Best Movies by Farr

For Black History Month, 10 Key Films on the African-American Experience

With Martin Luther King's birthday just past us, and Black History month coming up, the time seems right to celebrate those invaluable films that shed light on the black community's long struggle for equal rights in this country.

Even for those of us who think we know the story well, it's one that always bears repeating, both for ourselves and our children, and an assortment of outstanding movies on DVD can help.

Until the early sixties, the portrayal of black characters in movies was confined to servants, porters, and other similar stereotypes. With too rare exceptions, only with the advent of the Civil Rights movement did the film industry wake up and begin to show black people as three-dimensional characters endowed with intelligence and pride.

The 10 key titles listed here, which combine documentary and narrative forms, bear authentic witness to the black experience, past and present, while lending crucial perspective on their courageous fight for the kind of freedom and opportunity that white people have always taken for granted.

A Raisin In The Sun (1961) -- Walter Lee Younger (Sidney Poitier) is a proud but frustrated young man counting on his recently widowed mother, Lena (Claudia McNeil), to let him invest her $10,000 life-insurance check in a business which could lift him and his family out of their dead-end existence. Despite her son's entreaties, Lena plans to buy a home and leave Chicago's South Side for good, stoking Walter's anguish and resentment. Based on Lorraine Hansberry's play, Daniel Petrie's magnificent A Raisin In The Sun provides an ideal star vehicle for young Poitier's explosive talent. The actor projects barely suppressed rage as he pleads with Claudia McNeil's resolute matriarch, who wants to use her money to buy a new home. Poitier's raw desperation is palpable as his one chance to better himself slips away. See this for Poitier's intense performance, and McNeil's equally powerful turn as his mother. Ruby Dee also scores as Ruth, Walter's long-suffering wife.

Nothing But A Man (1964) -- In this landmark independent film by Michael Roemer, Duff (Ivan Dixon), a struggling black railroad worker meets Josie (Lincoln), a shy, refined preacher's daughter. They fall in love, but soon Josie must adjust to Duff's frustration as he faces discrimination in a repetitive, dead-end job. How they surmount these obstacles and stay together shines a penetrating light on the black experience of the time. A lean film of unusual grace and power, thanks to a perceptive script and solid characterizations. Both Dixon and jazz singer Lincoln give heartfelt portrayals as Duff and Josie, and look for the late, great Julius Harris playing Duff's drunk, delinquent father. Nothing is an inspiring work of cinema that helped fuel the Civil Rights era, and still speaks volumes today.

The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) -- Originally a TV movie, "Pittman" traces the life of the title character from a childhood in slavery all the way through to the civil-rights movement. The film begins in 1962 as an aged Pittman is visited in her Baton Rouge home by journalist Quentin Lerner (Michael Murphy), who, vetting material for a book, prompts her recall of events both tragic and inspiring. The gifted Cicely Tyson is a marvel as Jane, gradually transforming from a young girl to a wizened but still spirited lady of 100+ years. A revealing history lesson and tribute to the sturdy spirit of one human being who endured through periods of vast change, this important and touching film feeds both brain and heart. Widely recognized as a creative milestone in television programming, Pittman makes for ideal family viewing.

Killer Of Sheep (1977) -- Living hand to mouth in the Watts section of Los Angeles, Stan (Henry Gayle Sanders) toils at a slaughterhouse, where the dispiriting, mind-numbing routine of dispatching livestock leaves him emotionally remote from his wife (Kaycee Moore) and young son. Under these circumstances, life's pleasures come in small and unexpected ways. New to DVD, Charles Burnett's tender, affecting film, a landmark in American independent cinema, hasn't much of a plot, content instead to observe the melancholic daily existence of an impoverished African-American neighborhood. But its neorealist aesthetic, lugubrious pace, and minimal storyline are the ingredients for a surprisingly moving film that depicts ghetto life with lasting beauty and an authentic sense of humanity. Both touching and heartbreaking, with a sweet jazz score setting a mood of inner yearning, the under-exposed Killer of Sheep should be at the top of your must-see list.

Say Amen, Somebody (1982) -- The unparalleled joy and healing power of gospel music is brought to life in this uplifting documentary. Part-history lesson, part-revival meeting, the movie not only stresses the importance of this musical form in people's spiritual lives, but also allows us to see its transforming effect in the here and now. Regardless of anyone's race or creed, this entry provides rare nourishment for the soul, as we listen to its infectious practitioners, both young and old. Especially poignant are the respective presences of "Professor" Thomas Dorsey, then over eighty, and "Mother" Willie May Ford Smith, a hearty seventy-nine. With its message of love and hope made contagious, Director George Nierenberg fashions a touchingly human and inspiring portrait that translates how this special music has sustained (mainly) African-American people through adversity for so long. A humbling and glorious achievement.

Eyes On The Prize (1987) -- This six-episode PBS miniseries provides an in-depth look at the American Civil Rights movement, covering the storied struggles during the insurgent years from 1954-1965, and culminating in the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Interviews with participants both legendary and obscure are interwoven with now iconic archival footage to provide a full picture of the fight. We revisit the marches, bus boycotts, and the tortuous path to school integration, and hear the inspiring words of Martin Luther King Jr. ring out once again across the decades. This justly lauded Emmy winner is the definitive document for anyone wishing to fully understand this tumultuous moment in history, and that should be most everyone. Its detailed, rigorous recounting of a seminal period in American history covers topics and events often glossed over in history class, such as the Emmett Till murder trial and how race played a role at the contentious 1964 Democratic Convention. It also does full justice to the legacy of spiritual leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks, whose proud defiance sparked a movement. Perhaps most important, Eyes gives voice to the average citizens who participated -- those who helped changed history, but never received recognition for it. We should all prize -- and watch -- this landmark work of remembrance.

