Nora Goldschlager

Poor Norman. All he wants is recognition and validation as someone of some-any- importance. There’s Not a malicious bone in his body. His trying to be important is precluded by his poor self Image and fear of being unimportant. And therefore unworthy. I have tremendous sympathy for him. He is an utterly believable human being. Gere is amazing and has ‘arrived’ as a superb actor. If one’s gere impression is based on gigolo and officer-gentleman, one’s missing a meritorious player. Easily viewable for a second time for the nuanced performances from everyone.

Everything Williams writes is great. This is no exception, and with Vidal helping you have a masterpiece, which gets the story done and totally understood In Spite of the production code. Hepburn owns the movie. All eyes are drawn to her, and she never misses a beat of her character.. Taylor is somewhat surprisingly believable here until the last scene where, under hypnosis, she goes back to her often hysterical self, which is at least somewhat due to her treble voice. Clift is mechanical and has bilateral hand tremors if you’re really watching, which are due either to recent accident, nerves, drugs or whatever. Not great for a neurosurgeon and not picked up by the filmers. Good being filmed in black and white. Good scenes of ‘mental patients’ confined to what was true back then, mostly pre-drug therapy. Somewhat reminiscent of Snake Pit. And it’s worth noting that public hospitals have the same financial troubles now…..

Unique in perspective, plot, relevance, and a frank film dealing with this problem honestly —— and in the early ‘60s, unique and authentic among all others of its kind., then and, actually, now. The hospitalizations, straitjackets, withdrawal/detox scenes were accurate for the time, while being frightening , and Lemmon does them Superbly. Both he and Lee play against type and are real to the point of us not even believing they are acting in a movie. This is Lemmon’s finest acting, unquestionably, and this moviegoer thinks it is Remick’s as well. Klugman and Bickford are wonderfully cast in their roles as there is not a shred of theatricality in their honest performances. The legendary timeless score is full of despair and hope. Blake pulled it all out beautifully.

If you didn’t like it the first time, see it when You’re older and have experienced more of life. Remarkable film in its honesty, insight into human behavior, relationships, guilt and self-punishment, survivor’s guilt and so much more. Not a shred of artificiality, theatricality, arrogance. A mirror of ourselves. Perfect score, esp. when there is silence. Production, cinematography, acting, directing…..all A+.

Saw this movie for the first time In 2122. Good one, not great. Spielberg all over, with shades if what ET will be…..sun, dreams, wishes, magic….and bicycle, Best were cinematography, crowd scenes, backgrounds and score. The sheer humanity of the times. The drama of the history is wonderfully filmed and in many ways shocking for so many of us who knew less than nothing of these events. Balewas excellent and Malkovich was, for a change, wonderful in his gentle , sensitive role despite what he initially thought himself to be- mere survivalist. A. Ice change from a scheming villainous character. Good casting a,, around. For me the message of Empire is that difficult times bring us together, In real Friendship , however fleeting, that goes beyond need.

The cinematography is excellent and the street / town scenes full of history and place. Superb Italian sites. Some scenes, During which Clooney is merely driving, do get old and I did not see the point…. If you want action this is not for you. If you want a character with all his fears, anxieties, trepidations, alertness, anticipation, then This is for you. Clooney plays this very well, with honest faces, eye movements, and body language. He can’t do love except with prostitutes, until one shows him The way, initially against his will and later his try at full investment. He can’t do connections with humans until he becomes one and apologizes (first and only) to the priest. The butterfly is his alter ego, ‘endangered’, but free at the movies conclusion, and ascending. If you want entertainment at a mindful level, this is absolutely worth a watch.

Watching this in 2022, kudos for Newman, Welles and Lansbury. There are a couple of annoying beautiful boy closeups of Newman which to me are contrived. The picture is owned by Welles. If you see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, there are similarities to Big Daddy (Burl Ives), both of whom are superstars. Franciosa is ok if much too much of an overt victim, and as an outlier’s opinion,, I did not like Woodward. She annoys me with her voice and cadence, and is at her best when aloof or angry. I do not find her with that much depth, actually, at least in this role. Worth a watch, and the depiction of the south is fine, with the extras wonderful and the country scenes excellent.