Word: plotting
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1940-1949
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
From the viewpoint of the eldest daughter, the affection of Mama for her family is a very real thing --and so it is presented. The plot closely approaches soap-opera funny business in places, but any hokum is carefully avoided by careful character delineation and a constant vote of the ridiculous. It is hard to believe that the family would remain convinced that Mama's imaginary bank account was real; but acceptance of this anyth is so credibly presented that it isn't questioned. Well selected close-ups of the children's faces enhance the authority of Mama...
McClintic uses standard devices to clear up plot troubles. A few cuts here and there, a minimum number of transpositions, and some scenes played in front of the curtain are employed successfully to keep the action understandable and more or less continuous. The only bad cut is at the very end, which is foolishly speeded-up. The general style and the acting, rather that the plot, are the play in any case...
Henry Wallace pretended not to hear. He strode into Washington, denounced universal military training,* said that Russian aggression was a myth, and then bustled back to Manhattan. He also found time to order half a ton of cow manure worked into the 5 ft. by 15 ft. plot adjoining his Park Avenue headquarters, in preparation for corn planting...
Every fortnight, Batista drives off to Palm Beach, Orlando or Fort Pierce for secret meetings with aides who bring the political word from Cuba and take back his instructions. Only when the Cuban government discovers an arms cache and shouts "Batista plot" are Floridians reminded that their guest is dynamite...
...because of his crookedness. His younger son-rather uncon-incingly-commits suicide in protest; his elder son (Burt Lancaster) returns home to ferret out his secret. The father becomes at last fully aware of the dimensions of his crime and of the shallowness of his excuses. Among the lesser plot problems: will the dead boy's mother (Mady Christians) ever accept the fact of his death...