THIS film is exactly what this art form is all about! Bravo! Trust me, THIS is Albert Finney at his best,(coming from someone who HAS seen his mediocre works and who has also seen him at his worst)!
This gets a full 10 from me (I am hardly ever willing to even rate a film at all)!
I saw parts of the movie years ago and will now see if it is at my local library. If my memory serves me well then this film is even more culturally relevant. Young males NEED a father figure or mentor. A gangster is not the ideal role model so pity most black males today who have gangster rap for comfort.
share@thepooles
What the hell makes you think black males have only gangster rap/gangsters as role models? Pretty big racist assumption on your part, and this is coming from something who grew up in a black community who's sick of non-black folks making ignorant statements like these. There ARE black fathers and mothers who do give a damn about their kids and what happens to them, and try to raise them right. You make it sound as if some white boys don't grow up with gangster types, or as if the white community dosen't have its own messed-up issues. Anyway, Shia LeBeouf (whom I happen to like as an actor) was cast in the recent revival of this play, but walked out---it had something to do with having issues with his co-star Alec Baldwin. I mention that because here's an audition he did for the revived ORPHANS, and he's pretty raw with a streetwise intensity in it (a quality he brings to the few movies I've seen him in,and it's what makes his work interesting in the 1st place) check it out, it's about an hour long.
http://dlisted.com/2013/02/21/hell-kind-weed-shia-labeouf-smoking
He gets much hate from the blogger,but I'm thinking it's too bad he left the play, because he would have been smoking with that role on stage.
I work with young black males and their idols ARE gangster rappers. White adolescents usually gravitate towards metal screamers who use decibel steroids like a junkie to pump themselves up into "manliness". It is all regrettable- the futile search in all the wrong places for a useful manhood role model.
Years ago the black church had some positive influence on black youth but that era has past. Look at the gangster posing of many NBA black players- tats up to the chins etc- the swagger etc. An interesting film ONCE WERE WARRIORS featured callow and disaffected youth looking to be tough guys and tats played an important part. I have a theory that only self emancipation works in the long run but the "Great Emancipator" Lincoln lusted to be America's patron saint and made that impossible. The American Civil War made things worse for black Americans (an opinion of course).
ORPHANS is still running so the play's resonance must still be pertinent. Baldwin seems the type to want to control the arc of any play. If he ever did A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON he'd mess with the coach role in unhelpful ways.
Thanks for the response. John Poole wyncoteacademy.org artist in residence.
Searched Seattle and king county library...no copies...I suggested it..... So bought on amazon. So great.
shareI caught Orphans on some cable channel years ago and have been keeping an eye out for it... . unforgettable...I loved it... but where the hell is it? - why isn't it ever broadcast [in HD, hopefully] again anywhere?