If Mel Brooks were being pitched the idea for this movie, he'd respond something like this: "Mel", says the man who wrote the film (J.
C.
Chandor), "Here's my film idea: We got this guy in a sail boat-1700 miles off of the Sumatra Straits...
"...
"Excuse me," interrupts Mel Brooks, "WHERE IN THE HELL IS THAT?"...
"Mel," says J.
C.
Chandor, "That's not important...
The thing is he's out at sea.
"...
"All right, go on.
"...
"Okay," keeps on Chandor, "So there he is-- 'Our Man'-- all by himself"...
"WHO'S he talk to?"...
"He doesn't say but a few words, except: 'This is Virginia Jean with SOS call-- over'"...
"You GOT to be kidding! You mean, the WHOLE FILM: that's all the guy says?"...
"Well, he does cry 'HELP!' a couple of times.
"...
Mel looks at J.
C, and says, "You expect folks to sit in their seats, for...
(How long is this movie of yours?)"...
Chandor says, "About an hour and a half"...
"Okay, so you expect folks today to sit in a movie for ninety minutes and watch some guy not say a thing, and be out at sea...
Chandor, I think you have got yourself painted into a corner on this deal!" "Redford In The Sailboat!" ...
Chandor keeps on: "I've got REDFORD in the sail boat.
"...
Mel moans: "MESHUGGAH!"...
(That's Yiddish for 'crazy')...
"That's what you BOTH are!"...
"This Fake Conversation!" Well, needless to say, this Chandor guy would not take to heart this fake conversation between them, and did go and produce a pretty terrific film.
It does defy all logic and reason-- as far as making a film for modern movie goers, but I'm here to tell you it works and works darn well.
And what makes it work is superb directing by Chandor and an incredible being-presence by Bob Redford.
He telegraphs more in silence than most actors do with a kit and caboodle of cutesy dialogue.
"'Our Man' Struggles And Gasps!" "Our Man" struggles and gasps to save himself time and again.
He doesn't swear a bunch of four letter words, or tarnish our minds with all sorts of crazy, quilt-like screaming.
He looks at each problem as Nature or Fate brings it forth-- ponders it for a stretch, and then takes some action--which is by and large constructive.
Everybody could use Redford as a model for dealing with adversities.
"At Some Point 'ALL IS LOST'!" I loved this film for its simple but majestic sequences, and for the ending, which was "not with a bang but a whimper"-showing "Our Man" who gave his all but lost.
That might be more noble than winning the grand prize- for it shows us man's condition.
No matter how scant is man's clamor at sea, at some point "ALL IS LOST"; and that's law.
"This Is A 'Tour De Force'!" This is a "tour de force" of movie-making-such as I've never experienced.
And since it's so unique, it's difficult to grade.
Yet, it's a film folks ought to see.
And if my GRADE EIGHT helps folks decide to see it, I'm glad to grant that grade to it.