"The Winslow Boy" is a wonderful film written by David Mamet. Based on a true story, it follows the tale of a family struggling to clear the name of its youngest member, who has been expelled from college after being accused of theft. His gentle father, played by Nigel Hawthorne, is willing to accept the boy's protestations of innocence, but his attempts to have this lack of guilt also accepted by the community at large puts tremendous strains on the family. Even when the aid of a high powered barrister, Jeremy Northam, is obtained, the story follows the family's perspective of the events as they unfold. This lack of emphasis on court room theatrics to instead focus on how their stance to 'Let Right be Done' drains the family financially, and affects them emotionally and socially, makes this an absorbing drama from start to finish. In fact I do believe it is worthy of five stars...
"Paperback Hero" is a gentle comedy starring Hugh Jackman is not anywhere as well known as it should be, unfortunately. It is a very amusing tale of a tough Australian truck driver who moonlights as a romance writer. Several of his books have been published under a feminine name, as he certainly does not want his macho mates to learn of his hobby, but his true identity comes under scrutiny when a large publishing house decides to escalate the advertising of his most current novel. Of particular delight is the encounter that his city slicker publicist has with the local constabulary. And then there is the new look his big rig gets when seen by graffiti vandals when he does venture to the big smoke. I have seen this wonderful movie so many times that when I saw it while visiting a friend in Austria, I still understood what was happening despite it being dubbed in German. Poor Germans! They might get the words, but not our Hugh's sultry voice!