Glory (1989) -- This is the true story of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), son of Massachusetts abolitionists, who's appointed to lead the first black regiment for the Union in the Civil War. Before this group is able to prove their mettle in battle, Shaw must fight injustice within the Union hierarchy, as superior officers doubt the regiment's ability to fight and seem unwilling (at first) to even equip them properly. Ultimately, Shaw's faith in his men is borne out heroically. Edward Zwick's vivid Civil War epic boasts terrific battle sequences, but aside from the story's inherent fascination, what sets this movie apart is the incredible acting glimpsed in between the gunfire. Broderick brings to Shaw a nuanced mix of determination and vulnerability, but Denzel Washington virtually steals the picture as a defiant enlisted man. (He won an Oscar for this.) Morgan Freeman also shines as a wise, seasoned regimental sergeant. Glory delivers both rousing entertainment and a vital history lesson, in one winning package.

Malcolm X (1992) -- Ambitious film chronicles the remarkable life of murdered civil-rights leader Malcolm X (Denzel Washington), born Malcolm Little, from his early years in a Harlem gang to his religious conversion during a stint in prison, marriage to Betty Shabazz (Angela Bassett), and eventual rise to fame as a controversial orator and spokesman for the Nation of Islam, led by Elijah Muhammad (Al Freeman Jr.). A life-changing pilgrimage to Mecca, however, not only upends Malcolm's radical views of race, but tragically puts him on the outs with his mentor. Built around a commanding performance by star Washington, Spike Lee's Malcolm X is the writer-director's most ambitious, impassioned film to date, as it presents a turbulent and eventful life filled with self-transformation. The Oscar-nominated Washington never lets you forget his hero's fiery charisma, the emotional impact and candor of his speeches, or the resentment he faced from both sides of the racial divide. With a top-notch cast, and Ernest Dickerson's fluid camerawork creating immediacy, Malcolm X bristles with energy and impact.

4 Little Girls (1997) -- Spike Lee's documentary revisits a shocking crime that shook the nation in 1963, when a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama was blown up, killing four African-American girls. The film combines reminiscences of the girls' families and friends with observations on the times and the event's broader significance within the Civil Rights movement. Girls may be heartbreaking to watch, but it's also essential viewing, as director Lee revisits an atrocity we should never forget. The overwhelming sense of personal loss and moral outrage is palpable. It's also striking how this unthinkable tragedy accelerated the progress of civil rights, with the barbarity of the southern segregationists' act thrusting the race issue right to the front of the world stage. Ultimately, these four promising, innocent girls are seen as martyrs to the age-old struggle for racial equality. Don't miss this touching, insightful film.

Freedom Riders (2010) -- During the turbulent Civil Rights era, over 400 men and women, black and white, challenged segregation laws by riding buses together into the Deep South. As a result of this non-violent act, these activists endured beatings, tear gas, and imprisonment. Based on the acclaimed book by Raymond Arsenault, Riders brings together interviews with the participants themselves, as well as journalists, government officials, and other first-hand witnesses. The result is a vivid account of a gallant struggle against racial injustice. While most Americans have doubtless heard of the Freedom Riders, this meticulously researched work, presented by the acclaimed PBS series American Experience, provides a level of immediacy and detail that brings the whole period back into vivid focus. Nominated for three Emmys, the film is a superb technical achievement, but more than anything else, its story of ordinary citizens taking extraordinary risks for the noblest of ideals is both affecting and profoundly humbling. This fascinating, inspirational chapter in our country's history should be required viewing for all thoughtful people, young and old.

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For His Upcoming Birthday, the Top Ten Cary Grant Movies by Farr

Next week marks the 108th anniversary of Cary Grant's birth.

Have people forgotten Cary Grant? He's been gone a quarter of a century now, and his last movie was made forty-five years ago.

Personally, I don't believe so. He was too good, too much of an original to fade away from our collective consciousness.

What made him so special?

For one thing, he managed to appeal in equal measure to both men and women: women for all the evident reasons, men because he flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Though possessed of an almost feminine beauty and grace, he still managed to project masculinity, brains, and most importantly, humor.

When an interviewer gushed to the star that everyone wanted to be Cary Grant, he famously replied, "So would I." This seemingly off-hand remark spoke volumes, for the Cary Grant persona was painstakingly developed and refined by a mortal man with his own fair share of foibles, fears and weaknesses.

It's easy to forget (if you even knew in the first place) that this personification of suave elegance endured a miserable lower middle class upbringing in Bristol, England as Archie Leach, the son of a mentally unstable mother and a father who first had his wife committed and then deserted the family.

Archie found salvation -- literally -- by joining the circus, where his natural athleticism made him a skilled tumbler and acrobat. A first tantalizing taste of performing before crowds would eventually lead him to the stage, and eventually, Hollywood.

As great as he was, in his time people sensed he was always playing Cary Grant, and for this he was marginalized slightly, never winning an Oscar over a thirty-five year career.

Of course, Oscar has most always lacked a funny bone, so humorous films have often received short shrift in the nominations. This is, of course, ridiculous, since comedies are the most difficult form to bring off successfully.

As to Grant not winning an Oscar, the sheer talent it took to play Cary Grant -- particularly in his great comedies -- cannot be underestimated; the plain truth is that he was totally unique.

How could anyone so perfect -- with full ten ratings on looks, style, and charm -- also be so approachable? Though blessed with a virtually flawless appearance, he was never arrogant or remote. His innate decency and charm always managed to penetrate the surface gloss. That's why we loved him.

The following ten films represent my top ten "desert island" Cary Grant picks. In anticipation of sampling some of these ageless features, let's wish Archie Leach a happy birthday, and thank him profusely for giving us Cary Grant, a character who will remain forever young, vital and real.

