I ponti di Madison County

I admire the likes of Woody Allen, Chaplin and Clint Eastwood (just to name a few), who possess(ed) the chops to write, direct AND act. They're complete artists, and I wish I could be like that (I'll be already too happy if I can ever achieve my life passion of writing and directing, though, since my acting would be less convincing than Owen Wilson playing Hamlet).

Even though Eastwood didn't write this (Richard LaGravenese did it beautifully, based on a novel by Robert James Waller), he does a good job in front of the camera while also directing this human encounter between a photographer (played by himself) and an Italian housewife (Meryl Streep, magnificent) in 1960s Iowa. Their four days together would change their lives forever.

The premise doesn't sound too original, but Eastwood wonderfully captures all the raw emotions between these people, who seem throughly genuine, alive, and passionate. Lennie Niehaus' beautiful music score helps enhance the romantic atmosphere, and the slow pace is never a bore since it's necessary to make you live those brief but special moments with them. From westerns to female boxers to jazz musicians to war dramas, Clint Eastwood knows how to tell a good story, and "The Bridges of Madison County" ranks among his best. 10/10.

Meryl Streep is absolutely astonishing. I forgot it was her ten seconds into the film. That opening breakfast scene where all of her story is written in her magnificent face. As an Italian I know there is no acting involved here. She IS Italian. She reminded me of Anna Magnani in "Bellissima" there is not a single false note. Clint Eastwood, clearly, dedicates the film to her and the results are pure magic. The film is based on an unreadable book- at least I couldn't get through it, in spite of the brevity of the volume - the film however, is bound to become a classic thanks to the powerful chemistry of the stars. If you love film,like I do, I recommend you to see it once and let yourself be taken away by the truths in Meryl's eyes then go again and take note. Look at every one of her moments, from how she closes the refrigerator door to her laughter. Look at her reaction when she discovers that Clint stopped at Bari, her home town, just because he thought the place was pretty. Look at her hands, her walk and then go back to her eyes. It's a treat of the first order. Clint, in front as well as behind the camera,does a miraculous job. I passionately recommend it, no matter how young you are.

When the soul of a movie is reflected in an actor's eyes then you have a miracle, you have something that's going to last. Meryl Streep in "The Bridges Of Madison County" is such a miracle to me. I never thought for a moment that she, no matter how wonderful an actress she is, could fool me. Meryl Streep could never be Italian. Well, there I was, thinking and pre-judging like people I detest. I was so wrong. Not just because she fooled me, although there is no fooling involved here. She won me over. I forgot she was Meryl Streep, the actress, and I lived Francesca's story to the fullest because, I suppose, that's the mystery of great acting, I was confronted by her sheer undiluted truth. The truth in her eyes in every one of her gestures. The truth on her brow. Her thinking, transparent. Clint Eastwood does the right thing putting the entire film at her service and placing himself as the foil to liberate that powerful latent side of Francesca. I though it was ironic and I'm not sure if was meant to be that a wonderful woman like Francesca will sacrifice, what could arguably be call the love of her life, for those children. The grown children's mediocrity was kind of shocking to me. Will the revelation of their mother's secret, reveal a latent, greater side to their natures. I hope so. Francesca deserved extraordinary children. Try no to miss this little miracle.

The book on which this film is based is a very thin volume, thin in every department. As a matter of fact I gave up after a few pages. The film is something else entirely. Meryl Streep plays an Italian living in rural America and she is out of this world. Her opening scenes at the breakfast table are staggeringly beautiful, it could have been a silent movie, we would've understood and live Francesca's story just by looking into Meryl's beautiful face. Every laugh, every move, every nuance is so Italian and so real that I went to look up her background to see if there was some Italian blood in her. Apparently not, but she reminded me of Anna Magnani and of my mother - she's Italian too, so I should know. Clint Eastwood's performance is tender, powerful and generous. I started going to the movies in the 70's and part of the fascination was to go and see movies with adults doing adult things, behaving and reacting to life the way adults do. "Five Easy Pieces" "Coming Home" "Sophie's Choice" and then the old great old ones from "Sullivan's Travels" to "All About Eve" As a side note I should inform the decision makers that on my second visit to the theater I took five kids with me, two 17 year old boys and three girls, 18, 16 and 16. They went back to see it a few days later with some of their contemporaries. The comment of one of the boys was: "It made me think of things I don't usually think about". He invited his mom to the movies to see "Bridges of Madison County" According to his mother, that was the first time ever, but, as it happens, not the last.

When I was a senior in college, Robert James Waller taught what was to be his last business course at UNI. I was fortunate enough to have been a part of that class. He was leaving teaching for a "special project". Little did I know, it turned out to be the book that later turned into a movie.

The similarities between Robert Kincaid and Mr. Waller are many. Mr. Waller was a photographer and a musician with a way about him that I have yet to see again in my 51 years, so similar to the character in the movie. He was those things in addition to being a business consultant and college professor with notable accomplishments. Some of my fondest memories from class were not only his lessons, but also being able to enjoy classes where he shared his photography and music.

When I graduated from college, I was given a questionnaire to fill out. One of the questions was along the lines of something that I would never change about my college experience. My response was how fortunate I was to attend Mr. Waller's class and how I had hoped he would not leave. Alas, he went on to further success.

I watched the movie last night with my wife, who had not seen it yet. I was flooded with many wonderful memories of Mr. Waller along with a good friend of mine that played in the band in the road house scene. While the son and daughter characters in the movie are a tad hokey, I think the movie still stands up.

R. I. P. Mr. Waller, you are missed by many.