The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, October 22, 1993 Page: 14 of 24
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14 friday, october 22, 1993 THE rice thresher
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
it really is a jail
'The Trust' is no mystery but captivating nonetheless
By amy Hemphill
The Trust
Through Nov. 4
AMC Greenway Plaza, 6260402
Highway 59 at Buffalo Speedway
Admission $1.25
The Trust is returning to the AMC
Greenway Theater in honor of Home-
coming 1993. The film, which tells the
story of the murder of William Marsh
Rice, is based on the play by Rice
alumnus Doug Killgore. Itisaproduc-
tion of a local company, Quadrangle
films, and was shot here in Houston
and in Galveston, with many scenes
shot on the Rice campus. It is a charm-
ing film, worth a second viewing for
those who caught it the first time
around and a must-see for those who
missed it
Killgore based his work on the
findings of Andrew Muir, a former
Rice professor, who was doing re-
search to write his own version of the
story. In following with the mysteri-
ous nature of the tale, Muir commit-
ted suicide before it was completed.
Killgore took up where Muir left
off, and, after the play's successful
run, began to gather a crew for the
movie, to include co-director Neil
"Sandy" Havens, a Rice professor and
the Rice Players director, producer
Gary Chason and associate producer
Carolyn Morris Killgore.
William Marsh Rice, an elderly
Texas millionaire, had no children and
decided to leave the bulk of his for-
tune to the forming of the Rice Insti-
tute. In his mind, this was the closest
he could come to that rare form of
immortality found in the passing of
one's name to children.
He so loved his project that he
spent long hours researching the cur-
ricula and ideas of other major univer-
sities, including Texas A&M and
Princeton, taking from them what
appealed to him most.
He employed Captain James A.
Baker, the grandfather of the former
secretary of state and then junior part-
ner in the Houston firm Baker and
Botts, to assist him in his project and
manage his affairs* Despite Baker's
protests that he knew nothing about
running a university, Rice also named
him to be the chairman of the Board of
'Governors after the university's open-
ing.
Upon Mr. Rice's death, Captain
Baker realized that the circumstances
were suspicious: slimy New York law-
yer Albert Patrick was standing by
with a new will claiming that Rice had
left most of his money to Patrick, and
changed his mind about the institute.
Baker fought for an investigation, and
followed it through to its successful
end, with Patrick in jail, and the insti-
tute founded.
Ill is film is not a murder mystery.
It i s more of a h istorical drama. We are
not left in the dark as to the culprit's
identity. Instead, Killgore presents the
events in chronological order.
This does not detract, however,
Charlie Jones (Michael Petty) prepares to send William Marsh Rice (Harold Suggs) to that big Sallyport in the sky.
from the film's entertainment value.
The investigation and ensuing trial
offer enough suspense to overcome
the fact that we know who the mur-
derer is. This handling of the facts
wo rks w ell for a story that many Hou s-
tonians hear in their childhood and
Rice freshmen hear during Orienta-
tion.
This is a portrayal of history, not
fiction, and it lends even more cred-
ibility to the already solid film. How-
ever, there is one kind of suspense
this film does not possess, and that is
Mech Lab is a jail,
Chem Lec a police
station and Physics
a hospital and
morgue.
the edge-of-your-seat terror offered
by modern-day action films. This is
not a carbon-copy film of so many of
today's American film studios. It has
the beautiful, loving feel of a low-bud-
get Merchant/Ivory film — sort of an
American Room with a View or
Howards End.
Th e creative use of Rice U n iversity
buildings for backdrops and the de-
lightful Victorian costumes give this
film a wonderful visual depth, and
only the plain black and white credits
give away the fact that this film was
done on a scrimp-and-save budget
Even the anewsreel"-type footage that
Killgore invents looks authentic, and
adds an historical appeal to the whole
process.
Local equity actor Harold Suggs
reprises his role of William Rice from
the stage production at Main Street
Theater, where he played to sold-out
audiences for five years. In fact,
Killgore wrote the original script with
Suggs in mind for the role and it is
easy to see why.
Not only is Suggs an endearing
and accomplished actor, but he also
portrays Rice with the warmth and
depth the character deserves. His
scenes are at once touching, humor-
ous and enlightening, as Suggs
breathes life into an historical role.
Most amazing of all is the fact that
his acting career on ly began when he
was in his 60s, after a hand injury took
him from his clarinet He truly has the
charisma and strength of a lifetime
career actor.
Sam Bottoms, of The Last Picture
Show and Apocalypse Now fame, skill-
fully handles the role of Captain Baker.
His role requires him to be a friend,
confidante, detective and hero, and he
plays all roles well. His loyalty through-
out the film to "Mr. Rice's Institute"
and the dream that it carried with it is
straight from the heart
His warmth and honesty make a
remarkable contrast to Jon Bruno's
portrayal of Albert Patrick, one of the
slimiest villains to ever walk the big
screen. Watching him loot Rice's just-
dead body for cash is one of the most
chilling pieces of filmwork I have ever
seen, and cuts straight to the heart of
his character.
Also wonderful are Karen Black as
Maria Vandermeer, Rice's personal
friend, and Michael Petty as his valet,
Charlie Jones. Black is delightful to
watch as the flighty "new-age nutri-
tionist" who fights to keep Rice healthy
and vital with her mineral salts and
potions. One of the more touching
moments in the film comes when she
confesses to Baker that her remedies
could have killed him, which is, of
course, not the case.
