Ray Liotta, A Rant on Guns, Back to Work and The Last Picture Show

Ray Liotta (right) with Joe Pesci in Goodfellas

So what else is new?

Ray Liotta died, so that sucks. He was ten months younger than me. Liotta made his mark in one of cinema's great achievements, Goodfellas (1990) Scorsese. His performance as the gangster, Henry Hill, was part of the film's greatness. Hill was multi-dimensional character, unlike so many cinematic wise guys. For me the film's most memorable scene is the classic "what's so funny about me"? bit that helped Joe Pesci win a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Not to be over-looked is Liotta's role in the scene, by turns laughing, being frightened, confused and relieved. Liotta never was never showcased in such a great film again but he was a consistently good actor whose performance as a lawyer in Marriage Story (2019) Buambach I particularly enjoyed. RIP, a legend....

The second amendment to the constitution of the United States states that "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." So by all means, let's have guns aplenty for those "well-regulated" militias. As for private citizens let's be considerably more circumspect in our distribution of firearms. Surely the founding fathers were not envisioning eighteen-year-olds strolling about with legally purchased assault rifles. The NRA and today's conservatives care more for the right to bear arms than they do the right for children to go to school, people to go to markets, cinemas, nightclubs, concerts or churches without fear of slaughter. Conservatives care about the supposed rights of the unborn but don't give a fuck about anyone other than rich fat cat donors. There are few modern evils quite as pernicious as today's conservative. They are totally lacking in empathy for the poor or disadvantaged. They are racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic and transphobic to the core. They are lying hypocrites beholden only to the wealthy. They are undemocratic and support a corporate oligarchy. Oceans of blood is on their hands and they don't care....

I returned to work Monday after a two year and two month pandemic imposed hiatus. It's like riding a bicycle. I'm very happy to be teaching again and wonder how I survived without it. I have a beginner's class, two students (brothers) from Mexico who know only a smattering of English. Fortunately they are eager lads (27 and 30 years old) which makes my job infinitely easier. Teaching beginners -- trigger warning, education cliche coming -- is a challenge, but who gets anything out of doing things that are easy? Los hermanos will be here for eight weeks and I'm excited to see the progress they make....

Photo by author

Sadly the Shattuck Cinemas in downtown Berkeley closed last Tuesday. I'd been seeing films there since they opened thirty-four years ago. Berkeley once had twelve movie houses, now it has two and one of them shows nothing but escapist adventure movies and dumb rom-coms. The Shattuck had eight screens and showed indy and foreign films. It's a sad state of affairs in this country when movie theaters are closing left and right. I went to the Shattuck on Saturday and again on it's last day to see films (naturally) but also to pay my respects to a place that gave me so much joy over the years. I saw an estimated 400 pictures there including some of my all-time favorites such as Inside Llewyn Davis, Inglorious Basterds, Drive My Car, Personal Shopper, Everyone Says I Love You, The Other Side of Hope, Le Havre, A Separation to name but a few. Saturday I saw Pleasure (2021) Thyberg which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was about a woman entering the porn industry and for all the nudity and sex it was not the least bit titillating. Porn never is. Tuesday I saw Emergency (2022) Williams about three college students of color who find a young white girl passed out in their house. It's an "as-if-torn-from-today's-headlines" films and it was one of the best recent releases I've seen in a long time. Damn I'm going to miss the Shattuck Cinemas....

 

The Death of Michael Corleone -- My Weekend With The Godfather Films

“Hey, whaddya gonna do, nice college boy, eh? Didn't want to get mixed up in the Family business, huh? Now you wanna gun down a police captain. Why? Because he slapped ya in the face a little bit? Hah? What do you think this is the Army, where you shoot 'em a mile away? You've gotta get up close like this and - bada-BING! - you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit.” — Sonny Coreleone to his baby brother Michael, who goes ahead and shoots the captain and a mob moss.

I watched Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) and the Godfather Part II (1974) over the weekend and what impressed with these latest viewings is that Michael Corleone dies in the first film.  Michael is the college boy, war hero who was not meant to be in the family business — organized crime — but gets sucked in after an unsuccessful attempt on his father’s life and then takes over after the death of Sonny.

No, Michael does not physically die in either movie and in facts lives until the very end of the ill-fated third installment of the Godfather series, the Godfather Part III (1999). (If you've never seen Godfather 111, don't bother.) But he is completely bereft of life by the end of the first film. He is cold, calculating and lacking all emotion save a red hot temper which occasionally flares but that he ultimately controls. That temper may seem a sign of life, but  it is more a special effect meant to frighten a rival, a subordinate or a spouse.

When we first meet Michael he is a young man just out of the army. With his girlfriend, Kay, in tow, he is at his sister’s wedding. He tells Kay about his father helping a singer get out of a contract with a bandleader by saying that either the bandleader's signature or his brains are about to be on the contract. Michael assures Kay, “that's my family Kay, that's not me.” Michael is in earnest, he’s chosen a different path in life, content to let his older brothers, Sonny and Fredo follow Pop into the family business. Michale appears to be a charming, affable sort.

Later we see a smiling Michael and Kay Christmas shopping and then coming out of a movie theater. It’s the last time we’ll see Michael smile. Because after that last smile  Michael sees a newspaper account of the shooting of his father (remarkably in the movie’s timeline it happened only an hour or so ago; one supposes a great film is entitled to one mistake — never mind how glaring).

The most viewed and commented of all my blog posts was one in which I posed the question: when does Michael Corleone change from being Joe College to being Joe Mafia? In it I suggested six possible moments The first was a visit to the hospital where his father’s bodyguards have been sent away and he has to take immediate command of his father's security. Other options were when he is punched by the police captain; when he offers to commit the above-mentioned assassinations; when he does said deed; when he learns of Sonny’s murder and when he sees his Sicilian wife killed. I now add a second question: when does Michael die inside? It could well be that it was at the same instant when he embraced the life of a mobster, certainly by the time he became Don.

There is no more laughter nor signs of joy from Michael. There are perfunctory displays of affection with Kay and their children but there is no warmth. On a few occasions his temper explodes but he quickly has it under control. There is no physicality to Michael, no spontaneity, seemingly no pumping heart.

There are two remarkable scenes in which an inner turmoil is betrayed by his eyes thus perhaps suggesting some signs of life. The first is in the seconds leading up to his shooting the captain and mob rival, Sollozzo. A subway train is rattling loudly overhead as Sollozzo is talking to him. But Michael is looking down, his eyes moving up and down as he prepares to shoot two men in cold blood. There is a lot going on in his face, but ultimately Michael cooly dispatches his victims. The second is late in Part II when Kay is telling him she did not have a miscarriage but an abortion. Again his eyes reflect the inner turmoil, the disbelief and rage. A burst of anger follows during which he slaps Kay. But that's it.

Mostly what we get from Michael is nothing. Every word he utters, every movement he makes is as if rehearsed.

One of the most striking scenes to me is after he gets out of Cuba following the revolution. Michael is taken to a hotel room in Nevada where he asks for a wet towel and glass of water. Taking off his jacket he leaves his vest and tie on. With the towel he lightly and precisely dabs around his eyes and carefully sips the water while asking questions as he is updated on recent activities. Michael is -- as always -- unruffled, neatly dressed, no hair out of place, no whiskers on his face. Apparently he couldn’t sneeze or cough, or hiccup or burp if he wanted to. He is the same testifying before a senate sub-committee as he is talking to his young son or participating in a baptism or doling out orders or facing down a corrupt politician or admiring a cake. Even in courting his first wife, a beautiful Sicilian villager, he is measured, calm and does nothing to betray the passion that one associates with being in love.

