The Big Brass Ring (1999)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

George Hickenlooper

Writers (WGA):

Orson Welles (earlier screenplay) and
Oja Kodar (earlier screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 June 2000 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

You can't buy absolution...What you seek is something that can only be given.

Plot:

Blake Pellarin is on the campaign trail to become president of the United States. While making a stop in St...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Based On Short Film | Remake | Closeted Homosexual | Gay Interest

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

William Hurt	...	William Blake Pellarin
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Kim Mennaker
Miranda Richardson	...	Dinah Pellarin
Irène Jacob	...	Cela Brandini (as Irene jacob)
Ewan Stewart	...	Kinzel
Gregg Henry	...	Billy
Ron Livingston	...	Sheldon Buckle
Jefferson Mays	...	Garne Strickland
Jim Metzler	...	Pacxy Barragan
Carmine Giovinazzo	...	Young Billy
Thomas Patrick Kelly	...	Young Blake
Mack Harrell	...	Homer Dix
Lisette Bross	...	B.C. Dix
F. Joseph Schulte	...	Senator Jack Moorehead
Peggy Freisen	...	Gigi Moorehead (as Peggy Friesen)

MPAA:

Rated R for some graphic sexuality, and for language and some violence.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:18 | Germany:16 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Alhambra, California, USA

Company:

Millennium Films

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene just after Blake (Hurt) and Brandini (Jacob) make love, she is still in bed and is trying to encourage Blake to come public with the truth. She suggests that she might expose him if he doesn't. Blake then yanks the bed covers off exposing her completely naked body. But in the next second, closeup, she is seen with something covering her from the waist down.

Movie Connections:

References Campanadas a medianoche (1965)

Accomplished, refined: pretty dull.

William Hurt plays Gubernatorial candidate William Blake, in the final days of his election campaign. Nigel Hawthorne is Kim Mennaker, a svengali figure from Blake's childhood, who lives in Cuba for some reason, and has evidence which can sink Blake's election chances. Actually, by halfway through the movie, half of Missouri seems to have this evidence, and why nobody actually uses it is about as bewildering as why Hurt wanders about all night with a monkey on his shoulder, which he had previously complained had urinated all over him - unless that's a pun on a monkey for his back.

As usual, William Hurt is boring (look, I'm sorry, but he just is). Nigel Hawthorne, on the other hand, is incapable of being less than good, though his character is really quite ridiculous.

An understated movie, which, I admit, has emotional subtleties and plot complexities which keep it above average, but which ultimately don't save it from being a bit soporific. I'll give it 6.0. Worth watching, but don't expect to be dazzled.