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| “Feature
films are the literature of our generation.
They express the social conscience of a
country: films are forever.”
—Jewison
Norman Jewison was born in Toronto, Ontario
in 1926. Jewison was destined to entertain
- from his childhood, when he performed
at family functions to his participation
in Malvern Collegiate productions. After
graduating from the University of Toronto,
Jewison applied for work at CBC TV, and
was turned down due to lack of experience.
Hearing that, he left for London where he
wrote and acted in bit parts for the BBC.
By 1952, Jewison returned to Toronto and
became a leading television director for
the CBC. He continued to direct for small
screen, turning his attention to musical-variety
programs for US television, and winning
three Emmy Awards. It wasn't until the early
1960s that Jewison made his move to Hollywood
and his film career took off, with films
like "Pounds of Trouble" and "The
Thrill of It All."
After the assassinations of Robert Kennedy
and Martin Luther King Jr. disillusioned
the director with the US, he moved back
to England. There, he produced "Fiddler
On the Roof," studying Jewish history
and religion (he was raised Protestant).
Eight years later, Jewison returned to Hollywood
and produced "F.I.S.T." with Sylvester
Stallone. By 1987, the director re-established
his Canadian roots and established the Canadian
Film Centre to "develop the artistic
and technical skills of talented directors,
writers, and producers in Canadian film."
All told, his distinguished career spans
over three decades and his 23 feature films
have garnered a combined 45 Academy Award
nominations and 9 wins. |
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Only You (1994)
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Tomei's first encounter
with Downey on her
way to find love. |
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Tomei, her sister-in-law
and Downey travel
Italy together to
find the elusive Damon
Bradley. |
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Do you believe that fate plays a role in matters
of the heart? Do you believe in love at first
site? These are the questions Jewison poses
to the audience in his film, "Only You."
When Faith (Marisa Tomei) was a young girl,
a Ouijie Board gave her the name of her
soul mate - David Bradley. Just after
her engagement to someone else, a phone
call from a man named David Bradley sends
her packing to Italy in search of her one
true love. What she encounters is an accidental
meeting with a shoe salesman (Robert Downey)
and a date with destiny.
Romantics-at-heart will fall in love with
this film immediately. Those of us who aren't,
will do so despite ourselves. You can't
help but want to believe in love after watching
"Only You." And, even if the plot
doesn't get you in the mood for amour, the
locations will (Jewison filmed most of this
film in Venice, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast
of Italy).
On a side note, this film features a soundtrack
by Rachel Portman, who has also composed
soundtracks for "Benny and Joon,"
"The Joy Luck Club," "Marvin's
Room," "Addicted to Love,"
"The Other Sister" and the Oscar
Nominated "Cider House Rules"
and "Chocolat."
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| Moonstruck
(1987)
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What do you do when
love shows up out
of nowhere and sweeps
you of your feet?
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Cage's character is
a one-handed, yet
opera loving bread
maker. |
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A bitter Italian widow (Cher) makes a decision
to marry a friend for his stability despite
not being in love. It all seems like a good
plan, until she meets his estranged brother
(Nicholas Cage) and the two fall passionately
in love.
The diametric opposite of Faith character
in "Only You," Cher's character
does not believe in love at first site and
refuses to follow her heart over her head.
Although she falls in love, she fights it
every step of the way preferring not to
get hurt again.
Jewison amasses an all-star cast featuring
Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Vincent
Gardenia and Danny Aiello for this romantic
comedy set in Brooklyn, NY. With this cast,
and excellent screenwriting, there was hardly
a doubt this film would become the modern
day classic it has.
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| Agnes
of God (1985)
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How did Agnes get
pregnant and who killed
the newborn infant?
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A Japanese couple with an obsession with 50's
America go to Memphis, hometown of Elvis Presley.
A combination of chance encounters interweave
three different stories in the city, the common
thread being the seedy hotel where they all
are staying. Named for an Elvis Presley hit,
"Mystery Train" is a black comedy,
like much of Jarmusch's work. This film won
the award for Best Artistic Contribution at
Cannes. Unlike most films, the night scenes
in Mystery Train are actually filmed at night,
including the interior shots.
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Fiddler on the Roof
(1971)
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When you have three
daughters like Tevye's,
how can you not cry?
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When you are all cried
out, the best thing
you can do is sing
-
and the audience does
right along with him.
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The film stars Topol as Tevye, a Jewish milkman
in Czarist Russia after the turn of the
century, who is burdened not only by the
anti-semetism that faced Jews in Russia
at the time, but also by a fear that his
family is losing their culture and traditions,
and by his own three daughters who seem
dead set on gaining their independence.
One by one, his daughters decide to rebel
against the traditional arranged marriages,
and choose men he does not approve of. His
youngest even opts to marry a goy (a non-Jew
for those of you who don't speak Yiddish)
- a relationship Tevye warns will
lead to dire consequences if his daughter
follows through.
Of course, this is a musical and the soundtrack
was thankfully plucked from the original
Broadway score. The film contains several
familiar songs, including "Tradition,"
"If I Were a Rich Man," "Sunrise,
Sunset," and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker,"
to name but a few. Also, the "fiddling"
in the film is done by famed violinist Isaac
Stern
Famed film critic Paulene Kael (who I regret
to announce passed away as I was writing
this review) once called "Fiddler on
the Roof" "the most powerful movie
musical ever made." And, while I agree
it is one of the best ever, it has its drawbacks.
The film is nearly three hours long, and
may not please those who are familiar with
the original Broadway production. Otherwise,
pop some popcorn, put your feet up and get
ready to laugh, cry, and say Oy Vey! along
with Tevye.
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