Living beings aren’t like that. Michael is dead inside and one of the saddest — albeit most dangerous — characters in filmdom. It is a staggering performance by Pacino, some of the greatest acting in movie history.

He embodied an especially pernicious evil that wears a suit, says the right things and calls itself a businessman. The story of Michael Corleone is a classic tragedy. How and why did he die inside? Was it the only way he could carry the often nasty family business? Did he kill something inside himself when he shot two men to death? Did he die inside when he saw his wife die?

OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE GODFATHER

The scenes in early 20th century New York featuring Robert DeNiro as the young Vito are some of the best in cinema history. Having visited Ellis Island recently and read its history, I’m amazed at how accurately they depict not only the place but the time. The street scenes seem like they must be colorized re-mastered contemporary footage. The clothes, the signage, the buildings, the carts, everything looks precisely as it would in New York circa 1915....

I love this bit of dialogue between Michael and Kay: Michael: "My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator." Kay: "Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed." Michael: "Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?" Clearly Kay is being naive. One of the major themes of the Godfather and something found after a lot of recent research into organized crime, is the extent to which the mob, “legitimate businesses” and the government have joined forces over the years. Gus Russo’s book The Outfit details the manner in which criminal organization and major corporations are barely distinguishable any more. When you note the manner in which both evade paying taxes, it is evident that they are ever expanding monsters consuming all the riches and resources in their path with no intent to re-invest or contribute it. The mob and big business don't so much have a symbiotic relationship as they are now one and the same....

Much is made about how the Godfather is about family and certainly the films shine a light on family dynamics, particularly father-son relationships which are so often fraught with contradictory notions of rebellion and conformity. Trying to please dad while trying to assert you are your own person is a difficult balancing act many sons face. Sons are also desperate to win their father’s approval and it feel like a validation of a life well-lived to have a father's love and respect. Here Michael is a total success. Initially going his own way and ultimately winning the complete trust of his father to take over the family business. Fredo is a sad figure, he's older than Michael yet passed over and given menial jobs. And under pressure he folds. When his father is shot,  Fredo fumbles with his gun and the breaks down and cries.....

But family is sacrosanct and outsiders beware. Senator Pat Geary: "I despise your masquerade, the dishonest way you pose yourself. You and your whole fucking family." Michael Corleone: "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, senator, but never think it applies to my family." Michael might end up killing his brother, but no one outside the clan dare speak ill of anyone within it.  As Sonny says in a flashback scene: "Your country ain't your blood. Remember that." Family first....

We get insight into Fredo when Michael comes to visit Las Vegas -- where Fredo is already ensconced -- to talk business with Moe Greene. Fredo has arranged to have a band and group of girls in Michael's room when he arrives (girls who are undoubtedly there to do the biding of the male guests). When Michael enters the room Fredo starts the festivities expecting a grateful Michael to participate in the revelry. But the new Don is having none of it, he’s there on a short business trip with no time for fun let alone bacchanalia. (“I'm here on business I leave tomorrow now get rid of them. Come on, I'm tired. Get rid of the band, too.”) Fredo quickly assumes a serious tones and rushes the band and the girls out of the room as if it’s their fault. Clearly his ego has taken another beating. Nothing he ever does is right or good enough....

Fredo's story is a sad and ends with Michael assigning him a cruel and unnecessary fate. Michael’s act of fratricide serves no purpose other than to sate his insatiable desire for revenge. Also horribly cruel is what he says to Fredo earlier in the film: "Fredo, you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do. I don't want to see you at the hotels, I don't want you near my house. When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there. You understand?" Talking like that to a sibling requires a special level of coldness....

Underling Pauli is shot in the head in “leave the gun, take the cannoli” scene, while later brother-in-law, Carlo is garroted. Both in a car. Why? Who decides which way a disloyal family member is going to be killed? Garroting seems a lot of work. Carlo kicks out a car window while in his death throes. Of course shooting him means blood all over the place. We don’t know how Tessio is murdered, all we see him driven off with a carful of men. Evidently the large crew is along to facilitate the accompanying burial....

The Godfather films demonstrate one important way in which the Mafia was able to maintain power, especially within smaller communities. You need justice done? Vengeance? Why waste time with “the authorities” who might not come through for you anyway? If you’re in tight with the local mob boss (and you better be) he’ll take care of it for you. The mob takes care of its people. You might owe them a favor but it would be a small price to pay for the safety they provide. And it to be connected, to be part, to be able to participate in -- perhaps by doing a favor -- this powerful organization brings a security and sense of belonging that not everyone enjoys....

The first two Godfather films represent the best of American cinema. A perfect marriage of  screenplay, direction, acting, editing, set design and soundtrack. It is rich with themes and ideas and colorful characters and compelling story lines and is well worth revisiting many, many times.

I Don't Now What to Say About The Irishman, But I Try

It’s been 24 hours since I saw Martin Scorsese's The Irishman and I’m still feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the experience. My youngest daughter has wanted so share thoughts on the movie which she saw the day before I did. But I'm finding it difficult to write or articulate feelings about it.  To some degree this is a function of the film's length -- three and half hours -- but more precisely just how rich a cinematic experience it provides and how meaningfully and deeply it reveals the life of one man.

I could trot out the usual cliches that one does for films but in this case they seem empty.  I hasten here to add that I don’t know that I’m ready to call it a “great” film or otherwise label it. My daughter texted me a one-word review after seeing it: "incredible" and I concur. But how and why it is "incredible" is not so easy to unpack. Though it is many respects a rather conventional bit of cinema (the computer techniques to make the actors look younger or older aside). Somehow The Irishman is unique and here again I’m stuck for saying exactly how.

It is a somber film. One critic compared it to Scorsese’s masterpiece, Goodfellas (1990), noting that while the characters in that 1990 classic were having a great time, there is a gravity and sorrow to many of the lives and stories depicted in The Irishman. This is natural given that many of the characters are shown in old age, looking back, not nostalgically but almost mournfully and certainly unromantically. Robert DeNiro’s lead character, Frank Sheeran, a hit man, is forced to reflect on the many people he killed at the behest of his bosses in the mob. The wages of sin. There may not be regrets but there is little celebration in a life comprised of so much violence. His life is the centerpiece of The Irishman.

Scorsese’s use of music is thus subdued as his use of such trickery such as stop action and steadicam shots. As I alluded to earlier it is a very straight forward story. But what a story.

The Irishman is rich in US history from the ‘50s through the ‘70s. Of course the infamous Jimmy Hoffa, who everyone knew about in those days, is a central figure in the film, and he is brought to life by yet another in a long line of bravura performances by the incredible Al Pacino. There are also the Kefauver hearings, the Kennedy election, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the JFK assassination, Vietnam, Nixon, Watergate and famous mob figures like Joey Gallo. All these events helped form the backdrop to my youth. There is — and this is important — also Americana from the time period. The foods, the cafes, the cars, the clothes, there was simply no way Scorsese was going to make this gangster epic and not get the period detail just so.

Themes abound in The Irishman. As with many good gangster films, loyalty, duplicity and revenge are crucial to the characters and thus the story. These are men who love one another, hate one another and rarely anything in between. This is one aspect of the gangster genre that is so satisfying, grey areas don’t exist, rules are clear. Step out of line and you get whacked. You are trusted and loved and protected until you cross a line and then you are simply dead. Justice is unambiguous and swift. There are no legal niceties involved. Except, of course, mobsters rely on their own shrewd lawyers when dealing with the inevitable pressures applied by the government. Of course, you can take the 5th unless your lawyer has uncovered that technicality that will get you off. Ray Romana as just such a lawyer is one of many standouts in the cast.

