Heartbreak Ridge: This movie is Eastwood in full Eastwood mode, but honestly when is he not? How much of a bad ass is Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Highway? This guy spends the better part of half the film reading women's magazines like Cosmopolitan and Vogue, and yet I promise you this is one of the most intimidating military characters you will ever meet. He chomps cigars, spews gravel voiced obscenities, and beats men twice his size and half his age to a pulp. This must have been what Walt Kowalski was like twenty years ago. What a fun and gritty character.
'Gunny' is placed in charge of a rag tag crew of misfits that he is determined to turn into hardened marines. Considering their reputation and defiance this is no easy task. Once they learn the hard way that this new sergeant is no pushover they actually begin to learn how to become killers. They are also taught that sometimes disobeying orders from your superiors is required to successfully complete the mission.
This one was recommended to me by my father, yes the same man who has watched Space Cowboys an embarrassingly high number of times. In his defense he is correct to say that just about any movie with Clint in it is worth watching. While this may not be one of his best films, this is one of his more memorable characters. Fans of this film might also benefit from checking out the guilty pleasure comedy Major Payne which is basically the son of this movie.
Pretty in Pink: I know, I know. How could I have never seen this one? Just hear me out. This is like one of the top five 'chick flicks' of all time, so I was weary from the start. Plus I literally knew every single detail of this film before viewing it, so for years I figured what was the point? Since this was one of the last films in the Hughes cannon (even though it was directed by Howard Deutch) I had yet to see, I guess now was as good a time as any. I surprisingly didn't regret it.
The story is a simple love triangle involving cliched characters of the poor girl Andie (Molly Ringwald), the rich boy Blane (Andrew McCarthy), and the lovesick dork Duckie (Jon Cryer). The question that plagues the viewer throughout the film is: "Which one is she going to end up with?" In normal Hughes fashion it shows how difficult it is being a teenager from all three perspectives.
As much as I liked the three leads I actually had a bigger connection to the supporting characters. Steff (James Spader) is something of a sleazy enigma. He too is enamored with Andie, but after getting rejected by her on numerous occasions he emerges as the film's true villain. He decides that if he can't be with her then no one should be. I love Spader, he always knows how to play a perfect snake. I also really liked Annie Potts as Andie's older best friend Iona, a kooky mother-like figure that changes her look in every scene.
One of the most controversial things about this film is the ending. Since I have the feeling I am the last person my age to see this one I doubt a spoiler alert is entirely necessary. I can't remember the last time I simultaneously loved and hated a film's conclusion so much. The problem is that by the end this film has already backed itself into a corner. When it appears Duckie has finally won the girl even he realizes it is by default, not because she really wanted him. Yes he is the better man, yes he deserved to be with her, yes it hurts to see him let her go, but what makes him the true winner is that he realizes this. Plus he gets thrown a consolation prize, so it isn't all bad. I must also note that the use of "If You Leave" by Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark is simply outstanding. What a haunting and sad song that suits the conclusion perfectly.
Like I said both Eastwood and Hughes have made far better films, but both of these are good, appropriate, and necessary additions to their resumes. I would recommend them, but I am sure that if you are a fan of their work you have probably seen them already.
2 comments:
I don't like the ending of Pretty in Pink. It was studio tampering, I believe, that led to her getting with McCarthy at the end. The original ending has her getting with Ducky after all, and that wouldn't have worked, either. The right ending would have had Ducky telling her they are not right for each other and work better as friends, and her realizing McCarthy is a sleeze, and just ending up dancing with Ducky as a friend. But it wouldn't have been happy enough, I guess. But come on, McCarthy is a total douche. It made me not like Ringwald's character that she got back with him at the end.
I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't have believed it no matter who she picked. McCarthy IS a total douche and didn't deserve her, and yet at the same time it is completely unrealistic for the nerd to get the girl even if he did deserve her. You are right audiences love tampered with happy endings. I prefer you ending.
I also read that Robert Downey Jr. was one of the first choices for Duckie and had he been cast the original ending would have stuck. Yet another reason to pitty poor Jon Cryer.
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