À la recherche de Miss MacLaine

Shirley Maclaine had a nerve to expose your sanity in this bold book that later was taken to screen, here in Brazil the Spiritualist are around of three per cent of the entire population, whose I include myself, watching just a small part of Out on a Limb on 1987, which I'm didn't known the Spiritism properly yet, recently came out a double DVD of this movie, now watching this overlong endeavor of Shirley Maclaine, sadly she spent much time with her love affair with Gerry Stamford (Charles Dance) and doesn't going straight in the point, she will slowly walking by the edge to the center in four hours long, presented as mini-series I'd understood perfectly that it was so hard compressed the book in short time as possible, however it's a great picture, exposing her private life to mockery of the western civilization, she talked about past life, why she was involved with a married man, his guide on earth and also his journey of self-discovery on Peru, also putting an alleged Alien on the story, maybe she went too far, maybe not, in my opinion the Spiritism itself almost erased by Christian Church due they got the power over the mass, although it was plenty accepted on entire Asia and middle west by several religions, it's a complex matter to discuss widely, it needs an exhaustive studies of countless reliable authors of good books, as I did in last twenty years and l still learning!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1987 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8

This true story is an excellent movie that took a lot of guts by Shirley Maclaine to admit to, for her career and possible sanity were questionable after its release. I have been a physic for 40 years and can testify that in my experience the content is accurate. I know there are two types of entity with whom I can communicate. In this movie it only explores the possibility of Alien interaction with our lives and the benefits that can have. The early part of the story concentrates more on her relationship with a British Government official and the love affair that results. This is a good, rather bland "ordinary life" contrast to the almost surreal action that follows.

Two-part miniseries for television starring Shirley MacLaine is an extremely talky dramatization of her late-1970s spiritual awakening chronicled in her 1983 autobiography "Out on a Limb" (in essence, it's Shirley recreating the past while playing herself). While having an affair with a married British socialist in line to become the next Prime Minister of England, Shirley--always one to question the universe and her place in it--delves into the Indian philosophy of karma and reincarnation. Meeting a mysterious young artist (for the second time, as it turns out) in Malibu, MacLaine eventually finds herself high above Peru in the Andes, where her companion has seen a 'flying disc" and believes his spirit guide is an alien female who has instructed him to relay all his metaphysical knowledge to Shirley MacLaine "because she writes". Actors know it's very difficult to play yourself on-screen, but MacLaine does a pretty good job of it here; she's perhaps more unaffected about her life and career than an actress of her caliber would be, but she's likably open-minded with a spontaneous-seeming personality. This well-made, globe-trotting production, directed by Robert Butler and adapted by MacLaine and Colin Higgins (who also co-produced), opens with the affair, which is the weakest part of Shirley's story (she tells us early on that this relationship would act as a connection to the following events which take place; however, since her lover is a non-believer, he just seems like a very rude abstraction). MacLaine's high-powered persona is often sugarcoated, sometimes for an unintentionally amusing, noodle-headed affect (when she's told at one point that happiness lies in her own backyard, Shirley takes the metaphor literally and laments, "My backyard is the Pacific Ocean!"). Her journey is a heartfelt one, and the mediums, psychics and channelers she encounters along the way are often interesting, but it's doubtful many lives will be changed by Shirley's incredible adventure. It's a very personal jaunt--as self-awareness stories usually are--but, as MacLaine claims, she's "not a teacher", she's "a learner", and what the actress has to tell us is only about the Self. The rest of us are gawkers at the gate. Three Emmy nominations: Outstanding Special, also for editing and sound mixing. **1/2 from ****

Dear Charles,

I sure hope you were well-paid for this toe-curlingly awful vanity project. Not yours, of course. No man could possibly be vain and appear in dreck like this.

Your performance was perfect, of course. You convincingly embodied the romantic intellectual. You made it very easy to believe in Gerry's fascination with Shirley.

I've got to give you lots of respect: clearly, as an artist you're willing to take on risk. You've done (what must be unpleasant) work in order to fulfill your responsibilities as a husband and father. You've consistently delivered top-quality performances in the most unworthy projects. And in addition to all that, I've never seen or heard you even once complain or disparage anyone.

But Charles, even my love isn't enough to withstand watching "Out on a Limb." Taking most excellent advice from another of your pictures,* I decided to leave off watching after fifteen minutes. It is better to preserve my love for you than immolate it in service of checking off another item on your c.v.

Yours affectionately,

Oloiatao

*Dorothy: I believe in love. Not just getting it, but giving it. I think that if you're able to love someone, even if they don't know it, even if they can't love you back, then it's worth it. (Gosford Park)

Not bad docudrama of a very pretty Shirley MacLaine describing her path of awareness.

Some strained romantic interludes - which most women will no doubt find alluring - are included in the movie, but the film is literally interesting once Shirley embarks on her 'journey' to find the meaning of life and all that. I still could never detach myself from the possibility that Shirley is just some bored rich chick who needed something to do, thus she began her little self-discovery thing. Having said that, the flick is okay, save the frustration of her character (herself) tolerating that spooky married British guy (Charlie Dance) when she had a more promising prospect in the enlightened beach bum (John Heard). Anne Jackson tags along as an over-bearing matza ball.

Check it out. There are some clips of Shirley performing on Broadway.