THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA

                                                        
                                                                     JACK'S BACK and this time it's personal


DATE AND STATUS:                               Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 and I've got it!


Just what the "it" is, I will let you know, later!

So I'm right back in the scheme of things, and I'm still making mistakes. 

If you check your timetable, today I was supposed to review "Rachel Getting Married," but have instead written about "The Night of the Iguana,"  it's gotta be the drugs that induce this confusion of mine, but still this is no big mistake, just substitute this review for the one I do on "Rachel Getting Married" next Sunday.  Okay, where was I?

I've let you know that I've restarted "blogging," I'm still very excited about pursuing this endeavour, again.   My health is what it is.  I haven't lost any weight, much to my doctor's and my distress, but I'm exercising regularly, and I have to tell you that Cruella really gives me a workout, (it seems so much harder than it used to! )  At least I still have movies, and they remain the constant for me.

My love of movies goes way back to when I was a small boy of four years old, when to get out of my mother's way, I went to the show every Saturday for the next forty-five years of my life.  Yes, I know, that's quite a long time, but this is an honest and accurate statistic, except for the last thirty-five years I didn't go to the show to get out of my mother's way, I went, essentially, to learn.

My going to the show, and watching films all these years has been like going to school.   Each time I see a film,  I pay attention to: the tone of the movie, the performances, the cinematography, the casting, the art direction, the acting, music, costumes, production design, direction, absolutely everything,  I was a good student!

Time to let you in on something quite unique about me.   I can tell you the name of every  cinema/show/movie house where I saw a movie and paid patronage, it's true, and kind of fun, that is when I get tested on it.  Okay, I am trying to get back to the business of film, but each time I look out at this fabulous view, I get distracted.

The day is still very new. I love being up at sunrise when everything is so quiet and still, so much of life is just awakening, and for a little while longer, I'll have the world to myself, which puts me in the proper place and mindset for "THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA!"

 Now, before I get into the meat and potatoes of "THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA," I have to first confess that after reviewing my write up  of "ROSE MARIE" I feel I may have truncated that review.  What do you think?  Do you feel shortchanged?  Would you have liked it to include more details?  I can't decide these matters, which is why I put these questions to you, won't you please help me?  Okay, on with "THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA."

WHEW!  While Tennessee Williams could never be called a comic, he is rather genius at putting together flawed people, in unusual circumstances, at probably their most vulnerable time of their lives. But, talk about drama, Tennessee Williams makes Webster's dictionary reconsider their definition of serious, so will you.  First, you have to realize something about the plays and movies of Tennessee Williams.

One time after seeing the play of "The Glass Menagerie" at Stratford, and starring the late Sada Thompson.  I commented to a friend that, two days later, I was still depressed.  My friend, Mike Czetyrbok chuckled a bit, and then responded to me "Well, if you're not depressed after seeing that play, then they didn't do a good job, count yourself lucky!" 

This truly was an interesting paradox for me, but Mike was right, and that is what is key to understanding and appreciating most of Tennessee Williams' plays and movies, you're not going to the beach, but you are investing a good two hours of introspection, which is what we all need.

So what is THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA about?, shall I give you the bus and truck stop short of it?  Well, there's this ex-clergyman, played by droll Richard Burton, working as a tour guide in Mexico who gets involved with a spinster, played by the fabulous Deborah Kerr, a seductive teen, not me, but it was played by Lolita-like Sue Lyon, and a hotel owner, acted magnificently by the stunning Ava Gardner.  Too bus and truck for you, you're not satisfied, okay, let's see if I can elaborate.

At the preface of THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA we see Reverend Dr. T. Shannon having a nervous breakdown, after being ostracised by his congregation for having an inappropriate relationship with a very young Sunday school teacher.  And that's before the opening credits!  I told you, Tennessee doesn't take things too lightly.  But, I digress.

Two years later, after being institutionalized for his breakdown, and after the opening credits, we find the ex-clergyman, Dr. Shannon, now working for a bottom-of-the-barrel, Texas-run-tour company of Blake tours.

