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From: jon@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Jonathan Gingerich)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Out of Africa
Message-ID: <2545@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Dec-85 19:58:22 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2545
Posted: Fri Dec 27 19:58:22 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Dec-85 13:47:39 EST
Reply-To: jon@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Jonathan Gingerich)
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Organization: System Development Corporation R&D, Santa Monica
Lines: 33


	Meryl Streep has always left me cold.  Partly it is because I have found
myself in disagreement with the films she has led, "The French Lieutenant's
Woman," "Sophie's Choice," and "Plenty."  In each she has played an intelligent
woman, following the beat of a different drummer, whose demands evoked little
sympathy.  With little feeling for the characters she played it is difficult
for me to judge her art, and sometimes I feel she but an exquisite talking head.
For instance, I found the results of her much ballyhoed intensive study
of Polish for her accent in "Sophie's Choice" simply irritatingly cute.
	Therefore, I was pleasently surprised by her performance in "Out of
Africa."  Again she is a fiercely independent, intelligent woman, but she
is also vunerable, and in Africa, runs into people and a continent as
uncompromising as herself.  And she shows more passion than I have seen
before, not sensual langour, or cloying coyness, but heady, vigorous courage.  I
even thought her Danish accent hit the peg square.
	The story itself is a love triangle of sorts with the backdrop of 
Africa and in some ways just wanders along, a slice of a womans life that
has far more to say to us than, say "The French Lieutenant's Woman."
The scenery is magnificent, and while the movie should have been shortened
just a tad, there is also excitement like a hunt scene which could teach
Spielberg how much fun one can have with two bullets.  Beyond this, I do not
want to say more about the story except that the movie works like the classics
do, and that you really should see it;  I suspect it will win the Oscar hands
down.
	I have heard second hand what I assume is Siskel's dislike, Redford's
acting.  While I would agree that it is occasionaly wooden, I do not think it
detracts too much, especially as his role is that of a hunter, a natural loner,
and a romantic, a role he is eminentaly suitable for.  Certainly both leads are
overshadowed by the incadesance of Brandauer as the raffish husband who carries
off the delicate task of being both caddish and sympathetic.  One other point,
a friend who read the book suggests the eagerness to please of some of the
Africans, especially the cook, may have been translated into proud independence
on screen to avoid offending modern sensibilities.