FILM LIST
Mazurksy, US, 1989) Ron Silver, Lena Olin, Anielica Huston, Margaret Sophie Stein. 120 mins. Mazursky’s fllmography has been such a variable one that you never quite know what to expect. He continues in his wayward fashion making his own movies and it’s that guarded mannerthat probably explains why some of them don’t work so well. If he’d had more demanding collaborators on the likes of 1980’s misliring Truffault tribute ‘Willie and Phil’ or last year’s painfully awry ‘Moon Over Parador’ perhaps those projects wouldn’t have emerged quite as llawed as they did. However, at his best he brings a knowing, humane quality to his tangled paroxysms of human emotion, and it’s a pleasure to announce that with ‘Enemies, A Love Story’ he’s returned to the kind of red-blooded form that made, say, ‘Blume In Love’ such a satisfying look at the conflict between the sexes. Adapted from the novel by Isaac Bashevis Singer, ‘Enemies’ follows the fortunes of hapless philanderer Herman Broder (Hon Silver) who has made it to 1949 New York after surviving the concentration camps. In America he has coped with the disappearance of his wile Tamara and their two children by marrying their former, rathersimpIe-mlnded maid Yadwlga (Margaret Sophie Stein), but at the same time he’s involved in a passionate affair with another camp survivor, the vivacious Masha (Lena Olin). Surreptitiously commuting between the two women is beginning to
ENEMIES, A LOVE STORY
cause a strain, as Yadwiga wants to convert to Judaism and remarry in the faith, while Masha fears she’s pregnant and wants Herman to marry her, but events take an unexpected turn when Tamara (played by Anielica Huston) reappears. Haunted by the memories of the camps, and unwittineg laced by a trio of disgruntled lovers, Herman more than ever begins to deeply ponder his needs, hopes and dreams.
You'd thinkthat a man who continually lies and cheats on three women would hardly be the most sympathetic of protagonists, but Hon Silver manages beautilully to convey Herman as a confused, insecure man whose impulsive inability to control his genuine affection for each of his partners sees his life careering forward without any appreciable direction. He reaches a crisis point where the shattering experience of the Holocaust, his fidelity to the Jewish law and culture, and his responsibility towards others jostle him into a pit oi despondency, before Mazursiry turns things round with a profoundly-felt affirmation of life and love.
There‘s hardly any need to do the usual critical bit of singling out various performances and aspects of the film-making for particular praise, for the qualities of ‘Enemies, A Love Story’ will be perfectly obvious when you see it for yourself. A marvellous picture. (Trevor Johnston)
From Fri 18. Glasgow: Odeon.
(Williams) interests his charges in literature and philosophy to such an extent that they form a secret club to investigate them (along with booze and girls) further. Though Williams is on good form. the film focuses mainly on the boys' emotional development and crises. and on the mystery and beauty surrounding their midnight meetings. A sensitive. tense and moving study of the conflict between passion and authority. even if the plot is something ofa cliche. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Do The Right Thing ( 18) (Spike Lee. US. 1989) Spike Lee. Danny Aiello. Ossie Davis, John Turturro. 119 mins. New
York‘s deprived Bedford-Stuyvesant district on the hottest day of the summer, and racial tension escalates between ltalian-American Sal (Aiello). his two sons and the mainly black local community who make up the bulk ofhis customers. As the situation worsens and violence looks a possibility, Sal‘s black delivery boy Mookie (Lee) ponders how to do the right thing. A forceful exploration of the socio-economic and cultural causes behind white racism. Lee‘s film also operates as a tightly controlled multi~character drama. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Down By Law (15)'(Jim Jarmusch. US.
1986). John Lurie. Roberto Benigni, Tom Waits. Three petty crooks in New Orleans find themselves framed (‘down by law‘) and imprisoned in the heart ofthe Louisiana swamps. They escape. but the jailbreak is hardly relevant (and hardly explained either) - the crux of the film lies in the relationship between the three men as they make their hazardous way through an alien environment. Benigni just steals the honours from his better-known comrades in Jarmusch's splendidly off-beat. monochrome comedy. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Dreams (15) it (Akira Kurosawa. Japan. 1990) Akira Terao. Martin Scorsese. 120 mins. See feature. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Driving Miss Daisy (U) (Bruce Beresford. US. 1989) Jessica Tandy. Morgan Freeman. Dan Aykroyd. 99 mins. The winner of four Oscars. including Best Film and Best Actress for Jessica Tandy. This film adaptation of Alfred Uhry‘s Pulitzer-winning play. charts the
relationship between gentlewoman Tandy
and her chauffeur Freeman. The narrative spans several decades of gradually shifting attitudes and developing racial consciousness. An affecting mosaic of everyday pride and prejuduce which reveals a deeply-laid insight into human behaviour. presented throughout with wonderful pacing. Glasgow: Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Cannon. Dominion. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon.
I Easy Hider(18) (Dennis Hopper. US. 1969) Peter Fonda. Dennis Hopper. Jack Nicholson. 94 mins. Artless. archetypal road movie in which two dope-loving bikers travel the highways and by-ways of America. Dated cult attraction with Nicholson stealing the show as a boozy lawyer persuaded to join up for the trip. Glasgow: OFT.
I Enemies, A Love Story (15) a (Paul Mazursky. US. 1989) Ron Silver. Lena Olin, Anjelica Huston. 120 mins. See review. Glasgow: Odeon.
I The Exorcist (18) (William Friedkin. 1973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. ll()mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor little obsessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Exorcist 2: The Heretic ( 18) (John Boorman. US. 1977) Richard Burton. Louise Fletcher. Linda Blair. ll()mins. The horror film that once turned heads receives an unworthy sequel in this silly mumbo-jumbo about priest Burton trying to understand the demons still lurking within the hapless Ms Blair. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Fabulous Baker Boys ( 15) (Steve Kloves. US. 1989) Jeff Bridges. Beau Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer. 113 mins. Writer/director Kloves makes an auspicious debut with this evocative tale of broken dreams. fraternal jealousy and slowly awakening passion among three very ordinary cabaret performers. Veteran piano duo Jeff and Beau draft in Ms Pfeiffer's smokey chanteuse to save their act‘s declining fortunes. but as the trio go on the road together. romantic and professional relationships are soon in turmoil. Crackling with some ofthe sharpest dialogue in years. this is a moody. mature picture. beautifully shot and scored. that has to come highly recommended. Edinburgh: Dominion.
I Ghostbusters 2(1’6) (lvan Reitman. US. 1989) Bill Murray. Dan Aykroyd. Harold Ramis. Sigourney Weaver. 108 mins. Need a sequel'.’ Who you gonna call'.’ The down-at-heel and discredited slimefighters are back in business. after mayhem once more breaks out on the streets of New York. The effects look less cheap this time. and ifyou liked it first time round you are on a winner here; if you were less than convinced. stay at home — you‘ve seen this one already. Strathclyde: Odeon Hamilton.
I Good Morning Vietnam ( 15 ) (Barry Levinson. US. 1987) Robin Williams.
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FROM FRIDAY MAY 18TH ODEON EDINBURGH CANNON GLASGOW
For Cinema Times and Box Office Tel. Nos Ring 0836 405379 - 25p Cheap, 38p Peak
The List 18- 31 May 1990 33