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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1989)
High Hopes and We All Think the World o f You Two British social satires, Crossing the classes, the ages, the sexes, these films cover the well-worn subject of life in England in modern times, but freshly, and with plenty of humor BY E L E A N O R M A L I N We All Think the World of You High Hopes yril. (Philip Davis) a disillusioned Marxist, is letting go of his hopes for a worker’s revolt, or at least that people would wise up to what a jerk Margaret Thatcher is and what parasites members of the royal family are. C Cyril’s longtime lover Shirley, (Ruth Sheen), is slender, brunette, buck-toothed, and looks like a sexy, laid-back, chipmunk. She has a sharp, though gentle, wit. She humors Cyril in his Marxist leanings, but is generally less interested in politics. She works on a crew planting trees in parks. Nurturing, she tends plants around their shabby apartment (the biggest cactus is named Thatcher), and longs to have children (Cyril doesn’t). Cyril’s sister, Valerie (Heather Tobias) aspires to a classier way of life. She spends a lot of her husband’s money, and copies others for clothing styles. She avidly works out. But the total effect misses the mark. In her funny glasses, giggling uncontrollably, she looks a mess. The expensive decorations in her home look a mess. She’s a true incompetent . . . she can't get the affection she wants from her hus band; she can’t express the love one guesses Ministries A Charismatic church serving the entire community Prayer, Praise and Healing omedy, yes, there are laughs in it; but We All Think the World o f You strings out the laughs among the tragedies, smaller and F o r information and service time: larger, experienced by a sizeable number of Pastor Jim (503) 282-9100 characters. Pastor Nita (503) 287-7759 Johnny, played by Greg Oldman, is a work Pastor Judy (206) 892-6861 ing class man who has had an affair with an v -___________ _____ _______________________ older, affluent man, Frank, played by Alan Bates. Johnny is later (one surmises), seduced by Megan, a working class woman, who already has a daughter, Rita, a little brat who’s not being raised very well by Megan. Megan and Johnny already have one child, “ little Dickie.’’ Frank pays Dickie’s grand mother to babysit so Megan can work. Johnny’s in jail, and is the weak, vulnerable type of character Oldman plays so well. Johnny tries to pass on the guilt to Frank. He needed money and asked for a loan, but Frank refused. Johnny drifts along serving his year in jail (for housebreaking), breaking rules and seem ing to torture Frank, (he spends all his letters and visits on Megan and his parents). Frank ends up supporting, or at least subsidizing, all of them, stuffing lots of pound notes in vases in both living rooms, sending eigs and books to the tantalizingly unavailable Johnny, and visiting the old folks on a regular basis. He even takes over the difficult chore of exercising Evie, Johnny's Alsatian pup, who soon has grown too strong and vigorous for old mum, ailing stepfather or (for sure), the pregnant-again Megan to deal with. Soon a full-scale conflict arises over Johnny’s dog. She’s both neglected and abused by the parents. Penned up in a tiny “ back yard,” the bouncy dog wriggles her way into the affections of Frank, who tries to move her to his spacious apartment, tries to buy her. This is obviously a battle for the soul of Johnny, 653-7669 however, and the strong tradition of some in MEMBER: PORTLAND’S the working classes to cling to theirs and keep MILLION DOLLAR CLUB them miserable, too, prevails as long as Johnny is in jail and the old folks are in charge. Frank thinks when Johnny gets out, he will return to him, and all will be well. The old PROPERTIES folks, Megan, even Rita, pretend to be nice, MBA Properties take his money, and secretly (or not so), ■■■■ Foote-McGrew, Inc. scorn him. ■■■■ Realtors Many kinds of prisons are subtly depicted in We Alt Think the World o f You. The ram 9955 S.E. Washington, bunctious dog in her little rabbit warren; the Suite 201 old folks in their shabby tenement, likely mess Portland, Oregon 97216 ing up little Dickie, the same as they did Johnny; Megan — not the maternal type at all — who has turned herself into a little baby factory to hold on to Johnny; Johnny in prison, then later in a dead-end job and loveless marriage. Not the easiest prison is that of Frank, who is a slave to his love for the un deserving Johnny, and his sincere compassion for the dog, Evy, along w ith the extreme incon venience that causes his formerly well-ordered Psychological life. Services There’s enough humor to categorize for this film as a comedy, and a good one, but the dreariness of the lives of the British working Women, Men, class, the suffering of the dog, the stupid look and Couples on little Dickie’s face, the final shot of Megan, pregnant af>ain — some of the content quietly verges on the horrible. Some revelations occur in final scenes that are pretty funny, though — among them being Kristine L. Falco, Psy.D. why Johnny thought he needed the money and how wrong he was. Licensed Clinical Psychologist The primo weak loser in films Unlay, Oldman makes a great wimp, trying to do the 3903 SW Kelly, Suite 210 right thing, but never having the courage to Portland. OR 97201 make the right moves. ▼ 223-8071 C I’ve built my reputation on providing the best service in the industry. I can provide you with complete analysis of your tax situation. You’ll know if you can really afford a home before you sign the papers. Sue Standard Davis she must feel for her mother. She dislikes Cyril and Shirley. Mum’s elderly. Mrs. Bender, (Edna Dore), spends her day napping, drinking, tea, and napping. She appears to be coming down with Alzheimer’s and has a bad experience at the chemist’s shop, then another at the birthday party Valerie hosts for her. Mum’s neighbors, the yuppie Boothe- Braines, seem to have no redeeming social significance. They bought into a set of run down row houses and fixed up theirs to be fashionable. When Mum’s locked out of her house, they grudgingly let her in to wait. They urge her to sell, obviously hoping for a classier neighbor, one who will fix up the yard and paint the place. Laetitia (Leslie Manville) and Rupert (David Bember) Boothe-Braine are vicious carica tures of the Brit upper class. One would have to study to be such silly, meaningless twits. Martin, Valerie’s husband, is a caricature of the working class who do. at least, make money. He has become bored with bad sex with Valerie, yet pays for bad sex with another, seemingly destituc, also uninterested woman. Always on the make, Martin hits on Shirley. “ Ever done any modeling’’ he asks the beauti- ful-within, plain-without, Shirl. “ No, but I’ve done a bit of yodeling,” she parries. Writer-director Mike Leigh uses a different technique than do most filmmakers. He casts the film first, then steeps each actor in character ( what would they feel, listen to, be likely to say, whom would they have dated), then puts them together and lets ’em rip. He cast this film very well, and the acting is fine. It feels like you are there with the folks. W A IK IK I RT AIR — 7 NTS WAIKIKI HOBRON AIRPORT TRANSFERS $452.00 PPDO TRAVEL BY JUNE 15TH. 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