 The current tour group that Dr. Shannon is desperately trying to please is a group of Baptist school teachers, led by a leader named Judith Fellows, and I gotta tell you, Miss Fellows is both butch and bitchy, and played to the hilt by Grayson Hall who deservedly got an Oscar nomination for her performance. 

Miss Fellow's niece, Charlotte, the seductive teen already mentioned, is also on the tour, being sent on this trip by her parents to help her get over a love affair.  Miss Fellows feels she has a strong obligation to look after her niece, so when Charlotte makes a play for Dr. Shannon, the aunt, quite naturally blames Dr. Shannon, and sets out to destroy him!

Perfectly understandable, and perfectly prompting Dr. Sullivan to start taking desperate measures, and in an attempt to stop Miss Fellows from having him fired, he Shanghai's the bus of baptist school teachers to a hotel run by an old friend.  The friend, of course, is now deceased, but his widow, Maxine, thankfully is still around.  Maxine, how do I put this delicately?, is a nymphomaniac, and in this role, step aside Miss Streep, Ava Gardner showed her acting chomps.  She was first-rate!

Okay, so we are all now at this hotel, and this is where we get introduced to two more guests, a sketch artist of sorts named Hannah, and her poet, Grandfather, who is about 97 years old!  Now, Hannah has no money but she is not looking for a freebie.  During the dinner hour, Hannah could do sketches of the guests at the hotel, and her Grandfather could give resuscitation's of his poetry.  These services surely are enough to pay for their accommodations, Maxine doesn't think so, but is convinced into allowing it by Dr. Sullivan.  What a nice guy eh?  True, Dr. Sullivan is weakened by flesh and alcohol, but then none of us are perfect.

We learn more about human imperfections during the night at the hotel, far too many to blog here, but the end result is that Dr. Shannon is at the end of his rope, and is much like the Iguana that has been tied up for fattening and slaughter.

The film ends on a downer, (gosh, surprise of all surprise) but there remains an attempt to try and give us hope.  Ultimately, however, the film fails, because it doesn't generate any sympathy or  personal compassion for the suffering of the characters, but still, there is much to like about this movie.

This is probably one of the better attempts to turn one of Tennessee William's plays into a movie, it leaves the senses reeling, and Deborah Kerr, as always, plays Hannah with style and grace.  And let me tell you, grace is not easily portrayed, but Deborah Kerr has it, which is probably why Ms. Kerr was hired by Rowntrees to do all those Black Magic chocolate commercials in the seventies! 

                                                                   MOVIE TIMETABLE
 
Thursday:  "Casablanca."  Courtesy of the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) channel.  I am finally going to settle down and watch this movie.  All of it.  I have only seen bits of this movie before, and it has never grabbed my interest, now I want to see what all the fuss has been about.

Friday:  "Romance on the High Seas."  This is Doris Day's first movie which I have to confess, I'm kinda curious as to how she'll make out, regardless of Ms. Day, I always enjoy romance movies, whether it's on the high sea or low sea.  And yes, I'll be watching it on TCM where I enjoy many, many great movies.

Saturday:  "Gold Diggers of 1933."  Because gathering new tips on building wealth is always motivational, but somehow I think there may just be another element here.  Otherwise, why is TCM running it and not some financial channel?

Sunday:  "Rachel Getting Married."  Anne Hathaway managed to get a Best Actress Oscar nomination for this movie, but I'm really anxious to see Debra Winger in it.  Miss Winger plays Ms. Hathaway's mother.  I'm glad I have pay television so I can see the film for free, well, sort of.


Monday:  "Strangers on a Train."  I don't know if I want to see this movie because I enjoy mysteries of if it's because I like train travel, regardless, I'll be travelling on TCM, first class of course.

Tuesday:  "Adam Had Four Sons."  This movie stars Ingrid Bergman and Susan Hayward, two of my favourites, and that is reason enough for me to watch this movie.  But I bet I end up liking this movie for all sorts of reasons, and not just because of Miss Bergman and Miss Hayward.

Films Coming Soon:  Exodus, The Sand Pebbles, An American in Paris, The Jack E. Taylor Story.  What a lineup!