Movie from 1978 with Gregory Peck and Lawrence Olivier, behind great names, a supporting early role from Bruno Ganz himself.

The movie based on a novel from Ira Levin, tells a story of a post WWII nazi hunter who goes to find an intricate plan from Josef Mengele to bring back the glory of the Third Reich.

Parts I enjoyed the most are the views of Vienna, which I hope to come back to again, and Bruno Ganz with 37 years old. I recently watched Ganz last performance in the last von Trier movie which I can write later about. Ganz there plays a magnificent role, the appearances are few but the references and the meaning of his role are key to the movie. Old, walking slow, the downhill of life. And just watching this movie, he was starting his name in Hollywood cinema. It’s amazing, or shocking how movie makes you eternal. You as a viewer can kill, bring back to life or see a thousand deaths of the actor you’d like. We are holders of their legacy, what they were behind those lines and can in some way navigate through time. The magic of movies, I guess.

Coming back to the movie. I feel all movies or the general quality of films back then (up to 1980’s) was high and among those I would rate the movie low score. I feel the story was weak, I haven’t read the book, but reading about it looks like movie didn’t miss anything. Weak as too much fiction? or maybe they tried too much that became cheap plot. Rating in the 1970’s scale is like rating a Marvel movie nowadays, entertaining but doesn’t go much further than that. But if I have to rate it in the great scale of movies from all decades considering now we have Adam Sandler movies dropping the average; then easily I rate it with 7,2.

(For those who don’t know me, I seldom watch movies/series rated lower than 7 in ImdB)

Gregory Peck in his Mengele role, tons of make up there but always a pleasure to watch him. Believable, strong, concise, maybe less sadistic of what I picture of Mengele. Olivier, sorry, but so far I don’t see why he is so important in the western film culture, I rather watch him in Marathon Man; better acting quality.

Overall score: 7,2

A week ago I got the suggestion from my father to get Marathon man checked by the end of the week. Here’s some review.

Movie is from 1976. ImdB can provide more data about the movie and cast.

Coming to think about it, 1970’s were hell of a decade for cinema in general, the reinvention of story telling and new ways of filming. Directed by John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy), comes with Dustin Hoffman and Lawrence Olivier.

Personally, I have a formed opinion of Dustin Hoffman playing it too quirky and that he seems to be a cocky person (by the way he acts looks like he is not trying to engage with other actors, but to surpass them, the movie is him). However, looking at him here, he is young, fit, running marathon man: refreshing. His performance and how he is able to express feelings to the viewer without many times words for them, brings satisfaction. Maybe Harrison Ford could have fit the role as well, but Hoffman goes out of his usual acting and brings this refreshing protagonist.

Lawrence Olivier, to my ignorance that I heard the name several times but never seen a movie with him, plays the counter part.

I was very impressed and delightfully happy to discover many extreme scenes without the use of bad words. Right now, even when characters bump on a piece of furniture you hear 3 or 4 curse words, easily. Back then, people had this world of gestures and other creative insults. Also I liked very very very much how suspense was built up and handled. For example, the earlier running scene, with the sequence and the movement of the camera, the unexpected changes, the cringe of strangers invading personal space and personal marks, and Hoffman running, just running in desperation almost, perfect.

Another scene I must give the props to, the dentist scene. No spoilers here but what a pure and raw cringe. No need to show more than necessary, movies back then trusted the viewer and cultivated the imagination of them to build what they thought was essencial. No revelations, no blood, not even a first plane or focus, the scene gets blurred leaving all to imagination.

All this successful management of suspense gets a climax in the ending, with the diamonds scene. Even though I expected the fulfillment of the punishment, it was rewarding to see someone tasting of their own medicine. A good look on how people swallowed pure gold necklaces to save them, and the comparison of Olivier swallowing his future. Finally to end his life by what he had done all the years, dying for what he was, what he used to do and the weapons he carried. No one but himself did this and he was his own punisher.

I don’t understand the nomination of Olivier for supporting actor. I am not saying the performance was weak. I just think it wasn’t long enough. It wasn’t displayed enough. It felt as a comparison of nominating someone for just a cameo. Of course, general opinion might not be it, but I felt it lacked a longer foundation.

Overall: 8,0