These are also men of great appetites. Yes, literally many of them eat copiously but they also hunger for more power and after that still more power and for more money and after that still more money. There is no amount of power or money that is sufficient for a mobster. Like the corporations and banks that gobble small businesses and hard-working taxpayers mortgages as if they are flakes of cereal, the gangster lives to consume. Woe betide those in their wake.

What makes a film like The Irishman ingratiating is that we cleave to certain characters while hating their foes. We take sides. We love to see people win while outside of standard conventions, rules and laws. There is a wonderful appeal to those brave enough to eschew the nine to five and live on the outside, like frontiersman of old. We all rooted at one level or another, for Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad because he was not just beating the system, he was kicking the living shit out of it. We live vicariously through our movie and TV gangsters.

Again like the best of gangster films (the aforementioned Goodfellas and The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974) being prime examples, although there are earlier examples from American cinema like White Heat (1949), The Roaring Twenties (1939), The Public Enemy (1931) and the original Scarface (1932)) there are brilliant performances highlighting the show. In addition to the — and he really needed to be — over the top performance by Pacino, there are the two other leads, DeNiro and Joe Pesci (blessedly out of retirement for the film) who give much more restrained, nuanced performances than in, for example, Goodfellas. This is not the erratic, maniacal Pesci of Goodfellas, here he is thoughtful, patient and calm. Mastering this kind of performance is perhaps more difficult but Pesci is, if anything, an underrated actor. Bobby Cannavale and Stephen Graham were highlights of the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, each playing gangsters. They brought their talents to The Irishman. Cannavale’s Felix ‘Skinny Razor’ DiTullio, a steak-loving mobster who helps get Frank started in “the business” is much mellower than the homicidal Gyp Rosetti of Boardwalk. Graham portrayed Al Capone in Boardwalk, as famous a gangster as ever lived, in The Irishman he is Anthony Provenzano (Tony Pro) a noteworthy if far less well-known crook. Graham is a Liverpudlian but he can play an American crime boss with the best of them.

So one could go on for many, many paragraphs about the cast and their excellence. Just as there is much to say about the editing by the preeminent film editor and long-time Scorsese collaborator, Thelma Schoonmaker or the cinema photography of Rodrigo Prieto or the musical score by Robbie Robertson, all were terrific. There’s so much to say about so much of what The Irishman accomplishes. But though I’ve just passed 1,000 words I feel like I’ve said nothing and will need to see it again, -- and again after that -- to be fully prepared to explore the film to my own satisfaction. (Note: yes, the movie is long, but it never, ever drags and I can’t think of a scene I would have cut or shortened.)

It has been useful exercise to write these preliminary thoughts about The Irishman. From them I learned that maybe I don’t yet love the movie so much as revere it. The film represents so much that can be good and right and beautiful and intellectually stimulating and meaningful about cinema and I’m simply going to have to get to know it better before I feel that we’re on intimate terms. I will, however, reiterate that it is, "incredible."

Three Men in a Photo and a Few Words on the Recent Release, Black Mass

I like this picture. I have a lot of pictures that I use as wallpaper for my trusty old MacBook Pro (not a paid endorsement). This is one of my favorites.

On the left is Michael McClure, a poet, novelist and songwriter. Frankly I don't know much about him or his work but he is constantly referenced when I read about some of my favorite writers and artists. As I write this I'm think that I should probably take a look at some of his writing. If one is to be judged strictly by the company she or he keeps then Mr. McClure is quite a talent. According to wikipedia his influences include Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Walt Whitman and Gary Snyder. If those are your influences you're on the right track in my book (would that I actually had a book).

In the middle of the photo is one Bob Dylan. As he is want to do Mr. Dylan is looking somewhat affected. Especially during his early career Dylan was a poser. Not so much for photos but in public. He put on this air of casual indifference and intellectual coolness. The sunglasses were de rigueur for this look. He had a definite persona, one that has evolved or devolved over the years into a bizarre eccentricity. As a kid I played my older brother's Dylan album, specifically the song "Like a Rolling Stone" which I was mesmerized by and listened to over and over. But ultimately the prodigious output of The Beatles overwhelmed Dylan and other voices and when I finally started listening to other music again, Dylan was left out. I came back to him only a few years ago and have been enjoying him very much.

Of course the gentleman on the right is Allen Ginsberg a personal hero of mine. In addition to owning -- through various books -- probably all of his published poems, I have books featuring his correspondence with Kerouac, Snyder and his father. I also have a biography and his published journals. I not only love Ginsberg's poetry, but his entire approach to life. He fully embraced living and being and experimented with being what it means to be human. Like myself he survived having an insane mother and experiencing some emotional tumult but he came out of it all with great passion for people, for peace and for contributing to a better world. In this picture there is intensity in his face as he apparently listens to Dylan. In addition to his other gifts Ginsberg could be a patient listener.

And now for something completely different....

Today I saw Black Mass starring Johnny Depp as the notorious real life gangster Whitey Bulger. Depp is a fine actor who gives an astounding performance here. It is transformative. Depp has wasted his talents for far too long on silly, lightweight pictures many of which are downright awful. He's made a ton of money, enough so that he can well afford to take roles like this that challenge him. Depp has been wonderful in such excellent films as Ed Wood (1994), Donnie Brasco (1997) and Dead Man (1995)

(The first rate cast of Black Mass includes Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon and Peter Sarsgaard as well as some lesser knowns who are terrific, Scott Cooper directed).

The movie itself is essentially quite true to the events it depicts, primarily using the book Black Mass as its source material. Bulger and the events surrounding him make for a compelling story, yet another in a very long series of gangster films from Hollywood. There is a scene at a dinner table with Bulger and three others in which a recipe is discussed. Depp is transcendent in this scene which is one of the best few minutes of cinema I've seen in a long, long time.

While I enjoyed Black Mass it was ruined for me by Goodfellas (1990). It was of course my fault entirely but I kept subconsciously comparing the film to Scorsese's earlier masterpiece. Any attempt to imitate Goodfellas would have been forced and unsuccessful but this more straight forward telling of a gangster story can't possibly measure up. If -- as is surely the case -- filmmakers are going to continue to offer the occasional gangster film, they're going to have to do something different and unexpected. Black Mass is a good film on its own terms but it exists in a universe in which many of us have seen Goodfellas, that being the case, good is about all you can hope to achieve.

Another thing that influences my view of crime stories is that I finally, lo these many years late, started watching HBO's The Wire which ran from 2002-2008.  Several people encouraged me to watch it and idiot that I am I waited until seven years after it ended to start. It has been worth the wait. Perhaps I'll delve more into this show later. Suffice to say that for me it ranks right up there with The Sopranos and Breaking Bad among great dramatic television programs.

Victory of the Bland - Thoughts on Corporate CEOs, Mafia Bosses Inspired by the Bob Durst Story

Like a lot of people I was fascinated by the  recent HBO six part series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst about multi millionaire Robert Durst. This is the chap who killed a man and dismembered his body but got off on the claim that it the killing was a combination of self defense and an accident. Durst is believed to be responsible for the murder of his first wife who disappeared in 1982 and for assassinating a friend in Los Angeles in 2000. Some friend.

If you haven’t seen the series I highly recommend it. Its compelling on a number of levels not the least of which being that Durst is making the news right now with his recent arrest. As has been reported, he seems to have accidentally confessed to murder in a recording that can be heard at the end of the final episode.

