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From: nelson@avsdS.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: re: Buried treasures
Message-ID: <613@avsdS.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Oct-83 17:15:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: avsdS.613
Posted: Fri Oct 21 17:15:45 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Oct-83 20:33:32 EDT
Lines: 42

Hey, I have seen "Jubal" and it was good (Glenn Ford for being so low key
is a good actor).

There was a French film called "Gigot", late 50's I believe, starring
(of all people) Jackie Gleason! He is the town dummy - literally. He is
a retarded deaf-mute, whose main problem is that temptation sometimes
overwhelms him and he breaks the bakery window and steals cakes.
The townspeople make fun of him of course, but nothing too malicious.
As I recall, he has at least one friend who knows sign language. Some
touching scenes where he becomes friends with this young girl (~12) -
a reference to Frankenstein I suspect.

Anyhow, Gigot falls in the river (or something) and drowns, but his
body is never found. The townspeople who made light fun of him have
a service for him - everyone feels bad about how they treated him and
the baker proclaims that if Gigot were still alive he could have sweets
everyday. Gigot, who really is not dead, hears this from his hiding
place and reveals himself. The movie ends with the townspeople, angry and
embarassed of their grief, running after him.

This film was a really pleasing human comedy, and Jackie Gleason is
superb in such a difficult role.

I was reminded of this film by some comments on "The Heart is a Lonely
Hunter" - indeed one of Alan Arkin's best films - and that says a lot!
Shortly after deciding that he was my favorite actor (in 1971), I was
driving down Sunset Blvd through Beverly Hills, when I saw a stalled
car in the middle of an intersection. Someone was helping push it.
I got out of my van and helped. The driver turned around for an instant -
looked like him! The other guy took off and the driver got out to
thank me. Indeed it was Arkin, late to the airport, ran out of gas.
I gave him a gallon, got my picture with him. Hey, big thrill for a
youngin'. Gee, he even paid me $0.75 for the gas!

Another great movie of his - "Wait Until Dark" with him as a heroin
smuggler and Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman who unfortunately winds
up (by accident) with his heroin in her apartment. He makes the mistake
of coming back to her apt. after dark to get it. Very suspenseful and
scary. I remember seeing it the second time and still screaming with
the rest of the audience at the end.

Glenn Nelson, Ampex, Redwood City