traceyames17

With such actors as Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, this movie met with all expectations and then some. Brilliant acting, marvellous photography, a strong plot line and period costumes, makes this the best movie in a heck of a long time.

The story takes place in 1931, when Al Capone and Frank Nitty ruled the gangsters in Chicago during the depression. Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a hitman for a top crime boss, one level below that of the enforcer, Frank Nitty. Known as the Angel Of Death, Sullivan is a perfect husband and provider for his wife and family, yet is a true and loyal employee for his boss John Rooney (Paul Newman). After a wake for a dead member of Rooney's gang, the dead man was wrongfully blamed for siphoning off money from the mob and his brother threatened to tell all. John Rooney had his son Connor Rooney(Daniel Craig) and Michael Sullivan to go around and talk some sense into the dead man's brother but no harm was to befall him. Connor Rooney who had aspirations of taking over Chicago after his aging father John was gone, was responsible for an unauthorised killing. This killing was witnessed by Michael Sullivan Jnr who was all but 12 years old. Fearing that the boy might talk, Connor Rooney took it upon himself to make sure that no witnesses were left alive. He went around to the Sullivan house and killed Michael's wife and younger son. Fearing for his life, Sullivan contacted Frank Nitty for advice and protection. Loyalty and power then became the prime force in the direction of the movie and what ensued. Nitty sent another hired hitman, Harlen Maguire (Jude Law) to kill Michael Sullivan Snr and Jnr. In the meantime revenge for his family's murder, Sullivan and his son went on a six week spree, fleecing payoff money from the mob and killing all those responsible for the killings. Sullivan also revealed to John Rooney, that it was in fact his son Connor, that was ripping off the mob and building a future empire for himself. What happened in those six weeks was quite graphic with several poignant scenes between Michael Sullivan and his surviving son.

Definitely a story not to be missed as it will keep you guessing all the time as to who will betray who next, who is loyal to whom and who will be next to die. Solid and believable characters with a strong plot makes for a gripping movie with another Oscar awaiting Tom Hanks for his role as Michael Sullivan.

I had the unfortunate experience of watching this film today, home sick from work with the flu. From the start of the movie, I marvelled at the plot being so close to that of Mister Roberts, made some 9 years earlier in 1955. Captain Moreton (Burl Ives) is the captain of a cargo ship in 1945, somewhere in the Pacific. His motley crew just hate his hard-nosed manner, with no give-and-take, no leave and no freedom. His ambition is to become a Commander. Ensign Frank Pulver (Robert Walker Jr) plays a joke that badly misfires and somehow, both men are overboard and spend their next few weeks together in a rubber dinghy. On running aground on a sandy beach, Ensign Parker renews aquaintances with a nurse he met earlier in the film. At the same time, Captain Morton falls ill and needs an appendicectomy. The two are reunited with their ship to find the Captain is now a Commander. The crew are so dismayed at the thought of having the past come back and haunt them again. Frank Pulver has a confidential talk with the Commander and the next day we see the Commander leave the ship for the last time. The plot and acting was very second rate. The only time Burl Ives realised his true acting talents, was just before the end when he had an emotional man to man talk with Ensign Pulver. This was close to his best when playing Bid Daddy in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. An interesting notable came out when reviewing the cast of the movie. Burl Ives was a noted actor back then in 1964 and his co-lead Robert Walker was not really heard of. He never went on to become a household name. Other actors in the movie who were absolute nobody's back in 1964 were Walter Matthau (Doc), Larry Hagman who played Billings, and Jack Nicholson who played Dolan. Their faces were instantly recognisable and some 40 years later, these actors are now household names. Surely it can't have been the making of this movie who hurtled these three actors into stardom. My advice is if you are feeling sick and this movie is rerun, don't watch it as it will make you sicker. 2/10 max.

In a small city in Alaska named Nightmute, a teenage girl was bashed and murdered. Two Los Angeles detectives are flown into this inaccessable city to help solve the case. The detective leading the investigation is Detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and the local detective assigned to help him has used Will Dormer's cases as case studies while in the Academy.

One problem with the location of Nightmute, in certain times of the year, the sun never goes down, thus making sleep very difficult for strangers to the area. Dormer's investigations go quite well and soon track down the prime suspect, Walter Finch (Robin Williams) who is a renowned novelist. A stakeout goes amiss and Dormer accidently shoots and kills his friend. Instead of coming clean, Dormer covers up the accident and blames the killing on Finch.

Finch soon gets into contact with Dormer and reveals many skeletons in Dormer's closet. Cover-ups and corruption years ago back in Los Angeles. While Dormer is trying to nail Finch, the local detective Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) is heading the investigation into Dormer's partners death.

Cover-ups, frame-ups and a few twists keep you guessing what will happen next. After six nights without sleep, Dormer is quickly starting to crack up and his thinking is becoming irrational. When Ellie Burr discovers the real truth in the whole investigation, a shootout occurs thus ending a pretty dull and boring story.

Some of the scenery was superb as was some of the filming and photography. Pacino's acting was also superb in a story that never really got off the ground. Should you ever suffer from insomnia, instead of counting sheep, watch this movie for two hours and you will be guaranteed a cure. I love movies but this only rates about 2 out of 10. Somehow, all the movies I have seen Robin Williams in, have never turned me on. Is it him or me that's at fault.