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Reviews
The Final Days (2000)
Bill, We Hardly Knew Ye!
This snippet of hilarity, directed by Phil Rosenthal (who directs the TV series "Everybody Loves Raymond"), wryly details the lame-duck final days of Bill Clinton's presidency. There's the President reading "Entertainment Weekly" while the laundry is on spin-cycle. There's the President dealing with environmental issues by clipping the White House hedges. There's the President running after a limousine carrying Hillary, who's forgotten the brown-bag lunch he's prepared. An SNL-type skit produced with wit and style, it showcases the Clinton charm that both his friends and foes readily acknowledge.
I caught PRESIDENT CLINTON: FINAL DAYS on C-SPAN, which was running the White House Correspondents' Dinner where the film premiered. I have since suggested to the Democratic National Committee that it should sell the video as a fund-raiser; I would certainly buy a copy!
Splendor in the Grass (1961)
A moving and evocative exploration of young love
I have a heavy bias regarding "Splendor in the Grass"--quite simply, it is my favorite film of all time. It's not the best film I've ever seen, but it packs an emotional wallop that tears me apart every time I see it. Starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty (in his first major film role), "Splendor in the Grass" centers on the conflicts inherent in young love, particularly regarding the choice between following one's feelings vs. adhering to familial and societal expectations. Wood's Oscar-nominated performance as Deanie Loomis, which requires her to radiate the bloom of love as well as the emotional torrents of heartache and despair, is nothing short of remarkable, and she is ably supported by a strong cast that includes Pat Hingle, Audrey Christie, and Barbara Loden. Seeing "Splendor in the Grass," it is easy to understand why actors were so eager to work with its director, Elia Kazan (politics notwithstanding). Kazan draws out the emotional truths in William Inge's screenplay in ways that resonate long after the film ends. In so doing, Kazan has made a film that, while not aesthetically perfect, is capable of deeply touching the heart. And isn't that really what great art is all about?