itsbarrie
Joined Nov 2002
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges2
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Reviews26
itsbarrie's rating
I'm not a huge fan of Judy Garland, but I've always found her story to be fascinating.
I do think Judy Davis played a more believable version of Judy Garland, but Renee Zellweger's version is somehow so much more touching.
Judy is gamely beginning a run in London. Her finances are in shambles, her confidence - never a strong suit - is very low. Her minder is doing her best to keep Judy on task, not easy when Judy is often too drunk to be on time, or too tormented with fear of facing the audience.
When she arrives on stage drunk, beginning to sing 'San Francisco,' then falling on her face - literally - causing the audience to mock her and and throw things at her... Well, it would take a heart of stone not to cry at this cruelty.
It's a sad movie for the most part, but it at least gives you an idea of how and why she meant so much to so many people.
I do think Judy Davis played a more believable version of Judy Garland, but Renee Zellweger's version is somehow so much more touching.
Judy is gamely beginning a run in London. Her finances are in shambles, her confidence - never a strong suit - is very low. Her minder is doing her best to keep Judy on task, not easy when Judy is often too drunk to be on time, or too tormented with fear of facing the audience.
When she arrives on stage drunk, beginning to sing 'San Francisco,' then falling on her face - literally - causing the audience to mock her and and throw things at her... Well, it would take a heart of stone not to cry at this cruelty.
It's a sad movie for the most part, but it at least gives you an idea of how and why she meant so much to so many people.
A sorta fun movie, but James Stewart was so miscast.
He was age 50 at the time, but looked more like age 60. It's simply not believable that two young, attractive women are gaga over a guy who looks like he could be their father.
Cary Grant would have been PERFECT. Even though he was four years older than Stewart, he wore his age very lightly. That two young attractive women were gaga about him would have been 100% believable. And he always played confused in a very appealing, often hilarious, manner.
My other quibble: Why does Kim Novak wear so little make-up in this movie? Yes, she was a beauty, but she just looks pale and washed out.
He was age 50 at the time, but looked more like age 60. It's simply not believable that two young, attractive women are gaga over a guy who looks like he could be their father.
Cary Grant would have been PERFECT. Even though he was four years older than Stewart, he wore his age very lightly. That two young attractive women were gaga about him would have been 100% believable. And he always played confused in a very appealing, often hilarious, manner.
My other quibble: Why does Kim Novak wear so little make-up in this movie? Yes, she was a beauty, but she just looks pale and washed out.
This movie hits all the Southern Gothic marks and then some.
Elizabeth Taylor playing a shrill (strike that, she always played shrill) unfaithful wife, and daughter of an Army officer she's always referring to, is in 'Well, Daddy said..." Gotta have a Daddy- obsessed cheater. Bonus points: This is her one and only late career role where she's not playing the craziest person in the room. So there's that.
Marlon Brando. He always brought at least a soupçon of crazy to the table, so he's well-placed here. Unfortunately, you can barely understand what he's saying most of the time, so you have to go on the occasional flicker in his wooden expression. This has been interpreted by critics as homosexual desire. (is the naked guy on the horse he keeps seeing real? If he's real, is he really naked? Is he really riding a horse?) Bonus points: he fills out that uniform very well.
Julie Harris: according to the script, she's the craziest in the bunch, having chopped off her nipples with garden shears when her baby died. (Only in the South...) But her character seems WAY more sane than...
Zorro David as Anacleto, her cray cray Filipino houseboy. He makes Rip Taylor look like... well, I can't come up with anyone. But compared to Anacleto, Rip Taylor is normal and serious. Speaking of which,
Brian Keith, who seems to have wandered in from another movie entirely. Something with a good script, directed by Fred Zinnemann or someone similar. He plays Julie Harris's husband, Liz's adulterous honey.
The tally: three crazy people, one of whom with a semi-disturbing back story (33 hours in labor, with her houseboy playing doula. Only in the South.) One adulterous affair. One Daddy's girl. One naked guy riding a horse. One of the crazy people beating a horse. (Feel free to turn away, or go to the fridge for a soda during that scene. I wish I had.) Two deaths, on on-screen. One of those was not the horse, otherwise, I'd give this movie an even lower rating.
Elizabeth Taylor playing a shrill (strike that, she always played shrill) unfaithful wife, and daughter of an Army officer she's always referring to, is in 'Well, Daddy said..." Gotta have a Daddy- obsessed cheater. Bonus points: This is her one and only late career role where she's not playing the craziest person in the room. So there's that.
Marlon Brando. He always brought at least a soupçon of crazy to the table, so he's well-placed here. Unfortunately, you can barely understand what he's saying most of the time, so you have to go on the occasional flicker in his wooden expression. This has been interpreted by critics as homosexual desire. (is the naked guy on the horse he keeps seeing real? If he's real, is he really naked? Is he really riding a horse?) Bonus points: he fills out that uniform very well.
Julie Harris: according to the script, she's the craziest in the bunch, having chopped off her nipples with garden shears when her baby died. (Only in the South...) But her character seems WAY more sane than...
Zorro David as Anacleto, her cray cray Filipino houseboy. He makes Rip Taylor look like... well, I can't come up with anyone. But compared to Anacleto, Rip Taylor is normal and serious. Speaking of which,
Brian Keith, who seems to have wandered in from another movie entirely. Something with a good script, directed by Fred Zinnemann or someone similar. He plays Julie Harris's husband, Liz's adulterous honey.
The tally: three crazy people, one of whom with a semi-disturbing back story (33 hours in labor, with her houseboy playing doula. Only in the South.) One adulterous affair. One Daddy's girl. One naked guy riding a horse. One of the crazy people beating a horse. (Feel free to turn away, or go to the fridge for a soda during that scene. I wish I had.) Two deaths, on on-screen. One of those was not the horse, otherwise, I'd give this movie an even lower rating.