Two studio-made movies -- both with strong writers and directors and top-shelf actors. Both take a wry look at the military and government, without letting the humor leak into the tragedy of war. In other words, entirely conventional. However, these are good movies, and you should see them.
Arthur Hiller's "The Americanization of Emily" stars James Garner and Julie Andrews. It has solid 1960's black and white photography, a Paddy Chayefsky screenplay, and plays it both ways around the two themes of the movie -- cowardice and exploitation of women in wartime. Dark, but not too dark.
Without Mike Nichols' touch, "Charlie Wilson's War" would have turned out worse than a dog like "The Bonfire of the Vanities". A light and deft view of how American funding of the mujahedin turned the tide in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the acting is almost seamless [Philip Seymour Hoffman does a little shtick]. Most importantly, one scene was filmed in Casey's, an Irish bar in downtown Los Angeles. I've obviously spent too much time spent at Casey's.
Arthur Hiller's "The Americanization of Emily" stars James Garner and Julie Andrews. It has solid 1960's black and white photography, a Paddy Chayefsky screenplay, and plays it both ways around the two themes of the movie -- cowardice and exploitation of women in wartime. Dark, but not too dark.
Without Mike Nichols' touch, "Charlie Wilson's War" would have turned out worse than a dog like "The Bonfire of the Vanities". A light and deft view of how American funding of the mujahedin turned the tide in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the acting is almost seamless [Philip Seymour Hoffman does a little shtick]. Most importantly, one scene was filmed in Casey's, an Irish bar in downtown Los Angeles. I've obviously spent too much time spent at Casey's.
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