Topper (1937) -- George and Marion Kirby (Grant and Constance Bennett) have it all: they're rich, attractive and glamorous -- that is, until they're killed when driving their roadster too fast. Now bona-fide ghosts, the couple have one final errand to do before going to their eternal rest: help their stifled, hen-pecked banker Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) get more out of life -- while he's still living! This uproarious comedy was another step to super-stardom for Cary, who first showed his comic chops here. Bennett (older sister of Joan) is the essence of high-toned beauty as wife Marion. Young is also memorable as the put-upon Cosmo, a man who must cope not only with a rigid, controlling wife (Billie Burke) but a couple of goofy, upper crust specters who keep turning his well-ordered world upside down.

The Awful Truth(1937) -- Grant and the sublime Irene Dunne play Jerry and Lucy Warriner, a wealthy young couple who temporarily drift apart and impulsively initiate divorce proceedings. Both are unwilling to admit the obvious fact that they're still in love. Their eventual rapprochement becomes one delightful, hilarious dance. Director Leo McCarey was a genius with comedy, and this consistently sharp, side-splitting picture proves it. When Lucy starts an ill-advised rebound relationship with a rich oil rube from Oklahoma (wonderfully played by Ralph Bellamy) Jerry starts popping in even more often to embarrass his former spouse. Predictably, a good bit of the time he ends up embarrassing himself. This underexposed classic hasn't aged a day since its release.

Bringing Up Baby (1938) -- Paleontologist David Huxley (Grant) leads a quiet, studious life. Then, quite by accident he runs into daffy heiress Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) who quickly takes a shine to the handsome, bespectacled scientist. Used to getting what she wants, Susan simply won't let David go. Before long, Huxley's life gets turned upside down, as Susan kidnaps him to her starchy aunt's Connecticut estate, along with her explorer brother's recently arrived present, a tame leopard called "Baby." The mayhem escalates from there. Howard Hawks's quintessential screwball outing remains one of our most riotous and inspired screen comedies. Grant and Hepburn are in fabulous form, with Grant wholly convincing as the nerdy, befuddled victim, and Kate on fire as a flaky but determined lass who's finally found true love, and intends to hold on, come what may.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939) -- The riveting Angel centers on one Geoff Carter (Grant) operator of an airfreight service in South America's fog-enshrouded Andes Mountains. Often confronting treacherous flying conditions, Geoff must make life-or-death decisions about when his men can fly. Further complicating life on the ground is the arrival of Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) a showgirl in transit who's socked in by weather, and Macpherson (Richard Barthelmess) a pilot harboring a dark secret. Macpherson is also joined by his young wife Judy (Rita Hayworth) who, it turns out, had once been involved with Geoff. The plot thickens along with the fog. Elements of drama and romance comingle with the serious business of men being men in this involving, exciting adventure story. Grant stretches his screen persona effortlessly as a tough guy with little humor and no polish, and Arthur makes a spunky love interest. Young Hayworth is also stunning in a breakthrough role.

His Girl Friday (1940) -- Sneaky, slimy newspaper editor Walter Burns (Grant) will do anything to prevent his best reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) from leaving the paper for a dull marriage to the chronically normal Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). As fate would have it, the year's biggest story is breaking, as a condemned killer breaks out of jail, and even Hildy can't resist the lure of the scoop. Will Walter's nefarious scheming prevent Hildy from reaching the altar? Director Howard Hawks teams with Grant again to create what may be the fastest film comedy ever. A remake of The Front Page, this version's inspired plot twist is that Hildy is a female reporter, formerly wed to loveable scoundrel Burns. The conceit works, as underneath Walter and Hildy's scathing, rapid-fire repartee we sense a strong (though somewhat twisted) animal attraction. Both Grant and Russell are in top form, and all we have to do is keep up with them. A rip-roaring good time, from start to finish.

The Philadelphia Story (1940) -- Haughty Philadelphia socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is engaged to marry self-made, upstanding George Kittredge (John Howard) after divorcing her wealthy, careless first spouse, C.K. Dexter-Haven (Grant). C.K shows up for the event with no hard feelings, along with society reporter/frustrated novelist Macaulay "Mike" Connor (James Stewart) and photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey). What transpires next is a peerless comedy of errors, where, thankfully, everything comes out right in the end. George Cukor's pitch-perfect adaptation of Philip Barry's hit play marked a triumphant Hollywood comeback for Kate (having earlier been labeled "box-office poison" by exhibitors) and an Oscar-winning vehicle for up-and-coming star James Stewart, wonderful as a fish out of water in high society. Though overlooked by the Academy, Grant is every bit as good as the raffish C.K., while Hepburn shines in what may be her signature role. Don't miss Roland Young's hilarious turn as naughty Uncle Willie. Sly and sophisticated, this title stands as one of our finest screen comedies.

Notorious (1946) -- American intelligence officers tracking Nazis in post-war South America coerce Alicia Hubermann (Ingrid Bergman) daughter of an executed Nazi spy, to use her feminine wiles to implicate more of her father's colleagues, including one Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains). Before the assignment is disclosed; however, American agent Devlin (Grant) and Alicia have already begun a passionate romance, complicating matters going forward. Notorious still delivers outstanding suspense, with director Alfred Hitchcock at his most subtle. The story of a fallen woman-first redeemed by love, then put in peril is gripping throughout, and stars Grant and Bergman emit powerful on-screen chemistry. Acting laurels also go to supporting player Rains, who's never been slimier than here, playing a Nazi agent. But then, just look at his friends -- and that mother!

