I think that a lot of people spend a lot of time trying to justify their admiration for works of art that they classify as “problematic,” a meaningless catch-all term. You’ve identified one of the key justification strategies.
Find me a good or great movie that isn’t problematic - meaning: ambiguous, unresolved, troubling.
The case of the very smooth and seamless edit in THE FRENCH CONNECTION is not as people believe it to be. It was not done by Criterion and it was not done by Disney. Anyone who wants to see the film without the edit should just watch the Blu Ray, which includes a supplementary interview with Gene Hackman where he discusses the scene.
Correct and very true about “problematic.” Criterion said they didn’t know and that they rented it from Disney, etc. The fact that nobody would own up to the edit is another topic: if the edit is (as whomever made it thinks) for the good of the viewer, the censors should let everyone know. That it was done without fanfare until people noticed it suggests someone trying to slip medicine into a kid’s applesauce.
Yeah. I have to say that James Baldwin is probably spinning in his grave. With laughter, at the way this particular issue has played out over the last ten or fifteen years.
Check out Baldwin’s quote on the cover of the published script of AMERICA AMERICA, and the particular compliment he paid to Kazan.
This was a great review! Thank you. I watched it for the first time recently, and thought it was fantastic. One of those "classics" that didn't disappoint the first time around.
The Sting is a truly feel-good, smile-the-whole-time movie. The Color of Money is actually the sequel to The Hustler, also with Paul Newman, LOL—but all great movies! I had a minor obsession with The Hustler and The Color of Money and wrote posts about them, if you’re ever interested. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Thank you so much and thank you so much for reading! The Searchers is one of my top 3 or 4 favorite movies—and definitely the best Western—so no argument there. I just meant that the line from Shane is one that everybody seems to know.
Every time John Wayne picks up Natalie Wood and says that, I get a giant lump in my throat.
I think that a lot of people spend a lot of time trying to justify their admiration for works of art that they classify as “problematic,” a meaningless catch-all term. You’ve identified one of the key justification strategies.
Find me a good or great movie that isn’t problematic - meaning: ambiguous, unresolved, troubling.
The case of the very smooth and seamless edit in THE FRENCH CONNECTION is not as people believe it to be. It was not done by Criterion and it was not done by Disney. Anyone who wants to see the film without the edit should just watch the Blu Ray, which includes a supplementary interview with Gene Hackman where he discusses the scene.
Correct and very true about “problematic.” Criterion said they didn’t know and that they rented it from Disney, etc. The fact that nobody would own up to the edit is another topic: if the edit is (as whomever made it thinks) for the good of the viewer, the censors should let everyone know. That it was done without fanfare until people noticed it suggests someone trying to slip medicine into a kid’s applesauce.
Yeah. I have to say that James Baldwin is probably spinning in his grave. With laughter, at the way this particular issue has played out over the last ten or fifteen years.
Check out Baldwin’s quote on the cover of the published script of AMERICA AMERICA, and the particular compliment he paid to Kazan.
This was a great review! Thank you. I watched it for the first time recently, and thought it was fantastic. One of those "classics" that didn't disappoint the first time around.
Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it. And yes, it’s such a great movie. If you haven’t seen The Sting, put it on your list.
I haven't seen The Sting, so I'll check that out. I have seen its sequel though, The Color of Money, which was fun.
The Sting is a truly feel-good, smile-the-whole-time movie. The Color of Money is actually the sequel to The Hustler, also with Paul Newman, LOL—but all great movies! I had a minor obsession with The Hustler and The Color of Money and wrote posts about them, if you’re ever interested. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Thank you! My mistake. I will check out those posts as well.
The Color of Money was actually a sequel to another fine Paul Newman film, The Hustler.
Both great movies—and there are essays about them in the Pages and Frames archive!
Great essay! I'm not sure, though, that the greatest line in a Western isn't John Wayne saying "Let's go home, Debbie," at the end of The Searchers.
Thank you so much and thank you so much for reading! The Searchers is one of my top 3 or 4 favorite movies—and definitely the best Western—so no argument there. I just meant that the line from Shane is one that everybody seems to know.
Every time John Wayne picks up Natalie Wood and says that, I get a giant lump in my throat.