There is a chase sequence about halfway through Steven Spielberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" that takes place in the streets of Cairo. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) are targeted by Nazis and other bad guys, and the two are separated. Marion hides in a basket, while Indy wastes a few weapons-wielding bad guys searching for her. To populate the streets of Cairo, Spielberg had to hire hundreds and hundreds of extras to work in the blistering Tunisian sun.
Filming in Kairouan was, by all accounts, a pretty horrible experience. Temperatures were reportedly over 130°, and many, many members of the crew ended up contracting cases of dysentery from the local food. Spielberg himself only ate food that he brought with him from England, so he was supposedly spared. Although the streets of Kairouan looked authentic to the period Speilberg wanted -- "Raiders of the Lost Ark...
Filming in Kairouan was, by all accounts, a pretty horrible experience. Temperatures were reportedly over 130°, and many, many members of the crew ended up contracting cases of dysentery from the local food. Spielberg himself only ate food that he brought with him from England, so he was supposedly spared. Although the streets of Kairouan looked authentic to the period Speilberg wanted -- "Raiders of the Lost Ark...
- 7/30/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The only tactful answer that Bessie can give to queries about how her father, who has long been bedridden with a stroke, is doing is to muster "he's still with us." That's the mournful reality of "Marvin's Room", a powerful and sobering look into dying and death. Boasting superb performances from Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton as two very different sisters who are brought together by a deadly disease, this Miramax film is a bracingly strong human drama.
Although its sobering subject matter may prove too difficult for casual holiday viewers, the film's many strengths will carry it far by word-of-mouth. Likely award nominations for Streep and Keaton, as well as positive reviews, will rejuvenate its long-term commercial prognosis.
As sisters, Lee (Streep) and Bessie (Keaton) couldn't be more different: Lee is vain and self-absorbed, while Bessie is plain and care-giving. They haven't seen each other in nearly 20 years -- single mother Lee has been raising two boys in Ohio, while Bessie has tended to their bedridden father (Hume Cronyn) in Florida. Like most estranged relations who only get together at funerals and weddings, it's an overpowering personal occasion that brings the two together. Bessie has been diagnosed with leukemia and needs a bone-marrow transplant, and only Lee or her offspring, as blood-related donors, can help.
A surface diagnosis of such a story line might lead one to suspect that the plot of this "disease" movie might be occluded by sugar, schmaltz and other sweetly unnatural particles, but "Marvin's Room" is a stunningly vital story of human need and selfless sacrifice. Screenwriter Scott McPherson, who has adapted the work from his own play, has created a hauntingly identifiable family situation and peopled it with characters whose needs and imperfections are completely realistic. While the characters are put to their ultimate tests when facing this life-and-death situation, their actions are altogether believable. Characters truly struggle, some more successfully than others, in dealing with the harsh hands that life, and now death, have dealt them.
Jerry Zaks' direction, combining a sharp clinician's eye with a soft consoler's heart, brings to life the very marrow of this hard subject. The performances are very special, particularly those by Streep and Keaton. As the chain-smoking, hardened Lee, Streep's nervous mannerisms and domineering attitude show an insecure woman who lives in constant terror of her needs.
Keaton's performance is similarly brilliant. The supporting players also reveal their characters' nerve endings, particularly Gwen Verdon and Robert De Niro. Hal Scardino, as the younger son, who attracts our attention while absorbing the frustrations of all his elders.
Powered by subtlety, "Marvin's Room" is a brilliantly constructed film, highlighted by Piotr Sobocinski's muted pastel colorings and invigorated by Rachel Portman's spare score.
MARVIN'S ROOM
Miramax Films
A Scott Rudin/Tribeca production
Producers Scott Rudin, Jane Rosenthal,
Robert De Niro
Director Jerry Zaks
Screenwriter Scott McPherson,
based upon his play
Executive producers Tod Scott Brody,
Lori Steinberg
Co-producers David Wisnievitz, Bonnie Palef, Adam Schroeder
Director of photography Piotr Sobocinski
Production design David Gropman
Editor Jim Clark
Costume design Julie Weiss
Casting Ilene Starger
Music Rachel Portman
Sound mix Danny Michael
Color/stereo
Cast:
Lee Meryl Streep
Hank Leonardo DiCaprio
Bessie Diane Keaton
Dr. Wally Robert De Niro
Marvin Hume Cronyn
Ruth Gwen Verdon
Charlie Hal Scardino
Bob Dan Hedaya
Dr. Charlotte Margo Martindale
Running time -- 93 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Although its sobering subject matter may prove too difficult for casual holiday viewers, the film's many strengths will carry it far by word-of-mouth. Likely award nominations for Streep and Keaton, as well as positive reviews, will rejuvenate its long-term commercial prognosis.
As sisters, Lee (Streep) and Bessie (Keaton) couldn't be more different: Lee is vain and self-absorbed, while Bessie is plain and care-giving. They haven't seen each other in nearly 20 years -- single mother Lee has been raising two boys in Ohio, while Bessie has tended to their bedridden father (Hume Cronyn) in Florida. Like most estranged relations who only get together at funerals and weddings, it's an overpowering personal occasion that brings the two together. Bessie has been diagnosed with leukemia and needs a bone-marrow transplant, and only Lee or her offspring, as blood-related donors, can help.
A surface diagnosis of such a story line might lead one to suspect that the plot of this "disease" movie might be occluded by sugar, schmaltz and other sweetly unnatural particles, but "Marvin's Room" is a stunningly vital story of human need and selfless sacrifice. Screenwriter Scott McPherson, who has adapted the work from his own play, has created a hauntingly identifiable family situation and peopled it with characters whose needs and imperfections are completely realistic. While the characters are put to their ultimate tests when facing this life-and-death situation, their actions are altogether believable. Characters truly struggle, some more successfully than others, in dealing with the harsh hands that life, and now death, have dealt them.
Jerry Zaks' direction, combining a sharp clinician's eye with a soft consoler's heart, brings to life the very marrow of this hard subject. The performances are very special, particularly those by Streep and Keaton. As the chain-smoking, hardened Lee, Streep's nervous mannerisms and domineering attitude show an insecure woman who lives in constant terror of her needs.
Keaton's performance is similarly brilliant. The supporting players also reveal their characters' nerve endings, particularly Gwen Verdon and Robert De Niro. Hal Scardino, as the younger son, who attracts our attention while absorbing the frustrations of all his elders.
Powered by subtlety, "Marvin's Room" is a brilliantly constructed film, highlighted by Piotr Sobocinski's muted pastel colorings and invigorated by Rachel Portman's spare score.
MARVIN'S ROOM
Miramax Films
A Scott Rudin/Tribeca production
Producers Scott Rudin, Jane Rosenthal,
Robert De Niro
Director Jerry Zaks
Screenwriter Scott McPherson,
based upon his play
Executive producers Tod Scott Brody,
Lori Steinberg
Co-producers David Wisnievitz, Bonnie Palef, Adam Schroeder
Director of photography Piotr Sobocinski
Production design David Gropman
Editor Jim Clark
Costume design Julie Weiss
Casting Ilene Starger
Music Rachel Portman
Sound mix Danny Michael
Color/stereo
Cast:
Lee Meryl Streep
Hank Leonardo DiCaprio
Bessie Diane Keaton
Dr. Wally Robert De Niro
Marvin Hume Cronyn
Ruth Gwen Verdon
Charlie Hal Scardino
Bob Dan Hedaya
Dr. Charlotte Margo Martindale
Running time -- 93 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 12/9/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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