Reel Critics

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Reel Critics column features movie critiques written

by community members serving on our panel.

‘Cider House’ is cinematic genius

“The Cider House Rules” is far above the realm of movies currently

screening in Orange County. This is a totally absorbing story that takes

all the necessary steps to fully develop and realize the characters and

story.

Michael Caine and Tobey Maguire amaze with their restraint and deft

handling of a warm and moving screenplay.

The hot-button issues are dealt with in an intelligent and direct manner.

Please include this very good movie in your cinematic plans.

ELAINE ENGLAND, 65, lives in Newport Beach and operates a gift-basket

business from her home.

Let ‘Cradle Will Rock’ spin you around

What could bring together W.R. Hearst, Norman Rockefeller, Orson Welles,

the U.S. Congress and Mussolini’s mistress? Tim Robbins’ latest

directorial work, “Cradle Will Rock.” Robbins mixes federal theater with

big business in the 1930s, producing beautiful, chaotic art.

“Cradle Will Rock” is stuffed with great talent. The movie would be

amazing just as short character pieces, but the story is great fun, as

well.

Featuring Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, Vanessa Redgrave, Emily Watson,

Bill Murray and Joan Cusack, just to name a few, the stars alone could

drive several movies, which is good because “Cradle Will Rock” is several

movies wrapped into one.

Art imitates life -- or is it life imitates art?

It’s 1937, and Welles directs his latest play about unions and strikes,

almost completely mimicking (or prophesying) the worries in the outside

world. Steelworkers are striking for fewer hours. Thousands of people

stand around all day in long lines hoping for some job, any type of work.

Meanwhile, the Great Depression has hit the United States. Professional

actors are waiting in long lines praying for any theatrical job, no

matter how small it may be. Amateurs can work as stagehands, but they

cannot get into the unions, and they cannot audition.

A playwright, Marc Blitzstein (Hank Azaria), who is constantly harassed

by his dead wife, wanders about living in his own play until he ends up

before the crazed and fanatical Welles (Angus MacFadyen). Marc’s play is

almost a mirror of the current events of 1937.

A prostitute is thrown in jail, where she meets up with a union

organizer. They scream to be let out. They are not criminals. They

shouldn’t be there. It’s unions versus business. Everyone is a

prostitute. Who is the biggest prostitute?

As the actors struggle to get their play ready, the business bigwigs are

enjoying art exhibits and fancy lunches with Margherita Sarfatti (Susan

Sarandon), a one-time mistress of Mussolini and now his henchwoman.

Hearst, Rockefeller (John Cusack) and Gray Mathers, a steel baron, fall

over each other in their rush to impress the dazzling emissary.

Meanwhile, the theater is under attack by a congressional witch hunt. In

order to find all the communists hiding in theater, the committee calls

for an immediate postponement of all play openings. Even Shakespeare and

Morrow are suspects.

Flash back to the confused and outraged cast of the play “Cradle Will

Rock,” who want desperately to put on their play but who are forbidden by

their union. The show must go on -- even if they only actor is the

playwright himself.

With all its twists and turns, “Cradle Will Rock” is pretty easy to

follow. The only problem with Robbins’ direction is that he might have

one too many takes. Maybe dealing with such a large cast made him forget

that he’d already made his point.

There is no doubt that you will get the point Robbins is making -- it’s

shown time and again. It makes the last couple of minutes of the movie

annoying, but it doesn’t affect the rest of the movie.

“Cradle Will Rock” is masterful, amusing, entertaining and

thought-provoking. The colors and people are beautiful and bright. It’s a

big party; everyone’s there, and you’re invited.

Rub elbows with Hearst, see Diego Riveria’s controversial mural on the

walls of Rockefeller’s new building, and view the latest Welles

spectacle.

Go and enjoy the colors, the acting and the story; they’ll draw you in

and spin you around. If you can handle the tiny amount of dizziness that

ensues, you’ll find that the time spent was tons of fun.

MELISSA RICHARDSON, 19, is a Costa Mesa resident and a junior at UCI.