Diamonds

I have always liked Kirk Douglas and to see him now after he had a stroke is sad but that's the way life is. He is not afraid to let the public know that he is alive and doing the best he can. I can associate with this movie because I had a stroke 10 years ago and thankfully fully recovered. This movie might be a little thin in spots but to see him and also Lauren Bacall is a movie-going treat. I hope that he does a lot more movies.

This road movie deals about Harry(Kirk Douglas), an old retired boxer affected by a stroke. He claims to have a fortune in diamonds hidden in location of Reno into house a mobster(James Russo). Harry along with his estranged son(Dan Aykroyd)and grandson(Corbin)going on a road trip toward Nevada to retrieve it. Throughout travel enjoy various adventures and feeling moments. Meanwhile, they stop in a brothel with a veteran madame(Lauren Bacall) and attractive prostitutes (Jenny McCarthy).

This is an independent road movie developing an agreeable father-son-grandson relationship with intimate bonding moments. Casting is justly excellent. Kirk Douglas is magnificent,in spite of his real stroke, as one-time boxing champion .He appears in a television images about his film titled ¨Champion¨(1949,Mark Robson)and is reunited with Lauren Bacall with whom he played in ¨Young man with a horn¨(1950,Michael Curtiz¨. Appears uncredited in a special cameo, John Landis as a gambler. Appropriate cinematography and sensible music score by Joel Goldsmith( Jerry Goldsmisth's son). The motion picture is professionally directed by John Asher. He's usually actor(CSY, NavyCSI) and director TV and occasionally director for his wife, Jenny McCarthy(Dirty love, Thank heaven), here lively playing a whore. Rating : Acceptable and entertaining.

Its one of those films that makes an impact on a more subtle level than were used to these days. Its like a classical black and white, but with more sex and swearing. But don't let that put you off, every moment is justified, the emotion and the expression tell the story more than the words alone ever could. I don't think I would ever have watched it had it not been for the lack of anything to do at work (TV broadcaster's master control room), but once I got started I was sorry when it ended. So, I'm not saying throw out the mainstream block buster, but why not try adding it to the B-Roll list and watch it before something else to make you feel good.

Bob

I have never seen Kirk Douglas act as well as he does in this film--stroke or no stroke. Lauren Bacall (who starred with Kirk Douglas previously in the 1950 film "Young Man With A Horn"), Dan Ackroyd, and Corbin Allred provide top-notch support, but this is mainly Kirk Douglas' showcase. The only criticism I can perhaps make is the sugar-coated way the film treats prostitution, however a cynical view of prostitution wouldn't fit in this movie. This is a movie that should appeal to all age groups.

I saw this movie on the rack at the video store and decided to rent it. I thought the movie was well written, and the kid (Allred) was great, BUT Kirk Douglas' performance was superb and overpowering. He made me laugh out loud. I had my next-door neighbors watch it to confirm my thoughts. They couldn't stop laughing. A must-see film!!!