POWER (1986)

Apparently, vet NYC director Sidney Lumet was ‘shocked, shocked’ to learn that politicians often say things they don’t believe just to get elected.  Or so you’d think after watching this autopilot all-star attempt to recapture some of the controversy & cultural buzz Lumet got out of NETWORK/’76.  A (lack of) character piece about hotshot political consultant for hire Richard Gere as he guides his roster of international clients thru one political & personal crisis after another.  (Though after a front-loaded sequence in Central American with the only action in the pic, Gere remains Stateside.)  So it’s off to D.C. where aging senator E.G. Marshall unexpectedly retires (could there be a secret reason?), bowing out to leave his seat open and a long line of clamoring clients to vie for Gere’s professional services.  Also on the scene: rival consultant Gene Hackman, sporting a Southern Fried accent* & bow tie to go with his on-and-off principles; journalist Julie Christie, Gere’s on-and-off ‘ex’; Denzel Washington, an on-and-off supplicant/threat; Fritz Weaver’s on-and-off candidate; Michael Learned, the on-and-off front-running Governor . . . and so on.  Plus Beatrice Straight, Kate Capshaw, J.T. Walsh and Matt Salinger (J.D.’s son!).   Every one of them, underused.   Nothing really wrong here, but nothing to get excited about.  Mostly, it’s stale goods.

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY:  Whereas silent great Mary Pickford deserves much of the credit for using her eyes, rather than physical gestures, to move story & character on screen (goodbye arm waving),  Richard Gere was the first (and only) leading man to feed us emotion and information thru blinks.  BLINKS!  He really is the oddest actor with whomever he partners.  (Even Hackman, who has a way of pulling people up to his level fails to curb him.  Fast blinks for danger and action prep.  (None during action.)  Tight for stubborn determination.  And v-e-r-y  s-l-o-w to indicate deep thinking.

WATCH THIS, NOT THAT/LINK: *Talk about a fast learning curve, two years on Hackman would transform his hokey accent into a remarkably subtle, slightly malleable thing in MISSISSIPPI BURNING/’88.   https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2023/01/mississippi-burning-1988.html