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Reviews
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal (1979)
Good drama that departs from history
As a dramatic piece, this was about as good as any made-for-tv movie of the 1970's. The costumes and sets were actually very vivid depictions of life in 1911 New York.
The personal situations were convincing and portrayed more than just the facts of the tragic fire.
However, this account of the fire which killed 146 people departs in significant areas from accounts of the actual incident.
While parts of the story accurately depict real life occurrences, such as the factory supervisor attempting to extinguish the fire instead of evacuating the affected floors, other details were absolutely fabricated and contradict the historical account.
The actual fire was caused by a factory worker carelessly disposing of a cigarette. As this was not sympathetic to the plight of the workers, the cause of the fire in the film was faulty wiring in an overhead lamp. Fire exits were kept locked intentionally by the factory owners, but in the film the only blocked fire door was due to a broken lock for which the key was kept hanging next to the door.
In the real incident, 20 people died as a result of using a fire escape which wasn't maintained and collapsed. This was omitted entirely from the film.
One character jumped into an elevator shaft and rode the top of the elevator to safety. In reality, 19 women died after jumping into the elevator shaft.
In the film, the only child present in the factory was the visiting daughter of the factory supervisor. In reality, half of the 122 women who died on March 24, 1911 at the Triangle Factory were teenagers. The remaining victim, who died six days later in the hospital, was 16 year old sewing machine operator, Sarah Cooper, who initially survived the jump from the 9th floor.
For a compelling period drama about the lives of factory workers in 1911 New York, I recommend this movie. For an accurate account of the tragic fire, there are several documentary films which are available online.
The Code: Blowed Up (2019)
I'm not a Marine, but I play one on TV
A good example of how not to do a military drama. The actors on this show have no concept of how US Marines wear the uniform. The simplest knowledge of military rank and organization is conspicuously absent.
Marines and Navy personnel would never refer to the defendant, Noah Hewitt, as Commander Hewitt when he is wearing the rank insignia of a Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Hewitt, or Commander Hewitt if you believe it, would not be qualified to wear the Surface Warfare Officer pin as a Medical Service Officer. Instead, he might be authorized to wear a Surface Warfare Medical Corps Badge.
All the officers in this series need to learn grooming and uniform regulations.
If the producers want this to be even marginally believable, they will hire a military consultant ASAP.
Troy: Fall of a City (2018)
Just another remake.
We have seen adaptations of Shakespeare with the characters riding motorcycles. We have seen the crucifixion of Christ to rock and roll. We have been adapting and retelling stories ever since stories have been told.
With all due respect to the scholars of Greek mythology who have posted reviews here, Homer didn't own this story. Vergil told it before him, but neither was he the first.
Historical accountability and correctness are necessary in recounting true events, but this tale has never ever ever ever ever been anything but a work of fiction. As a work of fiction that is being retold, it owes nothing to Homer, who himself was merely retelling a story he heard from somewhere else.
What is right about this series is that it doesn't seem to hurry to present a ten year war in 90 minutes. The scenery, costumes, lighting and music were vivid, appealing, and not overbearing even though the acting was a bit overwrought and the characters are two dimensional. What is wrong about it is that it is too much like every epic battle story - overdramatized. Kings yelling motivational slogans to crowds of assembled soldiers, who seem to have been assembled for no reason, men living night and day in armor, the decision to mount a massive assault across the sea being made in a single five-minute conversation, one man's honor being worth the lives of thousands, these things all belong in fairytales. Just once, I'd like to see subtlety and nuance employed in the consideration of such weighty matters. In a story where every third character is a king, it would be nice to see at least one of them act out of pragmatism rather than emotion.
I'm afraid that will never happen in retelling this story.
Pathfinders: In the Company of Strangers (2011)
So glad I didn't pay to see this
Amateur, stilted, uninspired acting, boring dialogue, heavy-handed use of close-ups, bad lighting, inconsistent sound, muted color alternating with too-vivid color, and excruciatingly slow story development are just the first five minutes. The lack of any connection between the overwrought music and the action (actually the total lack of action) on the screen is confusing to the point of being aggravating. The characters are not developed and remain two-dimensional. The language is anachronistic, and the director seems to have instructed everyone in a uniform to be as expressionless as mannequins until it is their turn to look confused. Every shot is an extreme close-up or an extreme oblique angle for no apparent reason. I get that the color, music, camera angles, etc. are used for effect. But when the effect is so obvious, it becomes a distraction. And this film does nothing else but distract the viewer. Unfortunately, nuance and subtlety are the two effects that were not used in this film. Even if none of that bothers you, having a paratrooper jump into enemy occupied territory without a weapon is just plain stupid. If you're making a war movie, you give the actors playing soldiers some guns.