To Catch A Thief (1955) -- On the sun-drenched French Riviera, someone is relieving rich women of their precious jewels, and all the evidence points to retired cat burglar John Robie (Grant). Reluctant to sit still for questioning, "The Cat" evades investigators who show up at his luxe villa and -- with the help of London insurer H.H. Hughson (John Williams) -- cozies up to wealthy American widow Mrs. Stevens (Jesse Royce Landis) who he believes may be the thief's next victim. Robie's only hope for clearing himself will be to expose his imitator, that is if Mrs. Stevens' knockout daughter Francie (Grace Kelly) doesn't distract him too much! Filmed in VistaVision by Oscar winner Robert Burks, Alfred Hitchcock's swanky, breezy suspense film takes a simple idea -- one cat burglar on the tail of another -- and spins it into cinematic gold. With his customary wit and sexual innuendo, the director positions tanned star Grant on a collision course with the resplendent Kelly, who never looked more ravishing as spoiled heiress Francie, especially in a wide-brimmed white sun hat and bathing outfit Jackie O might have coveted. When they kiss, there are literally fireworks on-screen, a technique Hitch used to keep the censors from snipping his film. You'll have a lot of fun catching this "Thief."

North By Northwest (1959) -- By chance, martini-swilling ad man Roger Thornhill (Grant) is mistaken for a top spy, and set up for murder. He then finds himself in the unfamiliar position of fugitive, crisscrossing the country in search of the real culprit, his only chance of survival. Along the way, he meet the beautiful but mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie-Saint) who wants to help him. But is she who or what she seems? Fifty years after release, Northwest still provides kinetic, colorful entertainment for the whole family, full of director Hitchcock's trademark twists and turns. Only Cary could undertake such a rugged and dangerous journey and keep looking marvelous with no change of clothes. Marie-Saint is appropriately enigmatic and alluring as the icy blonde who may or may not be in his corner. James Mason's treacherous turn as cold-blooded enemy agent Philip Vandamm also stays etched in your memory.

Charade (1963) -- Parisian Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) knew she had marital problems, but when her errant husband gets mysteriously killed, she finds being a widow even more troublesome. It seems her spouse was involved in hijacking some significant loot during the war, and now some of his past comrades want to know where the money went. H. Bartholemew (Walter Matthau) is the government agent also interested in the case, and suave Peter Joshua (Grant) the gallant older man who serves as Regina's protector. But is Peter really on Regina's side? This Hitchcock homage provides a last glimpse of Cary as leading man. At sixty, the actor still brings off his trademark persona superbly. Hepburn is also in top form as the put upon damsel in distress. Deftly combining mystery, romance, and humor, director Stanley Donen creates a chic, sophisticated mood via gorgeous Paris locations and a smooth Henry Mancini score. The supporting cast shines as well, with James Coburn and George Kennedy standing out among the heavies. As top-drawer entertainment, Charade is the real thing.

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Actor's Actor: Birthday Salute to Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall, one of our finest living screen actors, turns 81 tomorrow.

Born to a career military officer from Virginia and his wife, an amateur actress and descendant of General Robert E. Lee, Duvall's childhood was peripatetic, as his father was transferred frequently to various bases around the country.

(The military bearing Duvall absorbed from his father would later come in handy as he played officers several times in his career, notably in 1979's "The Great Santini" and "Apocalypse Now". He'd even portray his own ancestor, Robert E. Lee, in 2003's "Gods and Generals".)

In the mid-fifties, after a stint in the Army, young Duvall ended up in New York City, studying acting under the legendary Sanford Meisner.

In those uncertain salad days, Duvall roomed with fellow actor Dustin Hoffman, and counted another struggling thespian named Gene Hackman among his good friends.

One day Meisner decided Duvall might be just right for a play written by a young dramatist from Texas named Horton Foote. That idea would change Duvall's life, as it would be Foote who suggested casting him in his first important screen role several years later.

The film was "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962), which Foote adapted from Harper Lee's bestselling book. This would not be the last collaboration between the two men.

Balding, fairly short and lacking traditional leading man looks, it would take Duvall several more years to really break through in the movies (for instance, he has just a minute or two of screen time as a cabbie in 1968's "Bullitt"). Still, all the while he was making a name for himself, both on stage and television.

It was that all-too-brief golden age of Hollywood film in the early- mid 1970s that finally put him over-the-top in feature films.

Little-known fact: Duvall has appeared in more films ranked in the AFI's top 100 list than any other actor: six to be exact, five of them made in the seventies. (James Stewart and Robert De Niro are close runners-up, with five films apiece).

Duvall counts himself a staunch Republican, and owns a large spread in Virginia. Three times divorced, he is now married to a woman half his age. He also maintains a home in Buenos Aires, which makes sense, since he's fluent in Spanish, and loves the tango.

A consummate character actor, Duvall has not only stayed busy but maintained the quality of films he's done over the years. Professionally, he's proven himself to be as savvy and disciplined as he is talented.

He can look back with pride on a rich and colorful life, and his contributions to film should never be underestimated, as the following ten titles demonstrate.

M*A*S*H (1970)- Robert Altman's black comedy details the shenanigans of Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland), Trapper John McIntyre (Elliott Gould), and Duke Forrest (Tom Skerritt), three rogue surgeons assigned to a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War. Their various hijinks, infractions, and practical jokes cause havoc wherever they go, but also serve to distract them from the bloody horror they face in the operating room each day. This groundbreaking anti-war entry was director Altman's breakthrough, and in our view still stands as his finest, purest work: an uproarious, razor-sharp satire that feels as fresh and irreverent today as when first released. (Note the extensive use of overlapping dialogue, which was considered quite an innovation at the time). The film features top-notch performances, with Gould and Kellerman standouts as, respectively, Trapper John and "Hot Lips" Houlihan. Also look for Duvall playing stuck-up surgeon Frank Burns. Ring Lardner Jr.'s script took home an Oscar- and no wonder. Remember: "Suicide is painless"!

