The best method actor of them all – Paul NEWMAN – heads a truly ensemble cast of Actor's Studio alumni in this Sisyphean classic. The ensemble works because NEWMAN is not so much a star as a good looking character actor. This is classic, anti hero stuff in the context of a prison that, like one flew over the cuckoo's nest, is about an existential loner against the system whose personal ennui and malaise matches that system.
Not having much to do – inside or outside of the chain gang – the smallest things assume the greatest importance. This inability to find a personal raison d'être means Lucas Jackson is affectively committing slow suicide beating against authority to force it to destroy him. This vainly alleviates him any personal responsibility for his own actions. Here, intolerance of the more pointless rules of a society – rules invented merely to provide their enforcers with something to enforce – reveals the intolerance such rule makers.
One admires Mr Jackson because he never gives up even in the face of insuperable odds. Yet, he has no goal other than kicking out against anyone. Others parasite off his courage – as if supporting him made them brave – but fail to realize that he often lacks any real common sense. A cool hand is an empty one: It is a bluff. If we are honest, this reminds us of many of the people we have met; including often ourselves.
One of the best ever prison pictures; putting rubbish like the Shawshank Redemption firmly in its place. Each other characters are clearly defined and well presented by highly competent actors and the theme of the futility of much of modern life takes us resolutely forward toward the inevitably tragic conclusion. The kind of prison picture Shakespeare would have written if he had been a Hollywood screenwriter.
Copyright © 2009 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.
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