1918

1st watched 3/2/2000 - (Dir-Ken Harrison): Absorbing drama by Horton Foote of a southern family around the time when men were dying in World War I overseas or with the flu back in the states. Well done by everyone with a story that tug's at your heart as you waltz thru this family in a very short part of their lives together.

Meticulous slice-of-life drama by playwright Horton Foote about his parents (William Converse-Roberts and Hallie Foote) and their lives in a small Texas town near the end of the First World War. The details of everyday life and the interaction between the characters are what's important here, as Foote's father may have to go off to fight, while the Spanish influenza epidemic rages in the background, eventually leading to tragedy. A young Matthew Broderick -- before his success on Broadway or as "Ferris Bueller" (though after "Wargames") -- also appears as the scheming character, Brother.

Incidentally -- if it seems as though there's a part of this story that's already happened but that you haven't been told about, there's a good reason: This film is a companion to "On Valentine's Day," and the two films plus additional footage also made up a five-hour series (originally produced for PBS' "American Playhouse") called "Story of a Marriage." See the whole drama as opposed to the two set-pieces if you can.

If you are having trouble sleeping, just pop this film in your DVD player and I guarantee you that you will be off to lalaland in less than twenty minutes. It worked for me, and Im sure it will work for you. I am not sure if it is the bad writing, bad direction, or bad production values added to the bad acting, but this formula for sleep is much better than inorganic drug use. Recommended for one time use only, however.

1918 is part of a trilogy of plays by Horton Foote that follow the Robedaux family in rural Texas in the early 1900s. This one deals with the Spanish Influenza epidemic (the Germans sent it to us) and the closing months of WW I and their effects on the family.

Main characters include the effete Horace (William Converse-Roberts), a local businessman who's being pressured into joining up and going to fight in Europe. But he contracts the flu and almost dies. When he finally seems to have recovered, the war ends. His wife (Hallie Foote) deals with his sickness, the death of her baby, and her newfound pregnancy. Her kid brother (Matthew Broderick) is hot for war and goes to the movies all the time to watch Robert Harron (whom he's told he resembles). But when it comes right down to it, he never joins up. Oddly, sources state the film he watches is The Heart of a Nation (1916) but I think it's The Birth of a Nation (1915).

As the "boys" start coming home, the horror of the war slowly sinks in and the small-towners lose their taste for flag waving amid the maimed, the blind, and the shell shocked. There's also a long list of plague victims. The story and characters are partly autobiographical and the films nicely captures the feels of 1918 and the naivete of Americans at that time. Thoughtful and well done.... And nothing seems to have changed except people had manners back then.

The thing I admire most about this film is how the town of Waxahachie, Texas was used as the location setting for 1918. The whole town practically, you really do think you're in the year of World War 1 in America. The panorama of the place reminds me of Picnic.

Horton Foote's play really does show what it was like back in the day. Texas itself was one of the areas strongest in support of our entry into the European War and of President Woodrow Wilson. It was really like that in 1918. Dissent was easily the equivalent of treason.

But the crisis of man in creating the first World War where the attitude is just fall in line or scorn or worse those that don't is superseded by a second crisis of health. The great influenza epidemic which started Over There came back with our returning doughboys. It ran wild through this country 1918-1919 and what you see here all the deaths and families affected was quite real.

William Converse-Roberts and Hallie Foote are the married leads and the parents of our author. He's got a draft exemption for flat feet, but no exemption from the flu. He survives it and he was weeks in delirium. When Converse-Roberts comes out of it. there are a lot of changes, some subtle some not.

Matthew Broderick is in 1918 as Foote's wastrel brother. A truly shallow character when we meet him. He shows signs of character growth by the end of the play.

The ensemble cast is impeccably cast and performs thusly. 1918 is great look back at that year.