The Godfather (1972)- This stunning, often brutal film portrays the last days in the reign of aging Mafia patriarch Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), and the gradual transformation of his youngest (and favorite) son, Michael (Al Pacino), a decorated war veteran in 1940s New York who at first has no intention of joining the family business. But after Don Vito is shot by a rival who wants to move heroin through his turf, Michael elects to seek vengeance, and is then forced to hide out in Sicily. It's only a matter of time before Michael returns to inherit the mantle from his beloved father, who has recuperated somewhat but is permanently weakened and ready to retire. Long before "The Sopranos," a young Francis Ford Coppola transformed our understanding of the relationship between organized crime and corporate American profiteering with this operatic ode based on Mario Puzo's acclaimed novel. Moody and violent, "Godfather" combines a bullets-blazing mobster film with a gripping family saga. And what a cast: Pacino, Duvall, James Caan, and Diane Keaton are all superlative. Brando, of course, reaffirmed his own exalted place in cinema with his stunning portrayal of the title character. Coppola fought with Paramount to achieve his personal vision, but ultimately triumphed, winning the 1972 Oscar for Best Picture.

Tomorrow (1972)- In early twentieth century Mississippi, solitary, soft-spoken cotton farmer Jackson Fentry (Duvall) takes a job working as the winter custodian of a broken-down sawmill. When he finds a pregnant woman named Sarah Eubanks (Olga Bellin) wandering the property, he soon learns that her husband and family have abandoned her. Fentry takes her in, becoming her caretaker. Eventually, a tender bond develops between them. But just as the two finally marry and Fentry vows to raise her child as his adopted son, tragedy strikes. This spare, sad tale of two lonely souls finding each other all too briefly was based on a William Faulkner short story that was then adapted by frequent Duvall collaborator Horton Foote. Director Joseph Anthony handles the material with restraint and sensitivity, opening the film with a tense courtroom scene that triggers a flashback revealing Fentry's tale of woe. Quiet but intensely watchable, and sporting a thick accent that seems to have inspired Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade" character, Duvall solidly anchors this heartbreaking film, which deserves a wider audience.

The Godfather, Part II (1974)-Director Coppola continues the rich saga of the Corleone crime family both by looking back and forward: the film at one traces the early life of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro), from his arrival in America as a boy, to his ruthless ascent to power in the underworld of the early twentieth century. It also charts the life and career of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) as his father's successor nearly half a century later, ruling his family in turbulent times. Michael becomes increasingly isolated in the process, losing the love of wife Kay (Diane Keaton), and the steadying influence of his father's consigliere, Tom Hayden (Duvall). One of the rare sequels that equals if not exceeds its distinguished predecessor, "The Godfather- Part 2" stands as a work of enduring cinematic brilliance. Coppola skillfully interweaves two fascinating periods in history: the actual birth of organized crime as immigrants swelled our shores in the early 1900s, and the challenging period of the 1950s, when the Mafia became too big and prosperous not to be noticed. Both these periods are evoked superbly via first-rate cinematography, costumes and set design. Script and performances excel- in short, everything works. The film won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Supporting Actor for De Niro (Pacino was also nominated). A triumph for the ages.

Network (1976)- Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) is a type A network television executive who rides the wave of an unfolding ratings sensation broadcasting deranged televangelist Howard Beale (Peter Finch, in his final performance). Unexpectedly, Beale has hit a chord with disillusioned Americans, urging them to chant his mantra: "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." But the Beale phenomenon may not last, as Howard's ever more bizarre rants signal an emotional breakdown in the offering. Sidney Lumet's devastating, disturbing satire of the modern broadcast age (written by Paddy Chayefsky) still has a lot to say thirty-five years after release. Beyond portraying a business that bypasses quality in single-minded pursuit of the dollar, television serves as metaphor for a society mired in sensationalism and greed. Dunaway is commanding in a caffeinated performance as ruthless Diana, William Holden unusually affecting as a washed-up veteran of TV's glory days, and Finch a revelation as the unbalanced Beale, winning a posthumous Oscar for his work. Duvall holds his own in very good company as Diana's network boss, who's trying hard not to go crazy himself. A must-see film.

Apocalypse Now Redux (1979)- During the Vietnam War, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is given the unusual assignment of tracking down and eliminating rogue Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a decorated career officer who has broken the chain of command and is presumed insane. Willard and his team venture into remote territory to find the enigmatic Kurtz. Symbolically, they're all traveling to the very core of man's bestial instincts. Will the young Captain succeed in his mission, or go mad in the attempt? Director Francis Ford Coppola's re-edited "Redux" version includes new scenes that help clarify some loose ends in the original cut of this acknowledged masterpiece. "Apocalypse" stands as a wildly ambitious, mesmerizing acid-trip of a war movie that melds together the savage themes of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" (on which it's based) with the inherent waste of Vietnam. The final result is grand spectacle, augmented by a brilliant use of music. The key performances-from Sheen, an Oscar-nominated Duvall, and a gonzo Dennis Hopper in particular-achieve a rare intensity, and even Brando- bald, bloated, and incoherent- manages to fascinate. Once seen, never forgotten. Suggestion: for the ideal double feature, follow this with (Francis's wife) Eleanor Coppola's revealing documentary on the jinxed production of this film, "Hearts Of Darkness" (1991).

Tender Mercies (1983)- Mac Sledge (Duvall), once a successful country music balladeer, has a severe drinking problem that has caused him to hit bottom. Mac quickly realizes that when there is nowhere deeper to sink, you either die or climb back up into the world. With the help of gentle widow Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) and her young boy, Sonny (Alan Hubbard), Mac gradually finds the strength to reclaim his life. This unadorned gem, beautifully realized by Australian director Bruce Beresford from Horton Foote's brilliant, Academy Award winning script, represents a career peak for Duvall. His bravura performance won him that year's Best Actor Oscar- and he even got to sing in this film. Also look for fine supporting turns from Wilford Brimley, Betty Buckley, and a young Ellen Barkin. (Trivia note: coincidentally, screenwriter Foote had also won the Screenplay Oscar for Duvall's first film twenty years earlier, "To Kill A Mockingbird").