Durst was extensively interviewed for the series by the makers of the documentary with director Andrew Jarecki asking the questions. It’s fascinating stuff on many levels. Durst seems at once repulsive, likable, weird and not the type of guy with who would going around killing people.
He’s also clearly a liar. For instance he tells of being led to a window by his dad to watch his mother jump (or fall if you believe the family) to her death when he was but seven years old. If it sounds unbelievable that a father would casually take a child to watch mom teetering on the edge of a roof its because it never happened. Then again it did happen in Durst’s mind. In fact in his mind he’s an innocent man who’s a victim of a bizarre string of mishaps. The worst lies you can believe in are your own. They become a person’s narrative, their new reality. Crimes, excesses and conversations can be wiped from a person’s memory. Just as new stories, alternative realities can be added. Someone living in their delusions is pretty hard to deal with.

Douglas Durst

Jinx is intriguing on a number of levels including the fact that it is full of interesting characters, in addition to the main one. One of them is Durst’s brother Douglas who upon the death of the family patrician, Seymour (Doug and Bob’s dad) took charge of the family business. That business is in prime Manhattan real estate. The Dursts are loaded. We see Doug a few times in Jinx but he never sat down for an interview. That’s not his thing. We do see him on tape giving a deposition and also Jarecki crashed a ceremony where he was given an award for charitable work. It was enough to get an idea of the type of guy Doug Durst is. On the surface there's nothing particularly interesting about Doug, certainly not compared to other personalities we meet in the series. And especially as we only catch glimpses of him. But he reminds me of Michael Corelone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather Part II (1974).

No, I’m not saying that Doug Durst is a mobster. But he is, like Corleone a businessman and more than that a CEO. Indeed he is the archetype. Like the true Mafia boss, the CEO is an insulated figure. He does not give interviews. He does not engage in chit chat with strangers nor even acquaintances and rarely with friends and only sometimes with family. He is has a wall around himself and his immediate family and other than official company policy and major decisions, people do not have access to his opinions. Any embarrassment within the family or organization is to be dealt with swiftly with official statements that are as insipid as possible. The family/company holds no controversial positions, is fiercely private and neutral whenever possible. They do not engage in dialogues, they release terse statements. They have channels and layers to go through. They have specific people with specific tasks. They are protected. They are serious.

Doug Durst said as little as possible about his brother’s legal woes. He sent lawyers. The CEO loves his lawyers, they protect him. The family stayed as far away as possible from the case of Bob’s first wife’s disappearance. They didn’t lift a finger to help “look for her.” (Okay, so maybe they knew or figured Bob had killed her so what would be the point.) It was the same way in which they claimed that Seymour’s wife had fallen to her death rather than jumped. Suicide is embarrassing and raises questions. Accidents happen. Regrettable but nothing to sully the family name.

In Godfather Part II Michael is the quintessential Mafia boss (not the flashy John Gotti type who loves headlines and pays dearly for it) who stays in the background. He is cool, detached and in total control. As his father advised, he never let anyone outside the family know what he's thinking. All his moves were designed to protect the family business and the immediate family. Nothing else mattered. If he had to kill a sibling to protect that family by god he’d do it. Michael’s rages, his emotions were all kept out of sight. Doug seems similarly cool, detached and in control, similarly never letting others know what goes on inside. He too makes sure that ever move is calculated to protect and further the family name and business. He is also a quintessential CEO who stays out of headlines (not the obscenely obnoxious type like Donald Trump).

Michael Corleone

It must be a frightful existence. Lonely. Unnatural. Trapped. To constantly follow such strict rules of conduct to constantly have one’s guard up and to constantly depend on others to keep the facade going. It is the death of personality, spontaneity and creativity and the victory of the bland. I wonder if Bob Durst, despicable as he may be, is at least happier than Doug? I wonder if Fredo (the murdered brother) enjoyed his life more than Michael enjoyed his?

Both Bob and Doug suffered the childhood trauma of their mother’s death. Perhaps as a consequence Bob turned into an amoral killer while Doug cleaved closer to his father and emulated his leadership style.

The further you go up any corporate or government hierarchy less interesting are the people you meet. You see men in plain suits, freshly tailored, recent haircuts, manicured nails, perfunctory smiles and medium strength handshakes. They say little and mean less. Their souls are tucked safely away in storage. Their desks are clean with an obligatory framed family photo. They seem but empty vessels. How mannered and polite and desperately dull they are. How far from their true natures.

Anyway I started out about Bob Durst. No empty vessel he. Then again he probably murdered at least three people so nobody’s perfect.

A Parting Gift to My ESL Class in U.S. History & Culture, 20 American Films to Enhance Their Understanding of the U.S.

I teach English at the greatest ESL school in San Francisco – and probably the entire country. I am very lucky. In addition to two general English classes, this past term I've taught a class in U.S. History & Culture. Meeting for 80 minutes twice a week over 10 weeks, I've covered the history of the U.S. from colonial America to the 1960s (it was as far as I could get). I tried to give my students a feeling for the most formative experiences in the history of this country, covering as best as I could the stories of the American Revolution, the Constitution, Slavery, the diaspora and borderline genocide of the Native Americans, Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crowism, Civil Rights, U.S. Imperialism, Immigration, the Women's Movement, the U.S. in World Wars I and II, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, McCarthyism and the culture revolution of the 1960s. Then in the second week....

My class, which meets twice more, has had students from Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, France, Belgian, Switzerland, China, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil, most between the ages of 18 and 30. They have tolerated my quips and occasional meanderings, and contributed their questions and energy. I am leaving them with this list of 20 films that can further their understanding of this country in various ways. I was careful to select a variety of films. The principle criteria was that they all be bloody good movies. There's no use watching a movie designed to further your understanding of something if said movie stinks.

The list  easily could have been four times as long. But really, how many of these are they going to have the time or inclination to see? Plus, as the list is annotated, I barely had the time to go beyond twenty. It should be noted that none of these films are meant to be a stand-alone lesson on anything in U.S. History; instead, they are meant to give a feeling for an event, time or trend, or show how Americans view themselves.

Rather than waste a lot more paper by printing the list, I'm providing it on this forum so they can have easy access to it, and so that my army of faithful readers (both of us) may see it as well. So in no particular order, here goes:

Glory (1989) The best Civil War film yet made, which come to think of it, isn't saying a whole lot. But it's a wonderful movie about the first truly successful all Black regiment, the 54th, to see action in the war. Their heroism proved to Lincoln and many others the bravery of African American fighting men. Top notch performances by Denzel Washington (an Oscar for it), Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick.

All the President's Men (1976) The story of how two reporters for the Washington Post were central to breaking the Watergate scandal that ultimately brought down an American president. It is a celebration of the American newspaperman and freedom of the press. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman star as Woodward and Bernstein, respectively. A great supporting cast helped make this a captivating tale.

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) An examination of three American servicemen who've just returned from helping the U.S. win World War II. It is a frank look at America immediately post-war and the not-so-easy transition for many veterans. A slice of Americana topped with doses of reality. William Wyler directed an all star cast featuring Dana Andrews, Frederich March, Harold Russell, and Myrna Loy.

Wild Boys of the Road (1933) A no-holds barred look at life for young people during the Great Depression. William Wellman directed this school-of-hard-knocks film which was made during the height of the depression. These are not Andy Hardy teens, but the rough tumble experience of kids on the road looking for something better–and frankly– not finding it.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) The classic depression-era film from John Steinbeck's novel directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. The story of the Joads who escape Oklahoma's Dust Bowl for California only to find labor strife, oppression and more dashed hopes. One of the great films of all time.

Platoon (1986) Based on director Oliver Stone's own experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, this is a frank and reportedly quite accurate look at life in an American platoon. Charlie Sheen starred with a dynamic supporting cast featuring Willem Defoe and Tom Berenger.

Meet John Doe (1941) America looks at itself during the Depression and sees much that could go wrong (fascism) and much that could go right if people's voices are heard. There are lessons here about late 1930s America, the press, populism and political bosses. The John Doe movement will remind many of the pitfalls of the current Tea Party and their ongoing service to the 1%.

