden as Doc Bissell, Jimmy Conlin as Judge Dennis and Raymond Wilburn as Mayor Noble also excel. It's especially nice to see Pangborn, who appeared in a plethora of great films in tiny roles, get some room to shine as the fussy befuddled and oh-so-well-intentioned Committee Chairman. Hail the Conquering Hero is a brilliant satire on the excesses of hero worship and its nefarious influence on the serious business of politics but is also a touching look at a community rallying together for decency and honesty. If Hero has a fault at all it could be that Bracken overplays his part at times (he was no Brando) but then his scenery chewing fits into the general zaniness that permeates the story. Like Bullit, I can’t wait to watch it again.

From Saturday's game, photo by author

On Saturday I went to a college football game, watching my beloved Cal Bears take on the heavy underdogs from UNLV. The Bears stormed out to a 14-0 lead and it looked like we’d be able to enjoy a pleasant, relaxed afternoon of cheering our team as they scored an endless series of touchdowns. But that is not the way of Cal football. Our heroes only managed six more points the rest of the game and had to rely on late-game defensive heroics to win by the skins of their teeth, 20-14. The ending was thus exciting and we cheered mightily as the final gun sounded and the home team had prevailed. No matter the sloppiness of play nor the lowliness of our opposition, it was a win and as such should be savored. That we did. A compatriot and I led a chant, with another we linked arms to sing along as Hail to California was played and I skipped down the street in celebration with the marching band who were having the time of their lives. It was all great fun. At home I read an online recap of the game where comments were generally very negative, fulminating against the Bears for their poor play. The game was a travesty, disaster was surely to come, heads must roll, the sky was falling. I marveled at how seriously people take college football and their inability to enjoy a simple win. Most, I speculated, had not been at the game and thus missed the excitement coursing through the stands as the defense held and held again. And what if the Bears had lost? Surely these same folks claiming gloom and doom would be flying off tall buildings. And how must they react to other more important issues such climate change, war in Ukraine, floods in Pakistan, global pandemics and American democracy in peril? Anyway, I had a damn good time and make no apology for it. 

Saturday evening the missus and I watched The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) Sayles which I’d not seen in about twenty-five years. It had been a favorite of mine back then and I was curious to see how I’d view it over two decades later. I liked it. A lot. Quite simply it’s a lovely story of a ten-year-old girl sent to live with her grandparents on an Irish isle to get away from the big city after her mother’s death. There she is told magical tales about a baby brother living on the open sea in a large wooden cradle and seals that can transform into beautiful women called selkies. These fables come true before her eyes and the resulting story is as magical as its premise. After watching Inish you’ll want to visit the Emerald Isle, I know I do. 

Sunday afternoon I watched another film that I hadn’t seen in about twenty five years, Se7en (1995) Fincher. It’s a film most remembered for its shocking ending, once you’ve seen it that particular “thrill” is gone. David Fincher is an excellent director (Fight Club (1999) and Zodiac (2007) are masterpieces) and his attention to detail, lighting and ability to sustain tension are evident here. There’s not a yawn in the picture, even knowing how it’s going to end. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are solid co-stars and their relationship slips neither into the good buddy cops nor the opposites attract cliches. The plot sometimes strains credulity but not enough to totally distract us from a compelling story. In other words, it holds up.

My weekend held up rather nicely too. I also managed to squeeze in a workout, reading the Sunday New York Times, taking a big chunk off the latest novel I’m reading (Elizabeth Strout’s Oh William!) and kept up with household chores. Now it’s back to ye olde grind.