The Apostle (1997)- After discovering that his wife Jessie (Farrah Fawcett) is having an affair with younger minister Horace (Todd Allen), devout Pentecostal preacher Sonny Dewey (Duvall), a father of two young children, loses his wits and attacks the man with a bat, sending him into a coma. Fleeing Texas, Sonny assumes a new identity in Louisiana, opens a church, and revitalizes the faith of mostly black locals with his spirited, inspirational sermons. But Sonny's past sins aren't so easily washed away. Duvall wrote, directed, and starred in this stirring evangelical drama about faith, personal passion, and moral responsibility, a pet project he spent over a decade bringing to the big screen. The actor is nothing less than sensational in an Oscar-nominated turn as Dewey, a pious yet deeply conflicted man whose belief in salvation is never in question. Excellent performances by Fawcett, Miranda Richardson, and Billy Bob Thornton as a bayou racist tweak the picture, but Duvall throws himself into the marquee role heart and soul. "The Apostle" will make a believer out of you.

A Civil Action (1998)- This fact-based film tells the story of Jan Schlictmann (John Travolta), a personal-injury attorney who pursues a negligence suit against corporate titans W.R Grace and Beatrice Foods. The companies have a joint interest in a leather-production facility in Woburn, Massachusetts, whose illegal dumping of toxic waste may have led to the deaths of several local children. Anne Anderson (Kathleen Quinlan), the mother of one victim, decides to sue. As Jan immerses himself in this high-stakes battle, he wagers everything he has on a positive outcome, but his opposing counsel, Jerome Facher (Duvall), is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant, ruthless legal minds around. Is Jan in over his head? Produced by Robert Redford and based on the best-selling book by Jonathan Harr, this gripping, literate enviro-action legal drama is the classic David and Goliath story - the little people versus big industry - told with gusto and in a decidedly unpredictable fashion. "Action" features a stellar cast, notably John Lithgow as the trial judge, and an Oscar-nominated Duvall as Facher. William H. Macy also distinguishes himself playing Jan's understandably anxious accountant. It may sound dry as paper, but this absorbing courtroom drama grabs you by the throat and never lets go.

Crazy Heart (2009)- Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a country singer/songwriter well past his prime and with a drinking problem, reduced to eking out a living playing small venues. Then a tentative romance with female reporter Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and an unexpected reunion with country music megastar Tommy Sweet (Farrell), who was coming up when Bad was still riding high, inspire the older man both to write again and address his personal demons. Will Bad make a comeback-and find love in the process? First and foremost, "Crazy Heart" serves as a fabulous showcase for star Bridges, who snagged a well-deserved Oscar for his portrayal of a broken-down man who suddenly finds reason to seek redemption. Gyllenhaal is also appealing as the love interest, but it's the mellowing Duvall who gives the film extra ballast and seasoning playing Wayne, the true-blue friend who helps Bad get clean and sober. (Duvall also produced this film, which is reminiscent of his own "Tender Mercies" twenty-five years earlier). Both Bridges and Duvall also get to sing, and Bridges's number, "The Weary Kind", won an Oscar.

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On "The Artist", The Lure of Nostalgia, and Ten Silent Movies Worth Talking Up

Just when you start believing there's no hope for anything daring and original coming out of Movieland, something gets released that surprises you.

The Artist is one such movie -- and what's new about it is that it's old.

Or rather -- it's a silent film -- not just a spoof à la Mel Brooks's Silent Movie (1976), but a true homage to a lost art form.

And The Artist really works, recapturing all the charm of a bygone era when movies were really on a roll.

Along with Martin Scorsese's just-released Hugo, the film taps into a growing wave of longing for the kind of pictures that made this relatively new medium so powerful and popular in the first place.

A.O. Scott's recent piece in the New York Times ("Film Is Dead? What Else Is New?") examines this phenomenon, and presumably since his living mostly involves celebrating and promoting the new stuff, he largely debunks it.

Scott's basic argument follows: 1) people have argued movies are going downhill or extinct before, yet they always survive; 2) change is inevitable, and the natural order of things; and 3) in future decades, older viewers will be grousing about how they don't make comedies like they did back in, say, 2011. (Now that's a scary thought!)

Even if all this is true, it misses the essential point.

Many viewers are indeed disillusioned with most of the mainstream domestic movies today, and there are tangible reasons for it -- reasons which go beyond the technical considerations Scott cites in his article (eg, the transition from film to video-based, digital formats).

It's the content up there on the screen that's the real issue.

With too infrequent exceptions, for years now Hollywood has relied way too much on features where quick cutting, computer effects, and sheer noise (!) all work overtime to compensate for bland, predictable scripts populated with types, not characters.

Worse yet, there's a slick, superficial, cynical tone pervading many of these entries. These are not movies that make you feel good about movies, particularly if you're over thirty. (Many of these releases target our attention-challenged kids, which is hardly a comfort.)

Granted, there appears to be a fairly broad populace out there, perhaps conditioned by tabloid reality shows, who seem perfectly content with entertainment that demands nothing from them, and delivers very little that's memorable or meaningful in return.

And so Hollywood continues cranking it out.

Yet for other viewers (and their numbers are swelling), this content neither entertains nor exhilarates, it simply numbs. These are the folks who have virtually stopped going to theatres, the ones who dare to ask A.O. Scott why there are so few good movies anymore.