My Darling Clementine (1946) A classic Western from John Ford based on the Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and O.K. Corral shootout legends. It's a typically visually beautiful Ford film, and thus is a romanticization of the Old West. Not so much to be seen for its limited historical content, but as a look at the American Western.

Goodfellas (1990) Another American classic – the Gangster film. This one from Martin Scorcese is based on actual events in the life of Henry Hill. It features the quintessential gangster performances from Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci. Goodfellas is a fascinating look both at the realities of modern gangster life and the romanticization of gangsters in American culture.

The Godfather Part 2 (1974) Another Gangster film, this one has the added plus of revealing a lot about immigration and American city life in the early 1900s. Later we see gangsters all cleaned up and facing a congressional committee. A strong commentary about the marriage of political and mob power.

Milk (2008) The true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States. Sean Penn is remarkable in the title role of a film that tells an important chapter in the history not just of Gay rights in the U.S., but people's rights.

Malcolm X (1992) The true story of another genuine American hero, Malcolm X (neé Little and later El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz). Spike Lee directed this compelling biopic about the transition of one man from a small-time hood and convicted felon to an important national political figure. Reviled by whites and later by the Nation of Islam after he rejected the sect in favor of more traditional (and less corrupted) Muslim worship and teachings.

Boyz N the Hood (1991) Life in the hood circa 1990. One of the few films ever to successfully  tackle the experience of inner city life for African Americans This is director John Singleton's unflinching look at the harsh realities and violence central to the experience of growing up for Black youth in America. It is still very much relevant today.

Gangs of New York (2002) In addition to everything else this fine film from Martin Scorsese has going for it, Gangs of New York is an excellent look at, well, gangs in 19th century America. Indeed, the film captures the sights and sounds of the era about as well as one can imagine is possible. Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of a gang leader is a great film performance.

The Front (1976) Woody Allen stars, but does not direct (yes, that Woody Allen), in perhaps Hollywood's best look at McCarythism in general and the blacklisting of people in the entertainment in particular. Allen plays a man who fronts for several blacklisted writers and sees first hand the costs of the Red Scare to the innocent individual. Zero Mostel is excellent as a troubled comic.

Saving Private Ryan (1998) This film from director Steven Spielberg embodies the current U.S. view of the heroic American solider of World War II. It is a sentimentalization of the inferno which engulfed Europe and Asia. Still, it is a damn good film and its scenes on the beaches of Normandy are as realistic as a person could want to see. Today's American soldier – and his sacrifices on the battlefield – are being dramatized and propagandized out of any reasonable proportion, and this film is a classic example of that new ethos.

The Big Trail (1930) This little known gem is far and away the bet film on the perils of the wagon train in mid 19th century America. There are melodramatic twists added to the tale, but there is much to admire about this incredibly detailed and visually sweeping look at a bygone time in U.S. history. Raoul Walsh directed in a wide screen process that was not to become popular for another 20 years.

The Strawberry Statement (1970) The ultimate 1960s - early 1970s American protest film, and it was made at the time. There is much to dismiss about a lot of the acting and the production values, but the soundtrack is spot on and the feeling of change and protest of the time has never been done better. Watch a love-struck young man join a campus protest  get caught up in events (as many of us did).

Dances With Wolves (1990) Kevin Costner's sweeping epic about an American soldier of the late 1860s who joins a Sioux tribe. A rare film that sympathizes with Native Americans, it also gives a hint of tribal life, particularly with the coming encroachment of whites. It underscores the unique culture of the Plains Indians and their tragic fate in the face of white expansion.

The Roaring Twenties (1939) A great lesson in the terrible price of Prohibition as told through the mercurial rise and epic fall of one gangster, Eddie Bartlett (James Cagney). This is also the classic Gangster film of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Movies You May Not Have Seen That I'd Like to Recommend

Any idiot can recommend a classic or well-known film to watch. Being any idiot myself I've done it dozens of times. But I'd like to step out of my usual idiot role and suggest some movies you are less likely to have seen.

I've selected ten movies, all from different decades with different directors and different stars. None are exactly obscure, but none are regulars on favorite movie lists or are considered classics. Also, all are available on DVD. Most importantly, they're all damn good films that will have appeal to most discerning viewers, and some of you undiscerning viewers as well.

The Circus (1928). Of Charlie Chaplin's later silent era films, this is the one that gets lost in the shuffle. Many who've seen it compare it favorably with The Gold Rush (1925) and a few even prefer it. One would assume that the Little Tramp set loose in a circus would be a recipe for hilarity. One would be correct in this assumption. There is romance, there are chases, there is pathos, the usual Chaplin fare and its all too good for you to have missed it.

The Mayor of Hell (1933). A favorite topic of pre code films like this one was social injustices. In this instance the victimization of the young is explored. James Cagney plays that rare combination of gangster and social crusader, the latter quite by accident. He finds himself in charge of a reform school and gains an interest in it when he falls for the school's activist nurse. In opposition to the corrupt head of the school, our hero supports a program of reform where the inmates run the asylum (to great effect, mind you). Complications ensue. There's a lot going on in this 90 minute film: intrigue, romance and melodrama aplenty. Archie Mayo directed and did a fine job.

The Long Voyage Home (1940). John Ford cranked out a couple of dozen or so excellent films so its no surprise this one is often forgotten. While many of his usual cast including John Wayne is aboard (as a Swede!) this time the setting is a ship rather than the Old West. I only discovered TLVH a year ago and fell head over heels. The opening scene, sans dialogue for a full five minutes, is positively mesmerizing and will suck you into an captivating film. As the son and brother of one-time merchant marines I appreciated its depiction of the sea faring life. You will too.

Sudden Fear (1952). Somebody named David Miller directed this largely forgotten noir. 1952 was when Hollywood was cranking out noirs and here again we have a case of movie that gets overlooked among others of its type. Joan Crawford stars as a newlywed whose younger husband (Jack Palance) is conspiring to off her, with the help of his mistress (Gloria Grahame). The streets of San Francisco are beautifully utilized in the telling of this suspenseful tale. You haven't seen it, have you? Give it a shot, thank me later.

Ride the High Country (1962). A Sam Peckinpah Western before the blood started spewing. This is one of my all time favorites. Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott were aging actors playing aging lawmen at cross purposes as they set out to transport gold through dangerous country. Along the way they are side tracked by a mission to rescue a girl held by some of the nastier villains in filmdom. Mariette Hartley is positively sumptuous as the girl. McCrea and Scott were getting on in years but were in peak form and Peckinpah was as good here as he'd ever be. Here's what I wrote about RTHC a few years ago.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973). With friends like Eddie's got, who needs enemies. Am  I right? You wouldn't know if you're among the many who've missed this fine film from director Peter Yates (best known for Bullitt (1968)). Robert Mitchum was, in my opinion, never better than in this performance as the title character, a career criminal looking to avoid another stretch in stir by ratting out his friends. Do they know? Will they "take him out"? It's a superbly told story with many subtleties and strong performances all around. They were making a lot of really good films in the 1970s and this was one of them.

Local Hero (1983). Question: did Burt Lancaster and Peter Reigert ever co-star in a quirky comedy set in Houston Texas and Northern Scotland? Answer: yes and this is it. Local Hero is a criminally neglected film that I couldn't recommend more. Reigert is an American Oil company employee sent to Scotland to buy a village. He falls in love. With the village. His boss, Lancaster, eventually joins him. He too falls in love. And you'll fall in love if you wisely decide to watch Local Hero. Kudos to director Bill Forsyth.

