p e n g u i n d e v i l

Talk about sickly sweet… We watched a good documentary about what one would probably call a bad relationship. Sadly, I don’t think that I can really say anything about this movie without giving away too much, but here goes. An interesting reflection on the highs and lows of relationships, we watched Crazy Love. Beginning in the 1950’s, it’s the story of a well-to-do, young lawyer with a fondness for ladies who happens upon young Linda on the street one day. He gets her number from her and immediately begins calling her and sending her flowers. His continual attentions and his fun and free-spending lifestyle quickly takes her in and they begin seeing each other. Of course, when it comes out that he is married, she is put off. But, his persistence pays off and she is again taken in by his stream of lies (including forged documents) about his impending divorce. A few months later, Linda finally tires of this and leaves him once and for all.

Things take a big turn here as her rejection of him and her taking up with another fellow sends ol’ Burt over the edge and into an asylum. He doesn’t stay nearly long enough so when he is released, he is still nutty over the whole thing and falls into the old “if I can’t have her, no one will” school of thought and begins planning his revenge. He hatches a plan (which he, of course, hires someone else to do) which is shocking, rather despicable and quite effective. It is also just the beginning… The film takes us through the trial and the aftermath, and we end up suprisingly seeing that Burt’s rather vile revenge plan against Linda ended up working out perfectly for him. I don’t think that he could have imagined it being any more successful.

But Crazy Love is touching in an odd sort of way and the reuniting that takes place seems sweet… Until you think about it. At which point you can’t help but consider that, regardless of how charming some people might find him, Burt is an arrogant womanizing creep who probably wouldn’t hesitate to threaten, main, wound or kill someone if they denied him what he wanted. And, on her part, Linda’s actions were out of desperation (due to his awful actions against her) and she is fooling herself if she sees it as anything better than that. His revenge was a success, but, I can see why she ended up following that path that she did, it’s really just sad. Quite sad. But a good film.

Also, after hearing rumors that it took place it St Johnsbury, we rented Ghost Story. Of course, it doesn’t actually take place in St Johnsbury, though a sign for St Johnsbury is seen when they are at the station in White River. The movie does though takes place in a wintry Woodstock, Vermont, so that was nice. Featuring a bunch of old timers: Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and John Houseman, the story here jumps back and forth from these old fellows in the “present” and their younger selves of 50 years before. See, it is the story of a “club” of four fellows who, in their youth, accidentally caused the death of a young lady and covered it up. They have spent the last decades together, avoiding any discussion of the issue. Of course, no one wants to be forgotten and hidden away, so now her ghost has come back and, with the help of an obscure couple of folks, she is seeking revenge against these fellows and their families. Accidents are waiting to befall everyone as they see a mysterious woman lurking about everywhere. While the movie wasn’t all that exciting, it wasn’t that bad, either. Easily something one could sit though on a dreary afternoon if it came on the TV.

We also watched Dark Harbor. Sort of a dull point in the career of the wonderful Alan Rickman , but it was alright. The story of a grumpy couple who find a poor fellow on the side of the road and lend him a helping hand. Once they strangely run into him some more, he ends up staying with them on their wonderful little private island, which, of course, is something that never turns out well. The husband gets jealous and begins fuming about their guest and as the wife gets a little too close to this young chap, hubby begins over-imagining things. At first I found it to be a fairly nondescript thriller, even with the presence of Alan Rickman, but it did sort of grow on me. As things heat up and the emotions start becoming more obvious, the fact that it is a thriller becomes noticeable. There is also a great twist that is the rare twist that is both unexpected, and yet plausible.