jsparacino

This was the greatest spoof of musicals I ever saw. I am one of the few who liked Moulin Rouge because of its "Plan 9 from Outer Space" quality. The "narrator" played by Allen Cumming was like the narrator character in George of the Jungle; not just telling the facts but giving his opinions and effecting the story. In 1936 if the film had been made this way maybe more of a message would have been delivered. The original was silly and based on my times riding the school bus in High School obviously not based on actual observation of marijuana users. (NO, I AM NOT A USER AND NEVER HAVE BEEN) The film takes every stereotype of white America in the 1930's and uses it to the hilt. That poor Asian lady suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable when the "Fu Manchu" drug dealer gives Sally something for the baby was something the 1903's film makers wouldn't have even considered. One male chauvinist pig issue: Why didn't Ana Gastyer get undressed like the rest of the ladies?

The original book "The Off Islanders" is pretty lame. The story reads like a "MASH" sequel book; I had hoped that it would be more like "Rally Round the Flag, Boys"; but it was rather dull. The screen writers had a chance to make it more entertaining and Alan Arkin as Rozanov and his conversations with "Whitaker Walt" are a scream. The island regulars including Brian Keith and Jonathan Winters are also a real hoot. There are precious few people on Martha's Vineyard speaking in the traditional New England accent and John Phillip Law is not very believable as a soviet sailor. Theodore Bikel is not used enough to really let the audience enjoy his presence. Watch for "Jody" from Family Affair dangling from the side of a church steeple.

I am sorry about the delay in posting about this movie. I have only recently learned how to do these postings. Moonstruck shows Italians as people and not cartoon gangsters. The most famous portrayer of gangsters in the 1930's was Edward G. Robinson; who was so far from Italian it's funny. Then the stories were reduced in importance due to WW2, with the Italian mob making a comeback with Mario Puzo's books and Francis Coppola's movies. It is great to simply see a family with an ordinary business living through ordinary issues, and no "Goodfellas" anywhere in sight. Yes, I know Cher is Armenian; but all those years married to Salvatore Bono must have left an impression about Italian-American families. Olympia Dukakis; ethnically Greek, however those of us who grew up in Chicago lived in neighborhoods where Greeks and Italians lived side by side and the only differences were the choices of meats and wine. She was deserving of her Oscar.