GOTTA SEE IT # 25 - "THE STRAIGHT STORY"
"THE STRAIGHT STORY"
Starring: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Joseph A. Carpenter, Jane Galloway Heitz, Donald Wiegert, Tracey Maloney, Dan Flannery, Harry Dean Stanton.
Written by: John Roach, Mary Sweeney
Directed by: David Lynch
Colour – 1999
112 mins
U.S.A.
The snow is falling here in Toronto and the 25th is but a mitten full of dreams away. So, I’ll tear away the figurative festive paper and unwrap this special Christmas edition of “Gotta See It” a little early. I hope you don’t mind.
There are many yuletide films, some of which are too obvious to mention, but I’m going to be a bit of a left of centre Santa this year and give you a Christmas “Gotta See It” that has absolutely nothing, at least on its’ surface, to do with that very special annual seasonal celebration.
The great Richard Farnsworth acted, for the very last time, in, this, one of Lynch’s "normal" films and, in doing so, left us with an aching and genuinely moving performance. It’s the true story of a man named Alvin, who, unable to drive his car due to health problems, takes his riding lawn mower cross country in order to patch things up between he and estranged brother.
No snow, no reindeers, no jolly fat man with his sack full of goodies – none of that. Yet, TSS is a quiet, gentle, emotionally mature and naked film about family, friends and the lengths one will go to prove one’s love to another. Now, if that doesn’t qualify it as a Christmas movie, then nothing will. ‘Cause, you see, if this time of year is about anything, it’s about love. And love, as I have heard it and seen it and felt it, needs no ho, ho, ho or thumpty-thump-thump.
During his very slow journey, Alvin stops off along the highway and camps out under the stars, meets folks – some lost, some not, some hurting from the same wounds as him. He talks, says little, but means much and, generally, gets to know his country and its’ people just a little bit better. TSS is a gentle breeze of a film, a soft landing, a warm bath of wisdom, an unexpected phone call from an old friend.
So, bake some cookies, make some hot chocolate, curl up on the couch and let the Christmas spirit find its’ way into you through the sunny, snow-less images of Richard Farnsworth motoring down the shoulder of a rural highway, headed to his brother’s place, to give him the only gift that’s ever counted and ever will.
There are many yuletide films, some of which are too obvious to mention, but I’m going to be a bit of a left of centre Santa this year and give you a Christmas “Gotta See It” that has absolutely nothing, at least on its’ surface, to do with that very special annual seasonal celebration.
The great Richard Farnsworth acted, for the very last time, in, this, one of Lynch’s "normal" films and, in doing so, left us with an aching and genuinely moving performance. It’s the true story of a man named Alvin, who, unable to drive his car due to health problems, takes his riding lawn mower cross country in order to patch things up between he and estranged brother.
No snow, no reindeers, no jolly fat man with his sack full of goodies – none of that. Yet, TSS is a quiet, gentle, emotionally mature and naked film about family, friends and the lengths one will go to prove one’s love to another. Now, if that doesn’t qualify it as a Christmas movie, then nothing will. ‘Cause, you see, if this time of year is about anything, it’s about love. And love, as I have heard it and seen it and felt it, needs no ho, ho, ho or thumpty-thump-thump.
During his very slow journey, Alvin stops off along the highway and camps out under the stars, meets folks – some lost, some not, some hurting from the same wounds as him. He talks, says little, but means much and, generally, gets to know his country and its’ people just a little bit better. TSS is a gentle breeze of a film, a soft landing, a warm bath of wisdom, an unexpected phone call from an old friend.
So, bake some cookies, make some hot chocolate, curl up on the couch and let the Christmas spirit find its’ way into you through the sunny, snow-less images of Richard Farnsworth motoring down the shoulder of a rural highway, headed to his brother’s place, to give him the only gift that’s ever counted and ever will.
2 comments:
I was always amazed David Lynch directed this film. He should put his eschewed take on reality into more of these kind of tender, hopeful projects.
Now if only Farnsworth built a rocket ship, it would have been perfect.
Yes, a rocket ship would've sealed the deal.
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