Petty, too, lends some wonderful
Bur it's medieval!
work to the role of Jones, the innocent
young valet who is coerced into com-
mitting murder. His down-home, coun-
try innocence and gullibility are so
genuine that it is easy to think him
sympathetic, even after watching him
kill the kind old man out of greed.
Patrick truly leads him around on a
leash throughout the whole show, al-
most to the point of comic relief in
some of the more tense moments. He
is a delight to watch.
Many local actors play integral
parts of the story, and it was good to
see so many of them enjoying this
opportunity. Luis Lemus plays Dis-
trict Attorney Osbourne, the lawyer
who prosecutes Patrick and leads the
investigation.
Although he is not as strong a film
presence as theleads.heplaysstrongly
in the courtroom scenes. Also note-
worthy was localfavoritejames Black,
as a witness during depositions over
Mr. Rice's will.
One of the most entertaining as-
pects about watching this film as a
Rice student is searching throughout
for familiar settings and faces. Many
members of the Rice community
served as extras, including Professor
Bill Martin, graduates Joe Thomas
(as Captain Baker later in life at a Rice
commencement), Fred Roberts, Don
Russell, Eric Hahn, and Joseph
Ijockett, and students Peter Sharoff
and Angela Hunt, to name just a few
that my eye managed to spot
Several familiar buildings also ap
pear, including Mech Lab as the jail,
Chem Lec as police headquarters and
the Physics building as a hospital and
morgue. Many of the interiors were
shot at the Wiess mansion, across the
street from the campus, and all loca-
tions were used well. All of the scenes
of the movie are rich and beautiful.
If you are not familiar with the
story of William Marsh Rice, then
make it your homework to go see this
film and gain an even deeper apprecia-
tion for this university.
If you are, then take in the film as
the fine piece of entertainment that it
RenFest: go, you eediot!
1st Annual \4Mwce h Fundraiser
Benefiting
Th« Texas Children's Hospital
Saturday, October 30 ■ 11ant-2am
Content Weekend for Ttoo in New Orleans
Pm ?>«***/ Concert Tickets and CD's
Donations Accepted at Door for Texas Children's Hospital
wSra,,
Content &
2610 Bissonnet @ Kirby • Open 7 Days A Week
at 9pm
Telephone: 942-0580 • Happy Hour 4-7 Weekdays
by joanna
WINTERS
Do you have only eight hours of
classes including underwater basket-
weaving, and don't have anyone else's
homework left to do? Or are you carry-
ing 25 hours of 500-level courses and
in desperate search of more ways to
procrastinate studying for those six
Monday tests? Well.eitherway you're
in luck. Check out the 19th Annual
Texas Renaissance Festival, running
this year on weekends from Oct2
through Nov. 14.
This is the Year of the Falcon.
Visitors can see a wealth of perfor-
mances ranging from falconry to a
human chess match and this festival
is one of the few of its kind still pre-
senting jousting tournaments.
Music abounds, from minstrels to
small period ensembles, from bag-
pipes to exotic string in stru ments. See
a maypole dance, African dancing, and
even belly dancing — there's some-
thing there for everyone.
The shops at the festival are an
attraction in their own right Many
local (and not-so-local) craftsmen can
be found selling their wares. Chain
mail, decorated eggs,gargoyle mugs,
garlands, magic talismans, leather
working (handmade boots at $500,
anyone?) .pewter goblets, incenseoils,
ear and nose cuffs, music boxes, dag-
gers — the list goes on. And—wow!
prices are reasonable. (Well, most of
them, at least They say those boots
are real comfy. IU let you know when
I get my pair.)
Don't bother eating before you
come: there's food. A lot of it The
turkey legs are a popular choice, but
remember your camera: you'll look
pretty barbaric eating one! Choose
from German, English, Polish, Italian,
French and Hispanic, as well as des-
sert The last choice is not optional.
The Admiral's Bread Bowls make
afilling lunch: the rice-and-beans bowl
is a good, spicy veggie option. If you
go for the funnel cakes ("Queen Anne's
Lace"), I recommend the extra 50 cents
for a fruit topping; make sure to split
their generous serving with a friend
or two. The map comes complete with
a full-page food menu.
Everyone involved with the festi-
val is dressed in authentic garb, and
many visitors do their best to fit in as
well. Some, of course, succeed better
than others. (There were Guns N
Roses in the 16th century, right? Sorry,
guys. Try again.) Be creative, and see
just how far your wardrobe will stretch.
The prize goes to the pack-rats!
Is your best Shakespearean En-
glish already simmering on your
tongue? Good! Money in your wallet?
Hmmm ... Well, admission is $12.95
at the door, and parking is free. Ver-
dict it's worth it Also, if you're lucky,
your college might help subsidize a
group of people to go, and Valhalla
sold some $5 tickets last year. Socheck
it out "Lift up your cares and abandon
thyself to merriment!"
And your DiffE teacher will never
know.
Directions from Houston: Take
1-45 North, turn left onto 105, turn left
onto FM 1774 at Plantersville, and
drive six miles to the site. (It's pretty
well-marked.) Open 9 am to dusk.
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Howley, Peter & Epperson, Kraettli. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, October 22, 1993, newspaper, October 22, 1993; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245851/m1/14/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.