Boy, who knew that
The Sound of Music was so universal despised? I must admit that, while it’s by no means a favorite, I far prefer it to, say,
Mary Poppins. Talk about saccharine, and even as a kid, Dick van Dyke’s “cockney” accent was insufferable (I loved it in
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, however, go figure).
But back to
The Sound of Music (please); is it really the worst movie, ever? (pre 1970) At the very least one must commend the cinematography. The helicopter shot of Julie Andrews singing on the Alps alone--an iconic shot in cinematic history--is worthy of the film not meriting WORST status. And, many of the songs are pretty good (if they would only get out of your head.) Surely, as a musical,
Camelot is worse than
The Sound of Music. Or what about the abysmal
Doctor Doolittle? Why did Hollywood always insist on putting Rex Harrison in musicals? The guy doesn’t sing. He speaks. In many ways, he is the original rapper (because, let’s face it, rap isn’t singing, it’s speaking in rhythm, which is what Harrison does).
2001, one of the worst movies? As I “said” over in the Sci/fi thread, made in 1968, I think the computer HAL is becoming more and more of a reality. Kubrick’s use of classical music, in an era rife with rock ‘n roll, perfectly reflects the balletic mechanisms of the space crafts. The admittedly too-long ending, (when viewing on a home monitor), with a few beers (again, Goose Island’s IPA works great) some meaning may be found
Lawrence of Arabia? Phew. I guess it looses a lot on home video,but I saw this on an IMAX screen and it blew me away (you could literally crawl in the nostrils of the camels; if one were so inclined, of course). I have no defense for Lean’s
Doctor Zhivago. Snoozville....
While I added my two-cents (worth much less, I know) and voted for
Gone With the Wind, it was with my MISunderstanding of the original thread. I maintain that the film is one of the most highly rated, yet over-rated Hollywood films. It’s all hype. Selsnick was simply brilliant at it; particularly his “search for Scarlett” contest. We still buy into it. Was Vivian Leigh the best Scarlett? We don’t seem to ask, is Scarlett a worthwhile character to follow for 4 hours? And what exactly does she do? Other then look out for herself? Scarlet O’Hara is one of the most selfish characters in film, yet for some reason, people love her. But why? What characteristic in her, other then her beauty, does Rhett Butler see? And is that enough for him to want to put up with her? As good as an actress as Vivian Leigh was, I suspect she did Scarlet justice (I tried to read the book, but just couldn’t get through it.), but still don’t see why Scarlet O’Hara is the cat’s meow. But let’s say that she is. Is Ashley Wilkes? As portrayed by Leslie Howard? The movie
Gone With the Wind is fatally flawed by that casting. It just is. C’mon ladies, pick your man, Clark Gable, or Leslie Howard? Is there even a contest? And if there’s not, what’s the movie about? A far more interesting film would have cast Gable as Ashley and Howard as Rhett Butler. At least all the hoha over Ashley Wilkes might have made sense.
Even the production values are lacking in the film. Aside from the much ballyhooed burning of Atlanta (which included the sets from
King Kong, the rat bastards), what effects are there? The movie is about the Civil War, and there’s very little in the way to show that. Griffith did a far more remarkable job in
Birth of a Nation, back in 1915! Victor Fleming, a man’s director, was a poor choice to helm this film. I suspect Cukor would have done better (but I still maintain the overall story is weak. Scarlet O’Hara as a character maintains her selfishness throughout, otherwise the “I don’t give a damn” line has no resonance.)
So, for a film with such high esteem, higher then
2001 and
The Sound of Music, (and usually in the top 5 list of all-time greats)
GWTW is fatally flawed in its casting of a major role, has relatively unremarkable production, and pedestrian direction, and thus rates as my vote for the “worst” “great” movie. (A far better film, by the way, is the documentary on the
Making of the Gone With the Wind, the reason I bought the 4-disc DVD set.)
(For those who love the film, it might help to know that my mother took my twin brother and I on our seventh birth day to see
Gone With the Wind. Two seven year old boys and
Gone With the Wind.....what was she thinking?)