A Bronx Tale (1993). Okay, you've probably seen this one but in case you haven't....Robert DeNiro directed and co-stars along with Chazz Palminteri and Lilo Brancato (who's been in a spot of bother with the law of late). The film is based on Palminteri's play of the same name which is based on his childhood experiences. Brancato plays a young man torn between his honest hard-working bus driver father (DeNiro) and the local crime boss (Palminteri). Oh yes, he also falls for an African American schoolmate in a time when such a romance in that area was a no-no. One of the better film scripts ever in a memorable film that every young person in America should see. For that matter youngsters of other countries should see it to as well as us old fogeys.

Notes on a Scandal (2006). Master classes in acting by Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy highlight Notes. It is the powerful story of an older teacher (Dench) who  befriends a younger married teacher (Blanchett). There's something rather creepy about the older woman and the manner in which she ingratiates herself into her new friend's family. Matters take a dramatic turn when Blanchett's character has an affair -- with a student. Egads! Nighy plays the cuckolded husband. It is a powerful and memorable film. NOAS received four Oscar nominations but won none. Typical.

The American (2010). Only recently in theaters but missed by many. It was a George Clooney vehicle that did not appeal to the masses. The American calls to mind French thrillers of the 1960' in that it was more about characters than action. There is a leisurely pace to this story about a hitman (Clooney) in a small Italian town who finds romance. I thought Clooney was particularly good as a suave but mostly silent, ruminative and meticulous craftsman. His craft was killing, but still.... Italian actress Violante Placido was enchanting as the love interest. Anton Corbjin, from Holland directed.

The Appeal of the Gangster Film, and My Ten Favorites

Who doesn't love a good gangster film?

From the beginnings of cinema until the present day some of the greatest films ever made have been about gangsters. In this totally pixilated place called "real life" we (unless absent any sense at all) hate criminal gangs. Yet on film we root 'em on like they were the dear old home team. Anyone knuckle-headed enough to cheer on the cops in a gangster film has no sense of fun or imagination.

So what's the appeal of the genre, I ask myself in order to continue with the essay.  There are several things at work. One is that gangsters are not bound by laws or any other strictures of society. While us law abiding types are confined by criminal codes, ethics, morals, rules and restrictions, gangsters do whatever the hell they want. That's the way to live! And we thus live vicariously through these gun toting mobsters. Yet a mobster does answer to certain set of codes, but principally within the gang itself and to his brother criminal. We can all get behind such latter day chivalry.

So there's that but there's also the violence.  If neither over done nor gratuitous (the two go hand in hand), cinematic violence is compelling theater, so to speak. Films in general make use of violence as a story telling tool because it is so vivid and visceral. (And I for one do not for a second cotton to the notion that on screen violence plays any role in creating "real life" violence. Violent criminal gang activity was rampant in urban America throughout the latter half of the 19th century and cinema was not yet part of popular culture.) In some respects, the enjoyment or at least acceptance of screen violence in gangster films relates to my previous point about living vicariously. Many of us, as peace loving as we may be, have had deep seated fantasies about socking someone in the jaw, opening fire on our enemies or intimidating foe and bystander alike with the threat of injury or death. Gangsters on film can satisfy these primal urges for us.

A third and often overlooked appeal of the gangster genre is its appeal to our natural instincts as tribal animals. Humans, like dogs and unlike cats, are pack animals. We like to be a part of. Be it athletic teams, clubs, families, religious groups, armies, unions, fraternal organizations, most people long to be among like minded fellow humans, usually with a unifying purpose. Gangster films are all about male bonding. Sometimes in organized gangs, sometimes in crime families and usually in a combination thereof. We enjoy watching people work cooperatively toward a common goal, sharing hopes fears and dreams. Never mind that these groups are sometimes comprised largely of psychopaths. Related to this is an aspect common to virtually every family, gang or other organization: the boss. Most of us like a good leader, be this the head of the family, the coach, the pastor, the general, the president or the chief. There's nothing more satisfying then being led by and feeling watched over by a good leader. Unless its perhaps actually being that leader.


I now offer to you a list of ten American gangster films. All of which meet the following criteria: they're great films; they feature a family, organized gang or both; include violence but are never gratuitous; and have a leader or leaders. On the one hand coming up with ten was easy, on the other, confining it to ten, not so easy. You may feel compelled to rant and rave about the glaring omission of a favorite gangster film, but remember that this list, like any such endeavor, is bound to reflect the biases and tastes of the author.

Family Affair The Godfather (1972). People love this film, nobody more than I do. Like all great films of the genre it's about much more than crimes and criminals. The Godfather is about family and the transformation of one young man. The violence, particularly at the end of the film, is mostly operatic and not meant to convey the reality of dying by the gun, but to represent the means by which individuals can sacrifice their own decency to achieve their ends. First Marlon Brando as Vito, then Al Pacino as Michael, serve as the head of the Corleone family, the titular Godfather of a criminal enterprise. We see one established in his role, beloved and feared, and watch how another grows into it. From director Francis Ford Coppola.

What Price Anarchy? Goodfellas (1990). This Martin Scorsese film is rich with energy and verve, simultaneously romanticizing and demystifying the life of gangsters. From the narration of Ray Liotta as the real life Henry Hill we hear of the allure of the gangster life, how the rest of us are suckers in our nine to five jobs while gangsters boldly take what they want. But we also see the terrible price paid for choosing such a path. We revel with gangsters in the close bonds they form with one another, while then watching the cost of a single misstep. There is violence aplenty as there needs to be in telling such a story.

Family Ties The Godfather Part II. This necessary follow up to the original, continues the story while also providing the amazing backstory. We see how Vito started his rise and the terrible consequences of such a life to Michael as even fratricide becomes a viable option. Like the first film, Part 2 is about much more than breaking the law. Relationships are part and parcel to most films and they're dealt with in all their complexity and in various forms in this epic. Brothers. Husbands and wives. Business associates. Rivals. All of these and more. Of course brutal violence is often what's used to settle differences. There's no sentimentalizing in Godfather Part 2, indeed there are no trite nor obvious solutions offered. Just cause they're gangsters doesn't mean they can't make you think.

Not Your Typical Mama's Boy White Heat (1949). This is a James Cagney show through and through. He's the not all together popular leader of a gang. There's one of the proverbial rubs of gang life. You may be sitting in the catbird seat as the leader but its always possible someone wants your spot. Cagney's Cody Jarrett has to deal with this, along with the law and those fiercesome headaches. This is one nuanced character, especially for gangster film, for Cody's gang includes his dear ole ma who he's quite attached to. Like all the other films on this list, and many other good gangster films, White Heat is wildly entertaining and features a grand performance by its star. In fact, Cagney as Jarrett is as good a cinematic portrayal as you'll see of gangster.

The Penitent Man Mean Streets (1973). Harvey Keitel's Charlie is a good Catholic, or at least as good as you can be when you're consorting with and abetting lawbreakers. Oh yes and participating too. The film's tagline is: "You don't make up for your sins in church, you do it in the streets." Clearly we have a man with a conscience. Yes, clearly some crooks have one. In addition to Charlie there is the goofy and dangerous Johnny Boy (Robert DeNiro) who errs badly in not playing by the rules. That is those rules by which gangs govern themselves. Want to break society's laws? Knock yourself out. But within the criminal family you better walk the line. Mean Streets does not romanticize violence or "the life." Even the drunkenness is reeling, staggering and dizzy. So here again we see the wages of sin, whether you've been going to church or not.

Like a Candle in a Hurricane The Public Enemy (1931). Cagney again, this time as Tom Powers a young man who rises from being a two bit crook to running his own show. You can guess how this is going end up for our protagonist. Hollywood tends to want its criminals to get what's coming to them. Powers is a force of nature, as were many a Cagney character. His physicality has never been more impressive than in this mannered and interesting young man. Whether plugging an old enemy or stuffing a grapefruit in a soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's puss. This is the classic charismatic gang boss and a movie that greatly influenced the genre. It's use of off camera violence by director William Wellman is especially effective.


