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larean57
Reviews
Trumbo (2007)
I was blown away
I thought I knew Trumbo. You know, saw his movie and many movies which he wrote. I also knew he was one of the Hollywood 10. So superficially, yes, here is a guy I like, one of the good guys.
But I did not know he was SUCH a good guy. Here is a man who fought for his principles, who went through terrible duress... and was never broken. Here is a man who sees how his little daughter is ostracized and mentally tortured for being the daughter of a Commie, and writes a beautiful and indignant letter to the principal of her school in response. Here is a man who playfully writes to his teenage son telling him it's OK to masturbate. Here is a man who writes to his friends, telling them of his troubles, thanking them for their support, and who says he was of course in contempt of the Committee: he felt nothing but contempt for them.
And although I was moved all along, I had to break into tears when he mentioned the fall of Barcelona in the Spanish Civil War and how he would have liked to have been here, and maybe if "we" had been here, Barcelona would not have fallen and a better world would have been possible... or else fall with the city and be buried in its ruins, as nothing else mattered.
Here is an unsung hero. We need many, many more men like him.
Copying Beethoven (2006)
Disappointing
I was looking forward to this movie. Unfortunately, it was a major letdown. Never mind the obvious political correctness of casting a woman who vicariously conducts the orchestra (without previous experience or rehearsal), in a street dress, among the musicians. The Vienna Philharmonic didn't accept women even as players until 1997! Bye, bye, suspension of disbelief. Never mind her hand movements are awful. Never mind Beethoven was totally deaf by then and in the movie is able of meaningful dialogue with every other character, even in whispers. Never mind he modulates his voice perfectly (deaf people usually don't).
No, what I really hated was the script. I can't tolerate scriptwriters who insult my intelligence. I don't need Karl to tell me Beethoven was grumpy. Even if I didn't know the character, I can see it for myself! I don't need anyone to explain to me that Für Elise was written for a girl of that name or that it is a Beethoven piece. I don't need good old Ludwig Van explaining to Anna that his nephew "...gambles (pause); that's what he needs the money for"! Wow, I couldn't have guessed that myself, it's so complex! Lame, predictable script. Karl doesn't come to the premiere... but he is there at the last minute, moved to tears. "Daddy won't come watch me play baseball!" Come on, people, that may work for a children TV movie, but for adults discerning enough to be interested in Beethoven's life? Give me a break.
The relationship between Karl and Ludwig is artificial, wooden, lifeless. Characters pontificate about each other instead of SHOWING us the forces that drive them. I could go on and on.
It's really pitiful. Whatever happened to good scriptwriting?
P.S. Harris is magnificent. How sad that his talent was wasted.