Julia

Lillian Hellman (Jane Fonda), struggling with her new play and living in a beach house with lover and mentor Dashiell Hammett (Jason Robards), is contacted through intermediaries by an eponymous childhood friend (Vanessa Redgrave) who urges her to smuggle much needed funds into Berlin by train to assist the underground war effort. Fred Zinnemann's Julia, adapted by Alvin Sargent from Hellman's own story, suffers from an identity crisis which mars the film even in its second half when the intrigue begins to pick up. For such a strong actress, Fonda reaches here and Redgrave (an Oscar recipient for her role) is excellent though she hardly has a character to work with. For me, aside from great photography, some competent yet occasionally ponderous direction, and a brief appearance by Maximilian Schell, Robards (another Oscar winner) is the reason for the movie and I often found myself hoping that the story would return to him.

** 1/2 out of ****

The Day of the Jackal

When French President Charles De Gaulle decides to grant Algeria their independence, many of his military officers feel betrayed following their long struggle there, and a small secret sect decides to have him assassinated. After a botched attempt, and now with the president on high alert, the group decides to recruit a highly skilled outsider to take care of the hit. With the Jackal, as he likes to be called, making his meticulous plans and closing in, the French government, following an insider tip, turns to an equally exacting police inspector to try to stop him before its too late. Fred Zinnemann's "The Day of the Jackal" is a precise and engrossing thriller adapted for the screen from the bestselling Frederick Forsyth novel. Zinnemann closely follows the moves of the Jackal alongside that of the inspector, both with great detail, and we are given the sense that we are viewing what both these processes may actually be like. The actors playing these roles, Edward Fox as the assassin and Michael Lonsdale as the detective, also bring a great deal of gravitas to these roles. "The Day of the Jackal" in not only a wonderfully involving film, but also one that pulls that rare trick, where we are aware of the outcome of the film, but are still biting our nails all the way until the credits roll.

A Man for All Seasons

When King Henry VII directs his Roman Catholic Chancellor Thomas Moore to write the Pope to secure an annulment for his first marriage with Catherine of Aragon, Moore refuses to go along. When the King finally breaks from the Church, and Moore continues to support his actions, the crown uses deceit and treachery to convict the steadfast chancellor of treason. "A Man for All Seasons" is Fred Zinnemann's literate and powerful screen adaptation of Robert Bolt's play, that is found on a stellar, Oscar winning performance from Paul Scofield, also recreating his stage part. Robert Shaw also has a memorable turn as the bawdy Henry VII. Bolt's screenplay is a tricky dance of semantics that is pulled off swimmingly by Scofield, Shaw, and the rest of the cast, with the rest of the film given great elevation by the legendary Zinnemann, who does a great job in opening up the materal.  The final courtroom scene, featuring Scofield's scornful speech against the actions of the crown, is one of great potency. "A Man for All Seasons" is a great play adaptation and a testament to a man whose courage and faith helped him triumph over a treacherous tyrant.

Oklahoma!

At the turn of the century in the title territory, robust cowboy Curly (Gordon MacRae) tussles for the love of Laurey (Shirley Jones) with her cruel and lewd farmhand Jud (Rod Steiger), while a similar scenario plays out between Curly's friend Will (Gene Nelson) and a travelling salesman (James Whitmore), although the unscrupulous hockster is more than willing to, but unable to part with the licentious Ado Annnie (Gloria Grahame). "Oklahoma!" is a booming and delightfully infectious cinematic rendering of the Broadway success, replete with joyous, toe-tapping songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Fred Zinnemann's opening up of the stage material to the big screen is always exciting and his cast, escpecially MacRae and Grahame, is consistently excellent (it's a special treat to watch Steiger, whom I didn't realize was in the movie, sing in his sole musical number). "Oklahoma!" is a wonderful throwback to a golden age of movie musicals.