VERSUS THE SCARECROW EPISODE 17: Based On A True Story. I decided to challenge myself and really open the doors of my film knowledge and take on “The Scarecrow Video Movie Guide”. It’s 808 pages of movies and movie reviews from some of the most knowledgeable movie people you don’t know. It’s a book put together by a staff that praises, and destroys, some of our favorites and not so favorites. You can read the rest of my series here.
Just a quick refresher: each episode, I’m going to tackle three films from three different categories. Two films will be films I’ve never seen before and one will be one I’ve seen before or own. For the new films, well, new to me, I’m going to review them like a typical FTS review using the TOAST Rating system. But, for the films I’ve seen, I’m going give a quick paragraph or two about why I like or don’t like the film. We’ll try to include the poster and trailer for each film. “….and here. We. Go!”
The title says it all this week as I review JFK (1991), Rope (1948), and I reflect on Serpico (1978) and the beginnings of my love hate relationship with Sidney Lumet. Because these films are based on true stories, I’ll have small blurbs regarding the actual events about each one.
JFK (1991) Directed by Oliver Stone. Starring: Kevin Costner, Jack Lemmon, Gary Oldman. IMDB says: “A New Orleans DA discovers there’s more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.”
“One may smile and smile and be a villain.”
JFK is a long and drawn out film about the conspiracies surrounding the JFK assassination and the one man who searched for the truth. Sounds like it could potentially be boring, but director Oliver Stone is able to craft an engaging thriller that rises and falls and brings you along for a ride that surprises you turn after turn. And while it does take a bit to get going, when it finally takes off, it flies. The film is based on the book On The Trail of the Assassins by New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, which to me, adds a level of reality to this film when it begins to feel outlandish or unbelieveable.
The film looks great and stays true to its time period. The Texan and New Orleans accents feel right, and the film, in present time or black and white flashbacks, looks great. A solid soundtrack is used to build the excitement and tension as Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) begins to put the pieces together on what many consider to be the biggest unsolved murder in history. Costner gives a great performance not only as an attorney who’s pouring everything he has into an investigation, but also as a man who’s struggling with his home life, letting his kids and wife not necessarily suffer, but feel unappreciated as Garrisons efforts are focused elsewhere. That balance of emotions, coupled with the tone of the film make for a great character. And with performances from a cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman (as Lee Harvey Oswald), Ed Asner, Joe Pesci, Tommy Lee Jones, and a suitably over the top John Candy, you begin to feel like you’re watching more of a documentary then a film because of the way these actors become their characters. Despite the films run-time of over 3 hours, I still found myself wanting more as the credits rolled.
I really don’t need to say much about what this film is based on. Anyone who’s taken a middle school history class knows about the event. JFK was assassinated 50 years ago this November, and while many pointed to Lee Harvey Oswald as the killer, many more felt he was a “patsy” or front for who really killed JFK. Jim Garrison felt there was something more. His investigation grew and grew as even more evidence came to light through the Warren Report, Operation Mongoose, and the Zapruder film, things that are studied to this day. I highly recommend checking this film out. It’s available through Netflix (both Instant and Disc) and whether you believe the conspiracies or not, you won’t be able to deny the intrigue of JFK.
Check back tomorrow to read my review of Rope and then again on Thursday for the conclusion of episode 17 with my reflections on Serpico. If you're interested in more, you can find the rest of the Versus The Scarecrow series here.