Very Radical Couples Therapy Bonnie and Clyde (1967). One of the most influential films ever made in part for the manner in which it introduced more realistic violence to cinema. Contrary to Public Enemy the violence was in your face. Different strokes for different movies. Here we have a totally compelling re-imagining of the true life escapades of the real life Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, who along with Clyde's brother and sister-in-law became bank robbing folk heroes during the Great Depression. It is virtuoso story telling of the first order from director Arthur Penn, effectively employing music, humor and an innovative camera.


The Classic Rise and Fall The Roaring Twenties (1939). It shouldn't be a surprise that Cagney appears on this list three times. He appeared in a lot of gangster films and was personally responsible for their success. This is a classic rags-to-riches gangster story with Cagney as Eddie Bartlett. He's the type of crook whose fallen into his line of work by circumstances, then makes the most of it. Humphrey Bogart is an associate who turns on our hero. Like many a gangster we feel for Eddie, certainly next to Bogie's character he's the lesser of two evils We ache as the girl of his dreams (Priscilla Lane) finds love in another's arms. Gangsters can buy a lot with their ill gotten gain, but even they are incapable of purchasing love.

I Smell a Rat Donnie Brasco (1997). Johnny Depp is the title character in the amazing story of a cop who goes under very deep cover and infiltrates the mob. He even gets to see a mob victim sliced up for easy disposal and difficult detection. But most of all this is a look at the totally unglamorous working class mobster who has to hustle for every dime with death an every present danger. Al Pacino gives one of the best performances of his remarkable career as a sort of middle class mobster. Michael Madsen is at once alluring and terrifying as the boss. But it is through Depp that we see the seamy underbelly of the underside of the underworld. We are not underwhelmed.


Johnny Rocco's a Skunk Key Largo (1948). Edward G Robinson played some pretty rotten eggs but perhaps none were worse than Johnny Rocco. What awful things is he whispering into his lovely hostage's (Lauren Bacall) ear? Makes your skin crawl to think of it. I included Key Largo because in addition to being such a wonderful film, Robinson plays Rocco like the dirty stinking rat that arguably all gangsters should be shown to be.  He's also the classic gangster in that he's fully in charge and rightly feared, unwavering in his commitment to do whatever is needed for his own survival and success. Bogie shows up here too, this time as a good guy out to foil Rocco's evil doings.

Others to consider: Little Caesar (1931), Scarface (1932), Brother Orchid (1940), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Johnny Eager (1941), Gangs of New York (2002).

He Didn't Steal Scenes, He WAS Scenes, James Cagney in White Heat

He kicks a guy down the stairs that he just shot and yells "catch!" Someone he's locked in a trunk complains about lack of air. So he shoots holes into the truck and perforce it's occupant. He's a riot! (Assuming you don't object to homicidal maniacs.)

He's also prone to sudden and devastating headaches that render him immobile and panting in pain. Oh yes, he's a momma's boy. He's Cody Jarrett. A real sunavabitch.

"You wouldn't kill me in cold blood, wouldja?" He's asked.
"Not, I'll let ya warm up a little," Jarrett replies. Beautiful.

White Heat (1949) is not a movie starring James Cagney. It's a James Cagney performance with a movie surrounding it. Virginia Mayo as his cheating wife is just about perfect for the part and Margaret Wycherly as Ma couldn't be better. Edmond O'Brien is along to play an undercover cop and he's about what you'd want. The rest of the cast read their lines as guys playing cops or gangsters are supposed to do and then get the hell out of the way. This is a Cagney production all the way. Director Raoul Walsh probably realized that from the get go.

Yes, Cagney has boffo lines and action scenes aplenty and lots of chances to emote, but that's not what makes him and thus the film so wonderful. Cagney plays Jarrett as a living breathing human being with a face that conveys the life inside.

He purses his lips. Squints. Arches an eyebrow. Winks. Furrows his brow. And then there's that voice....Your typical cops and robbers in this film speak in flat, uninteresting tones. Serviceable is all. Jarrett has a voice you can hang your coat on. It's rich, expressive and like the character, compelling.

When he confronts his wayward wife after busting out of the can, Jarret gets a hold of her head (just as he's had a hold of ours the whole film) and seems to be on the verge of biting hers, speaking rapid fire with his teeth flaring. Goodness he's frightening and utterly captivating at the same time. That's a sociopath all right.

Watch Jarrett's reaction to finding out that O'Brien, who in his own words, he's "treated like a kid brother" is "a copper." How about a nice stew of anger, amazement, surprise and yes, humor. Doesn't sound like it all works together? This is Cagney doing the cooking brudder, it works!

In White Heat James Cagney demonstrates what you get when a performer combines the charisma of a star with the talent of an accomplished thespian. There are but a precious few who have ever boasted the combination. The list is short and includes people like Brando, Pacino, Bette Davis and Elizabeth Taylor. And Cagney, of course

As Cody Jarrett, Cagney didn't act. He created a person and inhabited him. Yes he played broad scenes magnificently as when he discovers that Ma is dead. But more than that he's just damn interesting to watch in the simplest of moments. And I doubt very much of it was conscious. That's the thing, it comes off so natural. Just telling the truth, as Cagney himself said of acting. It means knowing and being true to the person that is your character.

This is quite a character. The murderous head of a gang who by virtue of loving Ma so much and being subject to spells, is also extremely vulnerable. It's a rich role for any actor but to keep it from slipping into cliche or burlesque and then giving real depth can only be accomplished by the likes of Cagney.

How would White Heat be without Cagney. Gee, I don't know. How would baseball be without the ball?

Movies For Those Long Summer Evenings

Would I actually suggest that a person spend part of a lovely Summer day sitting at home watching a DVD? You better believe I would. For one thing you may be living in some God forsaken place where its too bloody hot to do anything but sit inside. But even if that's not the case and you're one of those outdoor types (hmm, the outdoors, isn't that where some movie scenes are filmed?) you've got to come inside eventually.

I'd imagined you'd can get plum tuckered out climbing hills, frolicking in the surf or puttering around in your garden. Let's say its dusk and you're ready to stretch out on the sofa. Perhaps you don't have to rise early the next day and fancy a movie that you can settle into. It would be my great pleasure to offer some suggestions. All of the following choices offer two things: a top quality viewing experience and length. Also, none are depressing or require taxing your cerebrum any more than you want to. And for my money you can watch them in the middle of a gorgeous day if you want to.

Chillin' With the Corleones Either The Godfather (1972) or The Godfather Part 2 (1974) will do. In fact make them back-to-back choices over the course of a weekend, just don't go overboard and watch the third Godfather film which is to the first two as Hoboken is to Paris and Rome. The original remains to me the greatest film of all time and part two the greatest ever sequel. One can watch them in a variety of ways such as exploring the tragic transformation of Michael Corleone or as a parable for modern times. For purposes of this discussion, however, they are best viewed for the sheer fun of their look, their performances, the characters and the scope of the story.

Lean On Me British director David Lean created two of the greatest epics on film, Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). If you're in the mood for a World War II  film set in the Eastern theater of operations and especially if you like a little POW action, Bridge is an excellent choice. It's a sprawling, audacious story with characters to match played wonderfully by the likes of Alec Guiness, William Holden and Sessue Hayakawa. If, however, you'd like to spend some time in the desert, maybe with Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif, Lawrence is the way to go. Plenty of action and well defined, compelling characters here too. Either way you are going to see the textbook definition of classic cinema.

