Five Great Movie Dads

Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) – To Kill a Mockingbird

Arguably the greatest on screen Dad ever, Atticus is a man who believes in the word of the law and is willing to defend an innocent black man on trumped up charges, for this his is willing to incur the wrath of the hostile town folk. Meanwhile he’s trying to raise his children single handed and set a positive example for them- through his compassionate actions and his campaigning for justice, Atticus is a father than any child would be proud to call their own, the scene as he exits the courtroom to the respect of African-American town members, you can feel the pride beaming from his daughters face.

Guiseppe Conlon (Pete Postlethwaite)- In the Name of the Father:

Wrongly imprisoned along with his son Gerry (Daniel Day-Lewis) for being one of the alleged Guildford Four bombers, Guiseppe is the very definition of hard working and he is forever appealing for their innocence to be heard despite fighting a terminal illness. Althroughout Gerry scoffs at his wise advise due to his free spirited nature, but before long he begins to realize just how much the old man has sacrificed for him and begins to pick up the fight himself. Guiseppe is the kind of world weary father we can all relate to having and one that we should always listen to because their words may guide us away from trouble.

Henry Jones Sr (Sean Connery) – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: 

Ok, as a young man, Indiana Jones probably didn’t have it easy with Henry Jones Sr due to his reclusive nature and his obsession with the Holy Grail. But you would be hard pressed to find a father you finds a more exciting adventure for father and son than this man! But upon reflection- Indy learns whats a good father Henry was when he says “Did I ever tell you to eat up, go to bed, wash your ears, do your homework? No, I respected your privacy and I taught you self reliance.” In Last Crusade, the two men are continually at odds with each other, but underneath the competition lies a deep and binding love. Just watch the relief and joy on Henry’s face when he sees his son alive.

Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) – The Godfather

A fierce believer in the notion of loyalty and the family, Vito Corleone will go to great lengths to ensure the safety of his own family. In business, there is no length to which he will not sink to get what he wants- cue the horse’s head in the producers bed! But although he has blood on his hands from past events, Vito is unwilling to allow his son Michael (Al Pacino) to get involved in his world and yearns for him to break free and become honest. When his son finally kills for the family, his devastation goes all the way to the core. Though compared to his old man, Michael becomes a great deal worse!

George Bailey (James Stewart) – It’s A Wonderful Life

Forever putting his happiness before others, George Bailey to see his family survive has given up many chances for fortune and glory. But despite having a loving family and many equally caring community members, George still wishes they had never existed and that his family would be better off without him! But when George sees what his life would be without his wife or kids, his desire to get them back again is powerful and the finale scene where they reunite is the perfect example of just how far his love for his children goes and his relief at having a chance to see them grow- despite his mid film rant denouncing them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Famous Five: Review of The Usual Suspects

Classic from the Vault

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Director: Bryan Singer

By Alex Watson

To make a truly iconic ending to a film it needs to have an item in it that will stay with people forever- it could be something as ordinary as a Sledge like in Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane or the mysterious box delivered at the climax of David Fincher Se7en. But the object that probably was had the most effect on a film’s ending is the notice board in Bryan Singer’s masterpiece crime thriller The Usual Suspects! But aside from the brilliant ending, we had given to us one of the most slick and mysterious thrillers to hit our screens.

US Customs agent David Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) is investigating a brutal shootout in a San Pedro harbour in Los Angeles which has left only one survivor, crippled con man Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey). Although he has immunity from the governor of LA, Kujan is suspicious of Kint’s testimony and forces him to recount the events to him. Through his story, Verbal tells of his meeting of five others felons in a line up including Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Todd (Kevin Pollak) and the notorious ex cop Dean Keaton (Gabriel Bryne). Through his story, Kujan will the shocking truths about their crimes and most interesting element of all, a man named Keyser Soze!

The Usual Suspects is a thriller like no other because the turn of events are so unpredictable when each scene appears you dare not make any assumptions. The narration by Kint adds to the suspense surrounding the story line and from the very get go we wonder how on earth this seemingly small time felons ended up being in involved in an awful massacre where only one of them is left to live?

However Verbal is not a reliable narrator and as Kujan goes back and forth with him, we realize that when he tells a story, its contents are highly questionable.  Especially when he is left alone in a room by himself, which will lead to one of the most shocking endings in the history of cinema and as Kujan’s mug smashes to the ground, the audience will sit wide mouthed in shock when they realize the exact truth about Verbal’s ambiguous tale.

But it’s the presence of the unseen criminal Keyser Soze that provides The Usual Suspects with it mystery element, because his very name alone creates alarm in the underworld! All the way through we are asking who this man is and what makes him so powerful? His identity is a source of continuing guess, is it the famous criminal Keaton? Or could it be Soze’s well informed foreign associate, Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite), a man who seems to know too much about the five for his own good.  Soze’s and his true identity will be the source of repeat viewings in the future because its answer we all want to figure out!

The script by Chris McQuarrie deserved won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar and through his brilliant writing we are given a thriller that has earned deserved cult status and a rightful place in film history. Bryan Singer’s excellent direction has also seen him step forward into the list of Hollywood’s elite. Through his impressive visual eye and some impressive editing from John Ottman the picture sings loudly on screen and the impressive ending punch is delivered beautifully!

The film also boasts a magnificent ensemble cast led by Kevin Spacey as the slippery Verbal Kint, through Spacey’s superb Oscar winning performance he brings a great vague quality to Verbal which drives The Usual Suspects forward- this brought Spacey to the public’s full attention and he has been delivering ever since. Gabriel Bryne also gives a strong performance as Keaton, a man trying to going straight but his past is always catching up with him and his joined by other great performances by Pollak, Del Toro and Stephen Baldwin (who never reached the same heights again).

Chazz Palminteri also holds his own and gives a great turn as frustrated cop Kujan and his hard edge that he brings the interrogation sparks the story into life.

The Usual Suspects is a film that deserved repeated viewing because the story is one that you will want to revisit for years to come and each time there are new theories to consider. Singer and McQuarrie have brought a thriller that is as fresh and original as was years before. But the most important question remains, just who is Keyser Soze?