The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 73, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, October 11, 1985 Page: 8 of 20
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WRESHER ENTERTAINMFNT
Marquand's Jagged Edge professional, complex film
Jagged Edge
directed by Richard Marquand
Jagged Edge is one of those films
that reeks of professionalism. The
cast, director, and eventual
finished product are examples of
what Hollywood can create when
it sets its mind to it. In addition to
being a darn good film, it's also a
refreshing change of pace from the
seemingly endless flow of teen
comedy-horror movies which
somehow find a home at the
Shamrock theater.
The movie, simply put, is a
courtroom drama and psycho-
logical thriller with a love
relationship and murder mystery
thrown in for good measure. It
stars a group of actors who are all
gaining popularity with every new
film they make. Glenn Close is the
true star of the film. In the last four
years she has progressed into the
best actress of film today (in my
opinion anyway). Since 1982 she
has been nominated for Best
Supporting Actress every year,
and lost. Jagged Edge is her first
real chance to perform in a
substantial leading role. She
portrays Teddy Barnes, a
corporate lawyer who is coaxed
out of business law to defend an
accused murderer. Jeff Bridges.
Bridges, as a San Francisco
newspaper editor. Jack Forrester,
finds his world thrown into
turmoil following a bi/arre murder
of his ultra-rich wife.
The plot really thickens when
the District Attorney Thomas
Krasney, played by Peter Coyote,
decides to personally handle the
prosecution. It seems that
Forrester's paper printed some
nasty things that prevented
Krasney from winning a Senate
election. If that coincidence wasn't
enough, Barnes was once an
assistant D.A. under Krasney and
she hires a retired detective,
Robert Loggia, who used to gather
case information for Krasney. All
very complex, yet all very good.
Close shines as always in a
strong-willed, confident and
determined performance. Bridges
Ls competent in his role — meaning
he's been around long enough to
know when to sit in the
background while Close takes
center stage. Two exceptional
supporting roles are filled by
Coyote and Loggia. Coyote, an
almost absolute shoo-in for a
Goldiggers at MST
Golddiggers of 1663
Main Street Theater
through October 13
1 o celebrate i t s tenth
anniversary season. Main Street
Theatre is presenting Lawrence
Hurwit and lee Goldsmith's
musical (iolddiggers of 1663.
Based on Vloliere's School for
Wives, tins musical contains all the
ingredients that made Busby
Berkle\ musicals hits in the I93()'s.
It also retains all ot Moliere's
messages about the behavior of
men, beginning with Arnolphe's
chauvinistic song "Simplicity".
Arnolphc. played by Emory
Glover, is a middle-aued lecherous
man who is about to marry Agnes,
a young girl he had placed in a
convent at the age of four. Though
the song praises the girl's simple
virtues, her innocence, and her
naiveti/. it actuailv is Arnolphe's
exaltation over her stupidity.
Shannon Collins is charming as
the dim-witted but angelic Agnes.
She outshone her fellow actors
with her perky characterization.
Collins not only sings and acts, hut
choreographed the production as
well. Though the dancing was well
executed, the cramped quarters
seemed to inhibit the pe rformers at
times.
see Enjoyable, page 9
Are you considering professional school?
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
JOHN F. KENNEDY
SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT
Is Looking for Future Leaders in Public Affairs.
Come Learn About Harvard's Two-Year Master's
Program in Public Policy, Leading to either
the Master in Public Policy or
City and Regional Planning Degree.
meet with: Yolanda Barrera
Assistant Director, Public Policy Program
date: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1-2, 2-3 groups
contact: CAREER PLACEMENT
OFFICE
All Students, All Majors, All Years Welcome!
Joint Degree Programs Offered with
Harvard's other Professional Schools.
Generous Cross-Registration Privileges with other Schools.
The Rice Thresher, October 11, 1985, page 8
Close, Loggia and Bridges in a tense courtroom scene from Jagged Edge
Supporting Actor Oscar, gives an
added dimension to a character
who is superficially just downright
evil. The components of the movie
view him as a power-hungry weasel
in search of headlines, but after a
while his character makes sense
even if no one agrees with him.
Equally entertaining is Loggia.
True comic relief is provided by his
crusty character who possesses a
profane witticism for any and
every occasion.
The one facet of the film that
brings all this talent together is the
wonderfully manipulative
direction of Richard Marquand.
He manages to perpetually
bewilder the audience into
believing Forrester is guilty, then
innocent, and then no one is really
sure. In keeping with the picture's
image, Marquand dishes out some
visually striking scenes as well as
some authentic scares. However,
the courtroom scenes were too
bright and just a bit too heavy-
handed. He more than redeems
himself in the areas of the movie
which focus on the actions outside
the trial.
A secret fantasy of most film
critics is to give away the big
surprise ending of a film such as
Jagged Edge before anyone sees it.
This dream also requires all the
editors to completely ignore my
concluding statement. About the
only thing I can do is advise you to
see the film for yourself; it is one of
a rare breed of films. It's good.
— David Nathan
Plenty turns out to be too much
Plenty
directed by Fred Schepisi
If you know anything about the
movie Plenty, vou know that
know what to make of the
confusing conglomerate. Her
acting, good as it is, becomes in
this context a mere exhibition of
acting acrobatics.
Susan (Meryl Streep) and Mick (Sting), the man she chooses to father her child
Meryl Streep is the star. Not
surprising, considering that her
name appears seven times in the
advertisement (five times in
paraphrased reviews, once above
the title and once below the title in
the credits.) Visually, her face
dominates three-quarters of the
frame.
As an Englishwoman haunted
by passionate wartime memories,
Streep's role gives her acting as
much exposure as the ad gave her
name. At a dizzying speed, the
story jerks between France, India,
and England, and between a
young, idealistic schoolgirl, and a
mentally ill middle-aged woman.
Plenty shows us so many aspects of
Streep's character that we scarcely
Streep's first dramatic cartwheel
features Susan as an idealistic
English girl fighting with the
French Resistance. Fate brings her
together with special agent Lazar,
played by Sam Neill, the man who
will haunt her the rest of her life.
Their unity in spirit leads to unity
of the flesh, and for that one brief
night, Susan believes her life has a
purpose. That purpose, in her eyes,
is quite clear and attainable. She
wants to make the world free for
all.
That one night however, is the
pinnacle of all her dreams and
expectations. The movie thus
traces her downhill slide, and
unfulfilled expectations. Postwar
England shares none of her
enthusiasm and she quickly
becomes a frustrated, manipula-
tive creature.
After a few careers and
hairstyles, she decides she wants to
manipulate nature as well. She
chooses Sting to be the father of
her child, and he, quite innocently,
falls in love with her. Sting displays
an acting style of sweet
vulnerability that is endearing to
watch. However, because of her
failure to conceive, she becomes
irritated and attempts to murder
him.
That little tantrum sends her to
the mental hospital until another
kind soul can rescue her. This time.
Charles Dance, in the form of a
foreign agent, marries her and tries
to rehabilitate her. However,
Susan uses him as disgracefully as
the Sting character. Neither one of
them ever really realizes the extent
of her corruption. Although pity is
usually a finite emotion, these
characters almost lose their lives,
possessions, and jobs for just such
a weak cause.
Tracey Ullman, as the wild
roommate with a spunky sense of
humor, is another who logically
would find another roommate
with more of a grip on life.
Plenty is disappointing as a
movie because it is on the verge of
being great. However, when Susan
says, "It's a matter of indifference"
and is later echoed by her husband
saying, "It makes no difference,"
we wonder just what does matter.
—Cheryl Smith
CH/CAGO STYLE'
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This COUPON good for
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Offer expires October 31, 1985
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Snyder, Scott. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 73, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, October 11, 1985, newspaper, October 11, 1985; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245616/m1/8/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.