Reviews

There are many other eloquent reviews of this film, so I'll just say that HBO makes the most remarkable movies! While Julianne Moore was great as Sarah Palin, and I had much more sympathy for Ed Harris' John McCain than I ever did for the actual John McCain, I felt the best performance was that of Woody Harrelson as Steve Schmidt. I have thought for a long time that Woody is a much underrated actor, ("The People Versus Larry Flynt" was the movie that convinced me), and I bet my TCM hero, Robert Osborne, would agree with me. The plot of this film really pivots around his character, and the angst is palpable. I loved "Recount," with Kevin Spacey, (probably my most favorite contemporary actor), and this film follows that excellent tradition. Kudos to HBO, and I hope more excellent films concerning our political history are forthcoming.

The previous reviewer said it was a shame this film was never shown on any cable channels. I just saw it today on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). I had never seen it before, and have to agree it is a great example of the films noir of the '50s. There is a lot of suspense in the film with a "did he do it or not?" theme, where the protagonist has a loss of memory and can't recall the crime. Mercedes McCambridge is excellent in the film, and the bar scenes give us lots of the '50-era atmosphere. There are so few movies with Mercedes McCambridge that one can see anymore, so this movie is a treat if only for being able to see her. So don't give up hope. TCM's website is a great source for info on classic movies, and you can look up the dates and times they will be showing this film again.

This was not a film that appealed to me very much, since there was an explosion about every 60 seconds, with over-the-top mind-numbing violence. But the one thing I did enjoy was the recreation of the Nautilus, the famous submarine of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," by H.G. Wells, from which the Captain Nemo character was taken. This was truly a beautiful thing to look at, obviously designed with care, and the scenes in which it appeared were a welcome respite from the otherwise dark and dreary atmosphere. The interior sets were also very well done, I thought. (As a librarian, I really loved M's library!)

A Sean Connery fan since the 60's, I always appreciate him in just about anything, and he didn't disappoint as the independent adventurer Quartermain, but the plot and dialog left quite a bit to be desired. I also appreciated their not throwing a bunch of women at him in this role, which would have been totally inappropriate for his character, even if Hollywood thinks it will bring in more bucks. If you're an action fan, you will probably like this film, but for me, the submarine stole the show!