A 7 is mighty generous for this stiff as hell, relentlessly uncinematic courtroom drama but William Friedkin has earned our generosity, if not our unstinting praise, for the body of his work. And this is his swansong.
There is also, as in most of Friedkin's films, lots of fine acting to be found. I especially liked Keifer Sutherland as Captain Queeg. This actor is given the very tough assignment of competing with Bogie in the original film and he damn near aces it. I like his Nixonesque take on Queeg's insecurity and paranoia and when he is finished destroying himself on the witness stand there is the distinct odor of tragedy about him.
As for Jason Clarke I actually preferred his tough, relentless performance to Jose Ferrer's too jokey Greenwald in the original. And Jake Lacey's Maryk is leaps and bounds better than Van Johnson while Monica Raymond is preferable to E. G. Marshall and Lance Reddick, in HIS final film, completely eclipses Warner Anderson. On the downside I feel the film missed the smarminess of Keefer that was so evident in the original with Fred MacMurray's great study of ambitious arrogance. Indeed, Keefer is such a cipher in this film that the climactic scene where Greenwald upbraids him lacks force, to say the least.
Bottom Line: RIP Bill and Lance. B minus.
There is also, as in most of Friedkin's films, lots of fine acting to be found. I especially liked Keifer Sutherland as Captain Queeg. This actor is given the very tough assignment of competing with Bogie in the original film and he damn near aces it. I like his Nixonesque take on Queeg's insecurity and paranoia and when he is finished destroying himself on the witness stand there is the distinct odor of tragedy about him.
As for Jason Clarke I actually preferred his tough, relentless performance to Jose Ferrer's too jokey Greenwald in the original. And Jake Lacey's Maryk is leaps and bounds better than Van Johnson while Monica Raymond is preferable to E. G. Marshall and Lance Reddick, in HIS final film, completely eclipses Warner Anderson. On the downside I feel the film missed the smarminess of Keefer that was so evident in the original with Fred MacMurray's great study of ambitious arrogance. Indeed, Keefer is such a cipher in this film that the climactic scene where Greenwald upbraids him lacks force, to say the least.
Bottom Line: RIP Bill and Lance. B minus.