Dwight Dekeyser rating: BBB
Dear Reader:
Never heard of this movie? This one’s under the radar or under the “sonar,” to use the title of the anonymously-authored internet real estate report produced by the late Mark Madoff. (The poor boy was reduced to selling email subscriptions at $20.00 a month.) I don’t know why. It is a perfectly fine picture in the genre of “rich people behaving badly.” I’m not talking about Republicans holding extended unemployment benefits hostage to tax-breaks for the rich and setting the inheritance tax bar at $5,000,000.00. No, no, no, no, no! I’m talking about murder. I love this type of movie; I suppose it is the Dominick Dunne in me. The sordid travails of the super rich can always be counted on to provide Schadenfreude or at least some smug moral superiority to those of us of the lower economic echelons. I know I am not above peeping through the keyholes of those who live behind gilded gates for a little entertainment. After all, not all castles offer guided tours.
This is reported to be fiction based upon a true missing-person mystery. In this case, the names of the guilty have been changed to protect the producers. However, the comparisons to the Durst family and its real estate concern in New York are so apparent, no disclaimer of “any resemblance between the characters of this film to actual persons is purely coincidental” because it was clearly intentional. The actors were cast, in part, to resemble actual family members: wife, Katie Durst (Kirsten Dunst), husband, Robert A. Dunst (Ryan Gosling), and father(-in-law) Seymour Durst (Frank Langella). The most amusing lookalike was the Westchester County prosecutor Jeanine F. Pirro (Diane Venona). Venona did a spot-on portrayal of the ambitious former political candidate, now T.V. judge. (Why bother with constituents when you can have fans?) The only character’s whose name was not changed was the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who is not disposed to sue anyone for defamation.
Yes, the rich are different -- they get away with murder. At least, this rich kid did, which is why this is “fiction.” Nothing has ever been proven, but boy can we fill in those blanks with a glue gun. The movie is about David Marks (Gosling), a disturbed rich boy who at age seven witnessed his mother’s suicide in a leap from the garage roof (a fatal lack of style, I’m afraid). The austere and downright mean father Sanford Marks (Langella), allowed the boy to witness the event. (She could have been faking, I suppose.) The boy never got over seeing his mother’s demise and developed a deep hatred for his father that was never resolved despite extensive (scream) therapy. The father was a Jewish Godfather-type without any affection for his wayward son. In fact, his antipathy for his son was proclaimed in every word to him. The message was clear, “if you defy me by not joining the family business, you are worthless to me.” So, what’s a pothead like David to do? He runs away with his shiksa to Vermont to open a (Kosher?) health food store called, “All Good Things.”
Life in Vermont is a paradise for the young lovers until one day the Devil arrives in a limousine. The father lays a guilt trip on the boy to return to New York and work for the family firm. The son gives in and it’s all down hill from here. This is where the story becomes a Greek tragedy. The father’s relentless pressure to obey and the son’s ambivalent obeyance (I say it’s a word) result in the son’s ultimate downfall. The depravity and murder that ensue scandalize society and disgrace the “noble” family. This is a story that happens in many households. It is the dramatic locations, powerful players, and the exalted family that make this a classic story of family dysfunction. And yes, the rich do get better health care and legal representation.
I was a little disappointed there was not more glamour in the picture. (This was not The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, 1985). All of the surviving Marks members were male and looked like they had just come from a Ralph Lauren catalogue. There was only one brief party of importance in which Mrs. Moynihan looked fabulous in a an evening gown with a yellow satin bodice with black military braiding. But that was as close to fabulosity (this is word, too) as we got in this film. There were no receptions, parties or balls to speak of. Former flower child, Katie Marks, was hopelessly middle class, “she's never going to be one of us.” Consequently, there were no extravagant costumes, freaks of fashion or society beauties. (Don’t look for Babe Paley in this picture.) No, the men in this family meant buttoned-down Brooks Brothers.
The acting in this film was universally excellent. I never cease to be amazed by the breadth of thespian talent in this country. Langella was a very powerful menacing presence. Perhaps, he drew upon his days as a young buck in Dracula (1979). I was especially touched the performance of Philip Baker Hall as Malvern Bump, a down-and-out sad sack manipulated by David Marks. If Sanford Marks were the king, Bump was the pawn. It was heartbreaking to see the things desperate people will do to stay alive -- sometimes the very things the mighty do to maintain an empire. BTW, Mr. Bernie Madoff is not available for comment -- neither is his son.
From the vault: East of Eden (1955), directed by Elia Kazan, staring James Dean, Julie Harris, and Raymond Massie. No tycoons, no murder, and no Jews (Steinbeck was Episcopalian) but boy is there a lot of family fallout in this classic father-son feud. One of the few films I would venture to call perfect. And, this is Ryan Gosling’s favorite film.
Best of luck in your movie selections. Your faithful friend,
Dwight Dekeyser
© 2010 Dwight Dekeyser, Esq. All rights reserved.
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