Kennedy63 Reviews

Pocketful of Miracles (1961)

Bette Davis Stars as Ann Margaret's Misfit Mother

[10/10 · 15 September 2007]

Apple Annie (Bette Davis) makes her living as a gin-sauced, basket-carrying, apple-selling NYC street woman. This motion picture is in color which makes Davis's famous facial expressions, especially her eyes, all the more effective.

The people Apple Annie hangs out with are other street vendors who are social misfits of various sorts; but, they have one thing in common: poverty.

Apple Annie is well connected with a mobster known as The Dude. Fortunately, he's superstitious. The tough mobster (Glen Ford) believes Apple Annie's apples bring him daily good luck because she says, "God Bless You," to everyone who buys from her.

All along Apple Annie's been writing her daughter on stationary from an upper-crusty city apartment complex, in order to pretend that she's a well-to-do lady. When her daughter, Louise (Ann Margaret, in her film debut) writes that she's coming to the city with her potential fiancé', whose father is a Spanish count, Apple Annie's pretense is not only about to be exposed but it could ruin her only child's chance for marrying well enough so that she'll never live in poverty as her mother has.

The rest of the story is fabulous: humorous, ingenious, well-casted, scripted and acted. It's anything but a typical mob story.

For me, the priceless scenes are between the veteran actor Bette Davis and upstart Ann Margaret. Imagine being able to claim that in your first film you starred as Bette Davis's daughter? Margaret gives a fine first film performance face-to-face with the Queen of the Screen. Peter Faulk does his mobster version of "Columbo," in top form. Davis, in Technicolor, delivers one of the most realistic, heart-felt, truly dramatic metamorphosis characters I've seen.

The Closer (2005–2012)

Engaging Excellent Entertainment

[9/10 · 29 August 2007]

After watching every episode of "The Closer" up to the current one (final episode Sept. 2007), I feel it's time for me to commend every aspect of this series about an elite homicide squad.

Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Segdewick) is consistently one of the most engaging television series characters I've seen in a very long time. She's the star but certainly not alone in delivering quite engaging, excellent characterization, and entertaining performances.

This series goes to show that today's television doesn't have to depict violence, gore, profanity, or much that older children couldn't watch. Yet, for an adult who likes Cronenberg's and Lynch's films, this clean cut show is quite interesting without being too 'vanilla'.

Sedgewick has really come into her character by this third season and I like it far better than "24" which has now become monotonously predictable. There's no guessing what Deputy Chief Johnson will do to protect and close one of her cases!

Sweet Charity (1969)

MacLaine, Fosse & Fellini Make a Musical Comedy

[10/10 · 25 August 2007]

While "Sweet Charity" was being filmed, almost 40 years ago, Shirley MacLaine was a song and dance actress with a body and matching charm that wouldn't quit.

Bob Fosse was the rising choreographer of MacLaine's and so many other dancers' dreams, in this, his first major musical.

Fellini was a brilliant director.

In hindsight, MacLaine's career may have been royally jump-started by "Sweet Charity." As a dance hall hooker, more or less, her character, Charity Hope Valentine, was looking for Mr. Goodbar--a man with money to marry.

Her classic song, "If they could see me now," comes from this musical and as scene where she found one such guy. Nearly 2 scores later, MacLaine is still playing leading characters with the same comical charm and extraordinary talent; still singing hits like "I'm still here," in "Postcards from the Edge," and has out lasted both famous men.

What I've always loved about Shirley MacLaine's characters is that even though they are supposed to be sexy, like Charity, as a dance hall hooker, she makes them into charming, funny, and innocuously cute-sexy rather than sleazy women. In fact, it's her trademark to do so. "Irma la Douce" is another fine example.

Though MacLaine could have easily used her dancer's body to seduce us to the pinnacle of the stage and screen, she uses her multiple talents instead. And she is "still here!"

Being There (1979)

The Great Shirley MacLaine

[10/10 · 25 August 2007]

Matched with her introverted opposite, the on-screen DC gardener Chance, Peter Sellers, Shirley Maclaine is the extroverted Eve, who uses sensuality striving to draw the most ultimately withdrawn mild-mannered man out of his cocoon.

There is a terrifically comical scene when MacLaine is on a fur rug beside Sellers' bed. She's gyrating in every imaginable orgasmic way while the asexual gardener watches the world (instead of her) the only way he knows how: on television.

The problem is, the gentleman of the house has deceased. This means that Sellers will have to leave and face a world he doesn't know.

Given that MacLaine usually plays quite extroverted and hilarious characters and Sellers usually played understated and bumblingly hilarious characters, mixing the two of them in "Being There" became a smash hit. This may be one of her finest performances. It should be viewed as Sellers' pen-ultimate finale.

In fact, the scene when he walks away is literally eerie. I won't say why because I want you to watch "Being There," to find out.

Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (2001 TV Movie)

Understanding The Clan Kennedy Women

[10/10 · 23 August 2007]

'Twas truly a marvelous experience to take in all the familial dynamics of the leading ladies of one of the US's great dynasties. Ethel's character being so brassy & foot-in-mouth outspoken was a personality I hadn't imagined. Jackie being so fond of Grandfather Joe was a surprise. Rose is exactly as I imagined her. Joan is more talented, and according to this show, has been under-credited for the successes of Senator Edward (Teddy) Kennedy.

This docudrama is a lengthy one that I could have watched for many more hours. There is so much public knowledge of the Kennedy men so there were few surprises with the exception that I had forgotten two things: Senator Teddy Kennedy had been in a near fatal plane crash and broke his back in numerous places during a campaign; Senator Bobby Kennedy was already deceased at the time of Teddy's Presidential career damaging car accident that took the life of Mary Jo. (In hindsight, since the Kennedy brothers who ran for the US Presidency were both assassinated, I now view that tragic car accident as the blessing that kept Senator Edward Kennedy alive to this day and a senior member of the US Senate).

The tensions that were brought forth between the women reveal that Jackie, the in-law, was oft times the glue that held them together and kept them close. It's time to know more about the rest of the Clan Kennedy women--the younger ones. I am left with wanting more. To me, that's the sign of a very well done docudrama.