MiriamEB

Paul Newman is Cool Hand Luke in "Cool Hand Luke", the story of a rebel prisoner with "rabbit in his blood". This movie delivers excellent performances from Newman (always great) and many supporting players, notably George Kennedy's Oscar turn as Luke's comrade Dragline. Paul Newman's character Luke Jackson is someone that people feed off of. The prison guards feed off humiliating him. His fellow prisoners feed off his resolve and gameness for every challenge. And we see, as the movie progresses, how they will feed off his legend long after he is gone..."Cool Hand Luke" manages to be funny, touching, and shocking all at once, and boy, you will not forget those images in a hurry. There is no "failure to communicate" here.

The Candidate, 1972, was a film that really made me think. It takes you through Bill McKay's campaign for California senator - and shows how an idealistic and inexperienced young man gets trapped by the media system. Most plot summaries will tell you that it is about how he gives the political system a kick - but I found that it was really more about how he became lost in it. It seemed that it was more of an 'outside' movie than an 'inside' one - there is always some mystery about what is going on inside everyone's heads. Robert Redford is really very good here as McKay - watch for a speech he makes to himself in the car. Peter Boyle also gave a thought-provoking performance, as Bill McKay's smooth-talking campaign manager. A sad commentary on the way things work. Very relevant. I recommend it for fans of Robert Redford or anybody interested in politics or media. 7 out of 10.

The Way We Were, a romance starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, is a moving character study. Katie Morosky and Hubbell Gardiner are perfect opposites - and from their college days are intrigued with each other. What develops into a delightful romance proves to be the most difficult relationship either of them will ever have; they are just too different. Katie's personality refuses to let her stop fighting the world - Hubbell's will not allow him to fight. I thought Barbra Streisand was marvelous as the political firebrand Katie - Robert Redford's character, I think, forced his acting to be more reserved, but on the whole it was splendidly done. I left the movie feeling respect for the characters, and a numbing sadness at how things can sometimes refuse to work out - because for two people this intriguing, you want them to - oh, you want them to work out.