Edwin Pereyra
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 1998
- Messages
- 3,500
Films whose subject matter are based on a real life person have a choice of both telling the truth and getting it right or do just the opposite. My Left Foot is one of those fact based films that confronts the harsh realities of its subject matter and portray them as they are.
The film tells the life of Christy Brown – a genius. He came from a poor Irish family. He was a painter, a poet and a novelist. But he also had cerebral palsy and Christy’s left foot is the only part of his body which he had control of. Christy was also a difficult person. He was stubborn and arrogant and most of all, he was an alcoholic, which made him vulgar and at times, a very hard person to deal and live with.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays the older Christy Brown while Hugh O’Conor portrayed him in the childhood years. Both of these performances are outstanding. Brenda Fricker also stars as Christy’s mom. Lewis and Fricker won the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for their performances. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
There are so many memorable scenes in this film including the first time the young Christy is able to pick up a chalk and write with his left foot. Another is a heartbreaking scene were Christy would finally find out how he misinterpreted his speech therapist’s feelings for him as they were anything but romantic. And then there were the moments of happiness with Christy playing soccer with his brothers and neighborhood kids and being taken around on a wheelbarrow. Watching this film, one actually goes through an entire gamut of emotions.
My Left Foot tells it like it is and is all the more special because of it. Unlike a certain film released late last year based also on another real life genius, this film is not afraid to tell the negative aspects of its subject. In my judgment, there is no comparison and that this film is the more worthy. Based on Christy Brown’s autobiographical novel, My Left Foot is a powerful, courageous and memorable film.
When it comes down to fact based films, realism does matter. They have more heart.
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Film Greats – A continuing quick look at motion pictures that, in one way or another, have been called “great films” by some. Other Films In This Series: D. W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms : Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men : Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend : Rankin/Bass’ The Year Without A Santa Claus
~Edwin
The film tells the life of Christy Brown – a genius. He came from a poor Irish family. He was a painter, a poet and a novelist. But he also had cerebral palsy and Christy’s left foot is the only part of his body which he had control of. Christy was also a difficult person. He was stubborn and arrogant and most of all, he was an alcoholic, which made him vulgar and at times, a very hard person to deal and live with.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays the older Christy Brown while Hugh O’Conor portrayed him in the childhood years. Both of these performances are outstanding. Brenda Fricker also stars as Christy’s mom. Lewis and Fricker won the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for their performances. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
There are so many memorable scenes in this film including the first time the young Christy is able to pick up a chalk and write with his left foot. Another is a heartbreaking scene were Christy would finally find out how he misinterpreted his speech therapist’s feelings for him as they were anything but romantic. And then there were the moments of happiness with Christy playing soccer with his brothers and neighborhood kids and being taken around on a wheelbarrow. Watching this film, one actually goes through an entire gamut of emotions.
My Left Foot tells it like it is and is all the more special because of it. Unlike a certain film released late last year based also on another real life genius, this film is not afraid to tell the negative aspects of its subject. In my judgment, there is no comparison and that this film is the more worthy. Based on Christy Brown’s autobiographical novel, My Left Foot is a powerful, courageous and memorable film.
When it comes down to fact based films, realism does matter. They have more heart.
- - -
Film Greats – A continuing quick look at motion pictures that, in one way or another, have been called “great films” by some. Other Films In This Series: D. W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms : Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men : Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend : Rankin/Bass’ The Year Without A Santa Claus
~Edwin
