Robert Redford

‘The Hot Rock’ on Blu-ray from Twilight Time

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Robert Redford and George Segal head up this 1972 heist film. The Hot Rock is part Ocean’s 11, part The Sting, and part Marx Brothers!

Redford is John Dortmunder, an ex-con who cannot stay away from the wrong side of the law. His brother-in-law Kelp (Segal) lines up a big heist and brings John into the plan. They are to steal a special diamond from the museum. To do this they need two more in their gang: Murch (Ron Leibman) and Greenberg (Paul Sand).

The interesting thing about this story is that the diamond is stolen near the beginning of the film. The remainder of the movie is about how they can get it back after it finds its way into several different locations. Zero Mostel is Greenberg’s father and attorney. But his parental feelings disappear when he learns of the diamond. Everyone is after this special rock, but where is it?

It’s a fun little film but by today’s standards it’s quite slow-moving. It’s also enjoyable to watch these legendary actors when they were very young. Redford just announced his retirement from the business.

With some hokey yet laughable scenes, The Hot Rock is a cute story that will leave viewers chuckling. Every member of the team does a great job. Leibman is laughable as the driver/helicopter pilot, and Sand is hysterical as the thief who swallows the diamond, then loses it in the police station. Yes, the police station.

Bad luck follows this team from the beginning, and after each incident of craziness, Dortmunder gets more and more adamant about finding the stone. While the others might want to give up, he wonders what bad thing will befall them around the next corner. Everything seems to go wrong for these guys. The tagline for the film, “How many times does it take to steal the same diamond?” says it all.

The Hot Rock was nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Film Editing”

The year he made this film, Redford also made The Candidate and Jeremiah Johnson. The next year he would come out with The Way We Were and The Sting.

The new Twilight Time Blu-ray includes a booklet about the film and the actors, and of course, the phrase “Afghanistan Bananistan” which I remember well! The Hot Rock is a cute caper film that involves caper after caper. It’s rated PG.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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Truth – Movie Review

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

truth

In 1976 Robert Redford played journalist Bob Woodward in the film All the President’s Men. That story was about the investigative journalism spearheaded by Woodward and Carl Bernstein who uncovered the Watergate cover-up which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. In Truth, Redford again takes on the role of a journalist when he plays Dan Rather in an incident that eventually led to Rather’s resignation from CBS.

This film delves into the television reporting of a story about President George W. Bush and his absence from the National Guard when he was supposed to be on duty. It also looks at the way the National Guard was used by those who wanted to escape the Vietnam War by serving in a local capacity.

Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) was the producer on this story and she was adamant about bringing this incident to the public via the CBS show 60 Minutes. Her relationship with Rather was friendly and collaborative. How she handled herself and the investigation is what comes into question in this movie, which is based on Mapes’ book Truth and Duty: The President, and the Privilege of Power.

If you are looking for a good movie about journalism the old-fashioned way with fact checking and credentials, this is not the movie for you. It is mired with personal divergence and doesn’t get into the nitty gritty that All the President’s Men does. It is, however, a reflection of the television news industry.

The one shining aspect of the film is Redford’s portrayal of Rather. He does a good imitation of the iconic newsman and the makeup department did a fabulous job in transforming the actor into the news anchor. Every once in awhile at certain angles Redford does look like Rather. That is enough to put viewers into the story. Otherwise, this is not an engaging or even appealing film.

Besides Redford and Blanchett, the film costars Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, and Dermot Mulroney. Unfortunately, the great cast is not enough to make this an absorbing film. It has some merits though, by showing the importance of good journalism. “You stop asking questions and that’s when the American people lose.” A free press is the salvation of any democracy.

Truth is rated R for language and a brief nude photo.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter