Movies of Interest to Writers
Reviews by Susan Varno
To Read Susan's Other Movie Reviews go the Links Page and Hit Video Views Magazine.
THE HOAX (R) 1hr. 55 min.
Remember Clifford Irving, the writer who convinced McGraw Hill to give him $1mil to co-write Howard Hughes' autobiography? This is Irving's story, based on his book. He doesn't portray himself as a nice guy, but he's not real kind in his portrayal of anyone else. Irving (Richard Gere) had published novels and a non-fiction book, but his last novel didn't sell. He's caught up in the need to be famous. In 1971, he tells the editorial committee at McGraw Hill that Howard Hughes wants him to write his autobiography. He's forged a rambling letter from Hughes to confirm this. Irving, whose whole life is a series of spontaneous lies, figures Hughes is so reclusive and crazy he'll never know about the book or maybe won't care.
Irving and his research assistant Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina) steal documents and get access to Howard Dietrich (Eli Wallach), Hughes' long time assistant. When Hughes' lawyer announces that his boss never heard of the writer, Irving convinces his editors Hughes is just upset that they sold serial rights to "Life Magazine". Hughes will agree to the "Life" serialization for $1mil. Irving gets the check but can't figure out how to cash it. His wife Edith (Marcia Gay Harden), says get the check made to H. R. Hughes, she'll take it to Switzerland and deposit it. Irving even goes through an elaborate charade where he says Hughes will land on the MH roof in a helicopter. The chopper hovers but doesn't land. The editors want so badly to publish this book they give him another pass.
Then Irving receives a box of files, which include incriminating information about bribes Hughes paid to President Nixon. Irving believes Hughes sent the files because he wants to punish Nixon for not helping him with an airline merger and getting the courts to drop a shareholder suit against Hughes.
In the end the scheme falls apart, but it's fun to watch Irving operate and the editors salivate. The connection to Watergate is intriguing. Irving has since stuck to writing novels, with some success. (Susan Varno)
STRANGER THAN FICTION (PG-13) 113 minutes
A screenwriter (Zach Helm) is limited by what Hollywood studios are willing to produce. But once in a while, a writer gets to write what he knows, what he really know, what goes on inside the tangled web that is the writer's mind. He gets to write about writing.
One morning while he's brushing his teeth, IRS auditor Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) hears a voice. A woman is narrating everything he does. He thinks the voice is real, that other people can hear it. But only he hears it and not all the time.
Harold lives by his watch, very precisely. He's also lonely and empty. Then he audits Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a woman who refuses to pay taxes that go to the military. He's enchanted but her disorganized life, free spirited philosophy as well as the wonderful food she cooks for him.
Meanwhile, Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), who seems to be suicidal, is trying to figure out the best way to kill her fictional character "Harold Crick." Whenever she types, the real Harold hears her voice in his head.
Harold consults a psychiatrist (Linda Hunt) who refers him to a Literature professor (Dustin Hoffman). The professor is about to dismiss him when Harold recites part of the narration. "Little did he know that today..." "Little did he know", a.k.a. omniscient viewpoint, is the professor's specialty. He asks Harold questions, trying to figure out what the narration covers. Does it have plot? Are their other characters? Is it a tragedy or a comedy?
When Harold hears the omniscient narrator say he is going die and soon, the professor recommends Harold take control of the plot. If he's ever going to romance Anna, now is the time.
I'll let you see the rest for yourself. The movie is about writing and rewriting. It's also about how we writers often find fiction more compelling than reality.
Susan Varno
ADAPTATION (2002, rated R)
Poor Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage). He just had a great success with his imaginative screenplay for BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999, rated R-also worth seeing). Now he wants to rise above himself and do better work. He's agreed to write a screenplay adaptation of the non-fiction book THE ORCHID THIEF. It's the true story of a "New Yorker" magazine writer (Meryl Streep) who interviews a renegade botanist (Chris Cooper-Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). In the Everglades, the man collects seeds from rare orchids (which is illegal) to sell as domesticated flowers. Charlie wants his adaptation to be true to the book; but unfortunately, the story has little plot, the characters don't grow and change, and worst there's no sex and not much action.
In addition to this writing challenge, Charlie is consumed by self-loathing, can barely talk to women, and is hounded by his charmingly goofy twin brother Donald (also Cage) who pesters him for advice on how to write his own screenplay. Agonizing over his screenplay, Charlie alternates moments of frenetic activity when he thinks he's got an outline (This is usually in the middle of the night.) and long periods when he does anything to avoid writing.
Writers, especially those of us who write fiction, will know there's more to this bizarre story than what appears on the screen. We know how our imaginations work, how sometimes what we're seeing inside our heads is more real than the reality around us. Observe poor Charlie interact with his brother, watch Charlie finally give in to the addictive lure of his imagination. You'll know what's real and what's "only make believe."
Interesting background on this story: the real Charles Kaufman who wrote the screenplay for "Being John Malkovich" also wrote this screenplay. Talk about crossing the line between fiction and truth.