For these people, when a film like The Artist comes out to significant acclaim, it is a kind of revelation. Because it proves they're not alone -- that considerable nostalgia does exist for movies of the old school -- movies that entertain while engaging both head and heart.

(Never mind that The Artist emanated from Europe, not Hollywood.Then there's the frustrating issue of distribution: while it's easy to find a plethora of substandard entries at your nearby cineplex, currently The Artist is playing at a grand total of four theatres nationwide. Though this will expand, for many Americans, it may never play "at a theatre near you." )

Assuming these promising entries make some money and provide Oscar fodder, could it be the lost art of silent movies will stage a comeback? Or will the studios suddenly start investing in recreating the frothy, sophisticated screwball comedies of the '30s?

Of course not -- and that's not really the point.

The opportunity is to make more films for today that at least take a page from what made the best older movies -- whether talkie or silent -- distinctive and enduring. (Hint: intelligent stories and scripts count; and a recent release like the smart, taut Margin Call is a good example of what we'd like to see more of.)

If this doesn't happen, more discerning viewers will continue avoiding their local movie theatre and instead look back in time, or abroad, to find what they really want to watch.

On the subject of looking back, before seeing The Artist, even I would have been wary to do a piece about the best silent films for home viewing.

But now, having watched it, I feel emboldened, because the movie reminded me just what made this form of filmmaking unique -- the use of expression, gesture and movement -- rather than voice and sound -- to convey emotion and advance the story. When done well, a silent film can be every bit as riveting as a talking one.

Here then are ten silent classics, domestic and foreign, familiar and forgotten, which I think every true movie fan should see at least once:

The Wildcat (1921)- Banished to a remote military post for his unrepentant womanizing, Bavarian lieutenant Alexis (Paul Heidemann) leaves behind a bevy of weeping women and hits the road to a fairy-tale hamlet called Piffkaneiro. In the mountains, his military convoy is attacked by bandits led by free-spirited tomboy Rischka (Pola Negri), who, finding her captive rather attractive, spares his life, leaving the handsome lieutenant to hoof it to the nearby fort in his skivvies, utterly smitten. Unfortunately, the jowly German commandant has arranged for Alexis to wed his dull daughter. Set in a snow-covered fantasy land, Ernst Lubitsch's brilliant and subversively funny satire of marriage and military mores dazzles not only for its frenetic pace and tart performances (Negri's bandit girl is especially saucy), but for its sumptuous sets, adventurous technique, and ever-shifting, almost expressionistic visual style. Even the dialogue is rhymed, like an operetta, all of which might explain why Lubitsch called it a "grotesque in four acts." The director makes hay of military pride and turns all manner of social convention inside out, yet still manages to surprise with an ending (in matrimonial handcuffs!) that reflects his superb comic flair, even in these early years. As one of the most inventive and uproarious of silent comedies, "The Wildcat" deserves a wider audience.

La Roue (1923)- Railroad engineer Sisif (Séverin-Mars) rescues an English baby orphaned in a train wreck and decides to adopt her as a companion for his slightly older son Elie (Gabriel de Gravone). Years later, both father and son have fallen in love with Norma (Close), though she has been promised to another man. When Elie dies in a fight with the other suitor, Sisif is inconsolable, blaming Norma for the loss of his only son. But as time passes, their relationship takes an unexpectedly intimate turn. A mournful melodrama about conflicted love and the pain of loss, Abel Gance's "La Roue" emerged out of two momentous events in the fabled French director's life: the sudden loss of his wife, and a fateful meeting with D.W. Griffith, who taught Gance the principles of montage editing. Shot on location in Nice and in the Alps, "La Roue" is infused with melancholic human feeling as it tracks Norma and Sisif's cathartic life journey. But the dynamic technical innovation on display here is the source of this film's timeless, breath-stealing magic. (Note: at just over four hours, you may want to watch this in two installments, but do watch it- it's well worth the time investment.)

Battleship Potemkin (1925)- Oppressed by their commanding officers, the enlisted crewmen of the Battleship Potemkin stage a mutinous revolt in 1905 Russia, led by charismatic young sailor Vokulinchuk (Aleksandr Antonov). When he is killed during the violent skirmish that results, the citizens of port town Odessa join the struggle against the Czarist regime. Master cinematic innovator Sergei Eisenstein's exhilarating, world-renowned masterpiece re-creates the ill-starred 1905 Russian Revolution that presaged the Bolshevik uprising twelve years later. Celebrated for its brilliant rapid-cut montage techniques, "Potemkin" is a rousing film of great emotional and symbolic richness whose visual sweep and driving energy were unparalleled at the time. The famous Odessa Steps sequence, in which a baby carriage goes careening down stairs as the Cossacks massacre rebellious townsfolk, has been imitated many times, most recently in "The Untouchables." For 69 minutes of pure, visceral cinema, board Battleship Potemkin. (Note: we recommend the Image Entertainment edition.)

Sunrise (1927)- Seduced by an alluring, mysterious coquette from the city (Margaret Livingston), a country farmer (George O'Brien) plots to get rid of his dutiful, neglected wife (Janet Gaynor). During a lakeside picnic, she senses his motive and flees, finding safe harbor in the city. Guilt-wracked and remorseful, her husband eventually gives chase, suddenly mindful of what he stands to lose if he fails to win her back. For his first American production, the great German Expressionist director F.W. Murnau tells a lyrical story about the classic country-city divide (monotony versus bright lights and jazzy excitement) centered on the crisis of faith and commitment that visits a comfortable married couple. A connoisseur of light and shadow, Murnau heightens the romanticism enveloping this love triangle, using lighting, superimposed imagery, and a gliding camera to convey the allure and alienating dangers of city life in his justly celebrated film. See this "Sunrise" for yourself!

