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- Ronald Epstein
I understand your point about the Nic Cage voice. When I first saw it at the theatre I absolutely HATED his almost "Mickey Mouse" voice, but really liked the rest of the mannerisms and soul he had for the character. As the years went on, and I saw the movie over and over, the voice he used kinda grew on me, and I felt actual pathos for the character. The voice just added to the pathetic character he was, and I felt maybe that Cage actually did know what he was doing. But this film is a sentimentally beautiful look at the roads taken and not taken and grows more and more meaningful to me as I age along with the movie.dshultz said:A very nice film - which could have been a classic if not for the fact that:
[*]Director Coppola, fresh off the failure of Zoetrope, hated the screenplay, and hated the fact that he was nothing but a hired gun, doing someone else's schlock film
[*]In order to land Coppola certain conditions had to be met - one of which was the hiring of Coppola's nephew - Nicholas Cage.
[*]Cage in turn had little respect for the film, only agreeing to take the project if he could do the entire film in some ridiculous voice, mocking his character.
[*]I remember a great quote from Kathleen Turner to Cage on his preposterous performance - offered during a break in filming - paraphrasing, "You do realize this is forever. Are you sure you want to keep doing what you are doing?"
[*]Cage himself over the years has offered - again paraphrasing - that "perhaps I made a few unfortunate choices on that project."
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And with all of that the film soars backed by a brilliant score from the master himself - John Barry, another absolutely winning performance from Kathleen Turner, and a script (Coppola notwithstanding) that touches something in most everyone that watches the film: going back and reliving youth.
What they should do is have Cage ADR every line of dialog, hence removing the cringe factor and enabling this lovely film to take its rightful place among the classics of its era and genre ("Somewhere In Time"), etc...
I think the point is its such a winning film, for all the reasons you mentioned, and lets not overlook the earnest and intense Barry Miller, that upon repeated viewing one really wants to embrace it, and expectations managed, one not only adjusts to Cage's pitiful performance, one tries to justify it.Richard V said:I understand your point about the Nic Cage voice. When I first saw it at the theatre I absolutely HATED his almost "Mickey Mouse" voice, but really liked the rest of the mannerisms and soul he had for the character. As the years went on, and I saw the movie over and over, the voice he used kinda grew on me, and I felt actual pathos for the character. The voice just added to the pathetic character he was, and I felt maybe that Cage actually did know what he was doing. But this film is a sentimentally beautiful look at the roads taken and not taken and grows more and more meaningful to me as I age along with the movie.
And film great Maureen O'Sullivan and an extremely young Helen Hunt in a small role as Turner's daughter.Professor Echo said:Lest we forget veterans Don Murray and Leon Ames, both of whom shine in the picture. Coppola always had a keen eye for casting