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From Buchanan to Julie Eisenhower RE: movies. 6 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 9/21/1972
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From Buchanan to Julie Eisenhower RE: movies. 6 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 9/21/1972
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
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1
15
9/21/1972
Personal
Memo
From Buchanan to Julie Eisenhower RE:
movies. 6 pgs.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Page 1 of 1
[Item N-1]
September 21, 1972
MEMORANDUM TO:
JULIE EISENHOWER
FROM:
PAT BUCHANAN
SUBJECT:
MOVIES
WESTERNS
In the category of Western films, my view is that the greatest ever
made was "Shane"; it is a classic with Alan Ladd and Jack Palance
as the hired gun in a role he never equalled. Very simple in plot,
but the one moview have seen five times.
Of the westerns of ten years ago, the lengthy epic "Big Country"
starring Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston was first-rate entertainment -
Peck playing a sea captain who went to a giant ranch to marry the
daughter. Burl Ives, Heston, Peck and I believe Carrol Baker, and
Jean Simmons complete the cast. Long film but an excellent one.
Both your parents would enjoy greatly either of the two above, I think.
Both are devoid of the excessive sex and viblence of some movies.
Modern Westerns: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 11 with Paul
Newman, and Robert Redford is part comedy, but thoroughly enjoyable.
Theme is basically two outlaws of the old school confronting imminent
defeat at the hands of modern technology. One of the most enjoyable
I have seen in a while.
"True Grit" with John Wayne is also part comedy, another G-rated
film, which is most enjoyable, relaxing entertainment.
"The Wild Bunch" is the first of the Sam Peckinpaugh films, with
considerable violence and shoot-em-up. Starring William Holden, with
some other first-rate actors, it is clearly an adult film. Lots of
violence, lots of blood, and some outrageously earthy seenae, it might
be something the First Lady would not enjoy.
-4-
Here is how I would rate them.
WESTERNS
*****
1.
Shane
****
2.
Big Country
****
3.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
***
4.
True Grit
***
5.
The Wild Bunch
COMEDIES
****
6.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
*******
7.
The Pink Panther
***
8.
Pillow Talk
The first two of these films, especially, "Mad World,' if you have
not seen it, is a side-splitter. The funniest movie I have ever seen
when it first came out. It must be seven-to-ten years old now, as
I saw it in St. Louis. But it should not be missed. "The Pink Panther"
is the best of the Peter Seller ones, with Inspector Clouseau, of
the Deuxieme Bureau. "Pillow Talk" and the others are the Rock
Hudson-Doris Day series -- almost identical in theme, and very
humorous. With Doris Day as Miss Apple Pie and Hudson as the
lady-killer and usually Tony Randall as the super-rich insecure
side-kick of Hudson. Very light none of these moviewis in bad
taste.
FOREIGN FILMS
*****
9.
The Battle of Algiers
********
10. "Z"
***
11. The Confession
***
12. The Conformist
The "Battle of Algiers" is "the" film of the American violent Left.
Brittiantly done, a French film, it is the story of the initial revolt
in Algiers and how is was suppressed. Like all foreign films it is
sympathetic to the Left, though both this and "Z" are clearly
masterpieces. "Z," is about Greece, a right-wing murder of a
socialist and popular figure and the investigation of it. Worth
seeing, although the bias is there.
-3-
"The Confession" is about a liberal Czech Communist and what
becomes of him and his colleagues when the Stalinists displace
them in yet another purge. PJB thought it first-rate. "The
Conformist" is a little brutal -- about a young man playing ball with
the Fascists and what comes of it. Violence and sec in here fairly
strong.
GENERAL FILMS
*****
13.
Hud
****
14.
To Kill a Mockingbird
15.
In the Heat of the Night
16.
The Hustler
These films are between five and ten years old, the newest being "In
the Heat of the Night. 11 Everyone of them is worth seeing; some of
them like "In the Heat of the Night" should not be missed. They are
classics. "In the Heat of the Night", set in a Mississippi town, stars
Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Both'Hud" and "The Husfler" star
Paul Newman, the latter about a dissolute pool shark includes as
well, the star of "Patton", George C. Scott and Jackie Gleason.
SPY MOVIES
**** 17. 17.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
***
18.
The Ipcress File
CRIME & DECECTIVES
***
19.
]
Dirty Harry
***
20.
The French Connection
***
21.