Metropolis (1927)- A visionary depiction of 21st-century society, this film depicts a world in which the fabulously wealthy live in opulence above ground while an oppressed underclass toils far below in a heavily routinized, mechanistic dystopia. Appalled by the workers' underground lives, and in love with subterranean beauty Maria (Brigitte Helm), idealistic Freder (Gustav Froehlich) flouts the powers that be-including his industrialist father Fredersen (Alfred Abel)-and begins campaigning for reforms.One of the most influential films ever made, Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" was inspired by the director's awestruck glimpse of the 1920s Manhattan skyline. Visually astonishing and darkly surreal, "Metropolis" is a flawless example of German Expressionism on film, with its heavily stylized, futuristic production design, odd camera angles, and bleak, shadowy evocation of the not-so-harmonious techno-industrial future. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is especially captivating playing sadistic capitalist Rotwang, who engineers a slave revolt against the reformers. A hypnotic, enthralling silent masterwork by the legendary director of "M" and "The Big Heat."

Chang (1927)- Building his home on the edge of a dense, forbidding jungle in Siam, tribal farmer Kru and his family struggle to eke out an existence and protect their livestock - one of their few resources - from the fearsome wild animals that stalk the rain forest. For their impressive follow-up to their pioneering ethno-documentary "Grass," adventurous filmmakers Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper ventured to Siam, where they captured-and experienced first-hand-the perils of jungle life. Part docudrama, part ethnographic field study, "Chang" is a mesmerizing glimpse of ancient culture and the primal laws of the tropics. Could this be where the idea for their subsequent opus, "King Kong", was born? It's hard to resist wondering, given the filmmakers' attention to a mischievous monkey named Bimbo. But there's much more to watch here, too: Kru's ingenious bagging of a leopard, a thunderous elephant stampede, and a river fording you won't forget. All these years later, "Chang" remains one wild trip.

The General (1927)- Confederate railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) has two great loves: sweet Southern gal Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack) and his locomotive, The General. When the Yanks steal both at the outbreak of the Civil War, Gray goes on a hilariously crazed quest to rescue them, resulting in a rollicking blend of adventure, romance, and high-energy comedy. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, Keaton's "The General" finds the stone-faced physical comedian at the very height of his creative powers. Wrestling with a cannon or attempting to mount a moving train, Keaton's comic timing and expressive body language rival Chaplin's, and he puts to shame the funnymen of today. Mack is terrific in her own right, playing off Keaton's impassive, foolhardy bravado with sprightly charm. The wildly inventive stunts and chase sequences are as amazing as they are hilarious. "The General" is one train you'll definitely want to catch.

Pandora's Box (1929)- Sultry, tantalizing dancer Lulu (Louise Brooks) captivates all the men she meets, including her much older lover and financial crutch, Dr. Schon (Fritz Kortner). Though Schon is engaged to marry a woman from respectable society, he can't free himself from Lulu's spell. Even his son Alwa is enamored with Lulu, and mounts a variety show with her as the star attraction. But after a violent backstage scuffle leads to Schon's death and a criminal case, Lulu and Alwa are forced to flee, hiding penniless in one of London's seedier quarters. Tawdry, decadent, and unflinching in its portrait of the moral depravity of the Weimar republic, G.W. Pabst's bewitching "Box" might not be so well remembered today if it weren't for the dark charm of Brooks, one of the silent era's most erotic and stunningly sensual sirens. Playing a flirty cabaret dancer who eventually turns to prostitution to survive in dreary London, Brooks is nothing short of thrilling, with her flapper-girl bob and come-hither expressiveness. Pabst surrounds his sympathetic victim-heroine with a leering old codger, a conflicted society man, and even a lesbian admirer, whom she uses to her advantage. But Lulu's light is dimmed by a fateful encounter with Jack the Ripper. Open up this "Box" for a haunting risqué take on Jazz Age libertinism.

Man With A Movie Camera (1929)- The people of late '20s Soviet Russia are the subjects of this marvelously dynamic, day-in-the-life portrait by Vertov, who intercuts images of industrial machinery and railway cars with intimate shots of sporting events, street scenes, and all manner of modern urban activity. This groundbreaking film by the experimental documentarian Dziga Vertov is no dry exercise in recording human behavior: Edited at a pace that startled and mystified audiences at its 1929 premiere, and utilizing optical tricks like split screen, stop-motion, and superimposed images that one can merely gape at in amazement today, "Camera" is an early testament to the wit, versatility, and extraordinary power of film, symbolized by the film's bustling, on-the-go newsreel photographer. Shot on location in Kiev, Odessa, and Moscow, and scored by the Alloy Orchestra according to Vertov's own notes, this is a monument to modernity you'll never tire of seeing.

City Lights (1931)- The plot of this enduring silent comedy is beautifully simple: a destitute tramp (Charlie Chaplin) makes the acquaintance of a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) and tries to raise enough money to pay for an eye operation that will restore her sight. Along the way, he has a fateful encounter with a drunken, suicidal millionaire (Harry Myers) who may be in a position to help. A silent released when the talkie sensation was in full bloom, Chaplin's "City Lights" still swept the box office by storm. Produced, directed, edited, and scored by Chaplin himself, "City Lights" melds the sweet, harmlessly buffoonish antics of Chaplin's Little Tramp persona with a larger theme of humanistic social concern. As always, the comic sequences are exquisitely orchestrated, particularly a hilarious boxing match with Hank Mann, as a muscled pugilist. But the real highlight is that eye-opening final scene with Cherrill, where Chaplin betrays a touch of something close to angelic poignancy. "City Lights" remains a shining testament to one of cinema's authentic geniuses.

Looking for top movie recommendations? For over 2,300 of the best movies on DVD, visit www.bestmoviesbyfarr.com

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