Indy Films In this instance Indy refers to Indiana Jones the hero of four films. Stick to the even numbered ones, two and four are best avoided. But Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the first in the series, and number three, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) are pure pop corn munching delights. These are much, much imitated films but their brilliance has rarely been approached and never equaled, let alone topped. These are rollicking adventures with comic book style bad guys, a charismatic hero (Harrison Ford with Sean Connery thrown into the Last Crusade as his dad) and superbly done scenes of derring do and disaster avoided just in the nick of time. Most films that are designed to be pure fun are pure shlock. Good action adventure is clearly not easy to do. Great action adventure is pretty much just these two films.

Fun With Fellini You want long, you want fun, you want excpetional and you want Italian. Look no further than Federecio Fellini classics La Dolce Vita (1960), 8 1/2 (1963) or Amarcord (1973). Three choices and each is, in my mind, better than the next. Like all other films on the list they are long and like the others you wouldn't have them a second shorter. Fellini had a lot to say and by God wasn't waste time being concise. Editing is so very time consuming and when you've put such beautiful films on celluloid as these, why bother? The first two offer the benefits of Marcello Mastrionni and a bevy of beauties. Amacord is my favorite though, a moving but unsentimental look at the great Italian director's hometown around the time he was growing up. All are, needless to say but I'm saying it anyway, Felliniesque, which means a melding of reality and fantasy and plenty of extraordinary characters.

Great Escapism Something about The Great Escape (1963) makes it seem the perfect Summer movie. A cast that includes Steve McQueen, James Garner, James Coburn and David McCullum  may have something to do with it. Also you've got Nazis, not the Schindler's List kind who shoot people in the head but also not the To Be or Not to Be who are total buffoons. In other words Nazis that are just right -- at least for the action genre. Add to this a mass escape which includes the coolest motorcycle chase you'll ever see (at the foot of the Alps, no less) and you're in for some serious fun. This is the best of the umpteen World War II films that Hollywood cranked out during the Baby Boom years.

Kickin' it with Kubrick For hours of visual mastery you can't do better than either 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) or Barry Lyndon (1975) two outsized classics from director Stanley Kubrick. I discussed 2001 in a recent post and Barry Lyndon in my preceding post, saying as much as I had to offer about both at the time. I will here add that both are great Summer films because you can watch them just for the look if you so desire, worrying very little about plot or themes.

Happy 100th Akira Why not celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa with a viewing of his masterpiece, The Seven Samurai (1954)?  This was one of many epic length Kurosawa films and clearly the best of the lot. It is also one of the most imitated films of all time, particularly of the action genre. Seven samurai are recruited by the poor but plucky residents of a small village to fend off a large group of bandits who are terrorizing their town. The ensuing violence is not terribly graphic but it is not silly, contrived or gratuitous. It is what I'd call realistically balletic. Warning: Watching Seven Samuarai may lead you to explore many, many more Kurosawa films.

Better Know A Movie, Recommendations on Specific Aspects of Films to Appreciate

Step right up my friends I have right here for you absolutely free of charge some movie suggestions!

Now any schmuck with a film blog can recommend film choices, but I'm not just any schmuck (like I need to tell you!). I have for you a list of ten films that includes specific aspects of that film to look for.

Usually we enjoy a film, especially with our initial viewing, for its overall presentation. The cast, the photography, the sets, the editing, all blend into a pleasurable viewing experience. This is a good thing. But sometimes we miss a majestic tree or two in seeing the overall forest.

Here then are some tips on what to look for in ten well-known films representing different eras and genres.

The shadows in The Maltese Falcon (1941). Director John Huston was reportedly apoplectic when he heard that Ted Turner wanted to colorize this film.(The fact that Huston died shortly thereafter is apparently unrelated, but ya never know.) Good film noir has to be in black and white because so much of the stories rely on shadows. Maltese Falcon is a prime example. Look at how often they appear and how effectively mood and ambience is set and exploited. MF is one of the many films that points to the beauty of black and white and why in many, many movies its a better choice than color. Try not to focus too much on stars Humphrey Bogart or Mary Astor or the wonderful supporting cast, and just dig the look.

Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity (1944). The man put on an acting clinic and disproved any notion that he was only suited to play gangsters. He is at once so real a man and utterly ordinary and so compelling a character. He manages to elevate the film, enhance the story and yet not steal any scenes. He's easy to miss the first time or two you watch the film, but the more you see of it the more you appreciate Robinson and his importance to the film.

The backgrounds in The Third Man (1949). I love the dialogue and the zither music but I could literally watch The Third Man with the sound off. In fact, that might be a worthy exercise just to appreciate what's in the background. You'll not only see some incredible shots of bombed out Vienna, but the faces of the Viennese. They generally aren't pretty faces but really that wouldn't fit with the story and they're captivating to look at nonetheless.

The period detail in Zodiac (2007). The film was set in San Francisco in the late 1960s and 1970s, a time I was in the area. So I can say with a measure of authority that director David Fincher and company got the look to a tee. More than that they got the feel. It's one thing to replicate, quite another to capture. This is capturing. How one does that is beyond my limited knowledge of film making. All I can tell you is that if you want to know what it was like in these parts in them days, watch this film.

The interiors and exteriors of Stagecoach (1939). Any question about what made John Ford a great director can in part be answered by Stagecoach. Look at how he tells the story in great part by opening up the outdoors and making them impossibly vast (look at the screen entrance of The Ringo Kid -- John Wayne -- the background is forever). Then see how confining all the indoor shots are, particularly, of course, in the stagecoach. When you appreciate how a director tells a story, you better appreciate the story.

The transformation of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972). I devoted an entire blog post to this topic. It's provided some interesting discussions and is worth looking at again because its the central point to this, the greatest of all films. You can have fun discussing what you think is the catalyst for his change and of course, watching those key moments. It will also help you appreciate what a magnificent performance Al Pacino gave.

The camera angles and positions in Notorious (1946). Here's another topic I've previously covered in an entire blog post. There are many other Hitchcock films you can choose from but in terms of looking for how he used the camera to tell a story, this is the best.

The relationships in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). It's perhaps the greatest anti war picture ever made and it works in large part because of how wonderfully it depicts human relationships. In the military, whether for the better or for the worse, relationships are critical. People are stuck together and often put into the horrifying spectacle of war together. That is to say the insane situation of killing other people. AQOTWF is all about how soldiers squabble, bond, play and fight together. How they rely on one another and love one another. It is thus all the more effectively heart breaking when many inevtiably perish.

The use of music in Goodfellas (1990). Director Martin Scorsese is the grandmaster of melding music into a story. In some cases he has the song in mind before he's even got the film in mind. He's especially effective with contemporary songs. Sometimes the song relates to the time period in the film, other times the lyrics accompany the action. But more often than not the tone of the music somehow just goes with the tone of the pictures. It has to be an instinct and it has to be done by the person with the vision of that story. To me Goodfellas is the absolute masterpiece of music working perfectly with what's on screen. Whether it's Tony Bennett, The Shangri-Las, Harry Nilsson or Sid Vicious, it works. Boy does it.

The timing in Sullivan's Travels (1941). Comedy is all about timing. Especially when it comes to dialogue. When you've got a particularly witty story with some sophisticated points to make, that timing is absolutely crucial. Witness the timing in Sullivan's Travels. Start with the first scene between Sullivan (Joel McCrea) and the movie execs. It's not just rapid fire, it's not just clever, it's perfectly timed. See Sullivan and the girl (Veronica Lake) or Sullivan and anyone else or any two or three or twelve people. Director Preston Sturges, who started as a screenwriter, was a master of timing, both with action and conversation. He was especially adept at combining the two, and with multiple characters. Just watch Sullivan's Travels and you'll know what I'm on about.