mabry-bob

I read that after Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther movies) turned this movie in some suit completely recut it. I can believe it. Sometimes it seems that the action sequences or suspenseful sequences are cut so as to reduce the excitement or suspense, that the set has just enough color so as not to be monochromatic, but is not lit so that the colorfulness of the set in some scenes (and the lack of it in other scenes) does not reinforce any emotion or theme in the movie. James Coburn puts on his super-cool persona, and that's fun to watch, but a super-cool pathologist is as common as a super-cool law librarian. Jennifer O'Neill is gorgeous and eminently watchable, but the way her romance is written, she must be very easy; no way. Michael Crichton (The Andromeda Strain writer, Westworld director) wrote the book on which the movie is based, and hid his name somewhere in the process like Edwards did. Quality writers John D.F. Black (Shaft) and the writing team of Harriet Frank, Jr. and Irving Ravetch (Norma Rae) worked on this, then hid their names. Many hospital drama tropes that are old hat now were fresh then, and that's fun. Should not be your first choice,except maybe to gaze at Jennifer O'Neill- better choices: Blake Edwards- Pink Panther, James Coburn- Magnificent Seven, Michael Crichton medical- Andromeda Strain, nonmedical Westworld.

Tense, socially aware, with beautiful architecture and actors, reflecting on racial discrimination and the dangers of genetic engineering. Understated, hardly any violence. Like In Time, but far less melodramatic and less contrived, which, by the way, was also written and directed by Gattaca writer Andrew Niccol. He is a very imaginative guy. Gattaca was his first. The Truman Show was his second script. Number three: S1m0ne about the problems arising from a CGI "perfect woman," which he wrote and directed "In Time." Complaints: Ms. Thurman is so understated, it is as if she sleep-walked through principal photography. The clothing of spacepersons on their way to the launch is strange. At least one major plot issue is resolved summarily and off- handedly.