Like many movies, I'd argue that this has a bit of fat at the beginning. I don't know that we need what precedes Brando's court scene (less is more, and its a 2 hour film anyway). I couldn't see how it fit into the plot either. But visually the whole film is well composed; good, graceful master shots on location.
Good film for Brando? Sure.
Available on Anamorphic Region 1 DVD from Universal.
Well, if they had started with Gilbert MacWhite--sorry, "Harrison Carter" Macwhite's court thing, it would have completely left out the story of his predecessor Louis Sears, hence not explaining WHY MacWhite was even being made ambassador.
This movie is horribly inaccurate as far as the book goes. Li Pang, for one, was Gilbert MacWhite's closest friend and ally. He was a very educated man who wanted to help the Americans help Sarkhan, but in the film the made him out as an illiterate Sarkhanes Communist terrorist.
It's a great book, and much as it's a "good film for Brando," it pretty much took little pieces of the novel and turned it into something completely different. I'm just not impressed with what they've done with the plot and characters.
"Like many movies, I'd argue that this has a bit of fat at the beginning."
At least the Freedom Road intro made me sit up and pay attention.
Then a casual 20 minute Senate hearing to establish his credentials to be ambassador? I reckon your observation is an understatement purplepines.
After the airport scene there was a tracking shot (through Bangkok) of the ambassador's car as he went to present his credentials which lasted around 90 seconds.
Languid is how I'd describe the pace of this film.
I thought the most unnecessary 'fat' in the film was the supposed long and checkered history between the Brando and Okada character -- a lot of exposition and back story for a relationship whose tensions (and conflicted loyalties) were never really capitalised on, and that could have been quickly established as a meeting of minds during the events of the film.
I thought the film overall lived and breathed and was quite successful thanks to the performances of both men, but the political side of things was murky at best; probably one of Brando's most pleasingly relaxed performances.
Robert Altman
1925-2006
RIP
Yes, the politics of the film left me a little perplexed, but the acting more than made up for it. Brando was magnificent. There hasn't been an actor who could replace his style. Perhaps that's a good thing.
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