Once more,a remake of a Film Noir which was crying to be left alone."Beyond a reasonable doubt" which was Fritz Lang's final (and brilliant ) American movie has always been one of my favorites of the director ,perhaps my favorite of his American career along with "you only live once " and "fury".
To write that I was eagerly waiting for Peter Hyams ' remake would be exaggerated .But I was curious enough to have a watch.It's moderately entertaining ,with full of filler (Russ Tamblyn's daughter chased by a car) ,bad acting (except for Michael Douglas who was given a role worthy of a cartoon villain) and little suspense ,particularly if you know the final unexpected twist.
Lang's black and white gem was something like a Greek tragedy ,with immanent justice .We never feel that the hero is in jeopardy in the remake ,the scenes of the false clues seem like a game for big boys . Lang wanted to express his disgust for death penalty (reductio ad absurdum) and for the last time to show that any man is a potential criminal.Here ,we have the good guy ( good because he wants to hit the big time,to win the Pulitzer) fighting the evil prosecutor .And to crown it all, the journalist's girlfriend works for his enemy ;an enemy so powerful he does not shrink from crime .In Lang's screenplay ,Sidney Blackmer dies in a car accident, period.The Dana Andrews/Joan Fontaine relationship was much more complex than it appeared : she was devoid of sex appeal (or Lang showed her so),often all dressed in black ,displaying no passion ;in direct contrast to that ,the good time girls her fiancé met ;whereas Barbara Nichols was cupid and crude,Fontaine looked almost frigid.The new screenplay oversimplifies all that and opts for the young beautiful couple with good prospects .
Lang's screenplay was sometimes criticized for its implausibilities ;but the remake is worse for that matter.Many scenes are pathetic : the "coffee test" ,the two unbearable soon-to-be-doctors-of -computing,Michael Douglas scoffing at the prisoner in chains ,the chase in the parking lot,not to mention the "first cousin" episode.The only real good idea is the journalist's video and the idea that that poor mother's life is as important as any of ours.
Peter Hyams was responsible for "2010" a disastrous "2001" sequel;he's better at doing movies of his very own,like "the star chambers"(also starring Douglas).
Please take my advice :do watch Lang's black and white gem ;80 min only,beginning with a man walking on the death row ,and ending with a sinister telephone ring :the bell is tolling again.
To write that I was eagerly waiting for Peter Hyams ' remake would be exaggerated .But I was curious enough to have a watch.It's moderately entertaining ,with full of filler (Russ Tamblyn's daughter chased by a car) ,bad acting (except for Michael Douglas who was given a role worthy of a cartoon villain) and little suspense ,particularly if you know the final unexpected twist.
Lang's black and white gem was something like a Greek tragedy ,with immanent justice .We never feel that the hero is in jeopardy in the remake ,the scenes of the false clues seem like a game for big boys . Lang wanted to express his disgust for death penalty (reductio ad absurdum) and for the last time to show that any man is a potential criminal.Here ,we have the good guy ( good because he wants to hit the big time,to win the Pulitzer) fighting the evil prosecutor .And to crown it all, the journalist's girlfriend works for his enemy ;an enemy so powerful he does not shrink from crime .In Lang's screenplay ,Sidney Blackmer dies in a car accident, period.The Dana Andrews/Joan Fontaine relationship was much more complex than it appeared : she was devoid of sex appeal (or Lang showed her so),often all dressed in black ,displaying no passion ;in direct contrast to that ,the good time girls her fiancé met ;whereas Barbara Nichols was cupid and crude,Fontaine looked almost frigid.The new screenplay oversimplifies all that and opts for the young beautiful couple with good prospects .
Lang's screenplay was sometimes criticized for its implausibilities ;but the remake is worse for that matter.Many scenes are pathetic : the "coffee test" ,the two unbearable soon-to-be-doctors-of -computing,Michael Douglas scoffing at the prisoner in chains ,the chase in the parking lot,not to mention the "first cousin" episode.The only real good idea is the journalist's video and the idea that that poor mother's life is as important as any of ours.
Peter Hyams was responsible for "2010" a disastrous "2001" sequel;he's better at doing movies of his very own,like "the star chambers"(also starring Douglas).
Please take my advice :do watch Lang's black and white gem ;80 min only,beginning with a man walking on the death row ,and ending with a sinister telephone ring :the bell is tolling again.