Tuesday, May 16, 2006
SPOILED ROTTEN
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was
Victor Fleming's take on the Rudyard Kipling novel, transfered to fishing boats out of Gloucester.
A pain in the ass rich kid (Freddie Bartholomew) falls overboard and is taken onto a fishing boat. Father figures abound.
Spencer Tracy takes the kid under his wing. Many life lessons are learned.
I know it sounds a little sappy and, in a way, I was dreading this picture. But, it was wonderful!.
The fishing scenes are extremely realistic and the excitement of the boat life is contrasted subtly with the way of life in a private school where the snot comes from.
It is enormously pleasurable to see the kid respond and come into himself.
It is very subtle and beautifully done.
Melvyn Douglas, Lionel Barrymore, John Carradine, and the very young Mickey Rooney fill out a great cast.
The restoration is flawless. Only the MGM lion has some dust specks. Funny.
I will give this a 5 out of Netflix5.
They truly, really, do not make movies like this anymore.
I am wary of all kid-star movies but this Bartholomew kid really has it. Or had it. Read his story in the review. Sad.
This film was released the year that I was born!