Bullitt
The "French Connection" should be seen. Ord"Dirty Harry", this is
really rough and brutal -- the redeeming factor is the Clint Eastwood
the Detective, is the sympathetic figure and the criminal, a totally
constimptible fellow, wears a peace sign on his belt. "Dirty Harry" is
a raw film -- Bebe and your father would enjoy it more than the
First Lady. "Bullitt" is a hard-nosed film, with the greatest auto
chase ever seen on the screen. Worth seeing. A night of escapist
entertainment.
GOLDEN OLDIES
****
22.
The African Queen
***
23.
Room at the Top
***
24.
Elmer Gantry
***
25.
The Apartment
****
26.
Cat on a Hot Tin Rood
***
27.
Some Came Running
****
28.
On the Waterfront
***
29.
A Thousand Clowns
30.
Bridge on the River Quay
The last one "Bridge on the River Quay" ranks among the top ten in
anyone's list of moview, with Alec Guinness, and British soldiers
and officers in a Japanese prison camp. Has to be seen.
The other top ones from the Fifties are Humphrey Bogart and "The
African Queen, 11 with Katherine Hepburn, also "On the Waterfront,"
Marlon Brando's first great film which a recent viewer contends is
as good a.s ever. These are among the classics of post-war films.
"A Thousand Clowns" is a very light and enjoyable film about a social
dropout and his way of life, which was very big with students in the
first years of the sixtles. Worth seeing.
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" stars Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman,
again, with Burl Ives and this is a southern-set film which moves
fast and is a good evening's entertainment.
The others as I recall them, were all good films -- and would not
consider any of them a loser. Perhaps the weakest of the lot is
"Some Came Running."
EPICS
***
31.
Tora, Tora, Tora
****
32.
Lawrence of Arabia
***
33.
Ben Hur
****
34.
Judgment at Nuremburg
****
35.
Eyan's Daughter
****
36.
The Longest Day
You know all aboutLawrence of Arabia"and "Ben Hur", bothoof which
are good films, with Lawrence the superior of the two. "The Longest
Day" is the invasion of Normandy, which was a tremendous success
when it first came out; and has some good moments in it; and again
for a long evening, it is a good film. "Judgment at Nuremburg",
with Maximillan Schell, Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster, was
when I saw it, among the best I had seen up to then. Deals with the
trial of Naxi war criminals.
"Ryan's Daughter" is the newest about a British officer in Ireland
and his affair with theyoung wife of an Irish school teacher. Raw in
parts -- not unlike the rewest section of "Zorba the Greek" -- but
magnificent photography of the Irish coast, and one of the films of
David Lean most highly regarded.
All these films are long.
MUSICALS
***
37.
West Side Story
***
38.
Oliver
***
39.
1776
***
40.
Fiddler on the Roof
While I am enthusiastic about musicals as a general rule, "Oliver"
was a fine show, and of course "West Side Story" -- but almost
everyone who sees "Fiddler on the Roof" is immensely favorable.
It is still at the Uptown Theatre.
OTHERS
***
41.
Citizen Kane
***
42.
Becket
***
43.
Taming of the Shrew
****
44.
Mary Queen of Scots
***
45.
Topan
***
46.
Topkapi
***
47.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
****
48.
Cool Hand Luke
***
49.
Pride and Prejudice
***
50.
Straw Dogs
***
51.
The Magus
Of these, I saw"Cool Hand Luke, again with Paul Newman which I
thought was excellent. Rife with religious symbolism, it is at the
same time an enjoyable film.
"Straw Dogs" is the most recent Sam Peckinpaugh effort, which is
one of the most violent being shown currently, including a rape scene.
Story of an English town gone beserk -- starring Dustin Hoffman, who
in the end wipes out half a dozen of the worst types you have come
across.
Have heard good things about, but did not see, "The Good, the Bad
and the Ugly, 11 but believe this is another, like "Dirty Harry", where
Clint Eastwood does his thing.
"Topaz" is a piece about a French CIA type during the period of
the Duban missille Crisis; was on television the other night, worth seeing.
"Mary Queen of Scots", though not historically accurate or precise,
is a good study in character development with Glenda Jackson and
Venessa Redgrave. "Becket" is also first-rate study of England in
"those" days.
"Citizen Kane," pelhaps the oldest film on the list, ranks in some
estimates with "Gone with the Wind, although this is the only pre-war
film on the list.
If I had to pick fifteen sure winners from this list, they would be:
1.
Bridge on the River Quay
2.
Hud
3.
The Hustler
4.
In the Heat of the Night
5.
Shane
6.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
7.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
8.
Big Country
9.
The Battle of Algiers
B.
"Z"
11.
To Kill a Mockingbird
12.
The French Connection
13.
On the Waterfront
14.
Judgment at Nuremberg
15.
Mary Queen of Scots
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