War-time drama `Belle' chock-full of acting goodness
By CASEY K. McCLUSKEY
Scene Movie Critic
Video picks are meant to highlight movies that are usually overlooked because they did not get a lot of critical acclaim when they were released, but are still worth checking out. This week's video pick is 1990's "Memphis Belle," directed by Michael Caton-Jones.
"Belle" is about the crew of Memphis Belle, a World War II bomber plane. The crew has successfully flown 24 bombing missions and has one more flight before they finish their tour of duty and return home. When the crew learns that their last mission is over Dresden, each of them knows that they may not make it home.
"Belle" is a war film, but not a typical one because it is not full of battles and action scenes. The crew is shown in the middle of some serious bomb fire while on their last flight, but the focus is on what truly makes up the Memphis Belle: her crew.
This film is packed full of some great actors who never quite made it to the A-list in Hollywood. Nonetheless, they play characters subtle enough to not take over the spotlight from each other, which is exactly what is needed in a film about a tight knit crew.
Matthew Modine ("Gross Anatomy") is Dennis Dearborn, the pilot of the Memphis Belle. He is a no-nonsense officer who does everything by the book so that his crew and his plane come out of every situation intact. He is not interested in flying the missions, he just wants to finish them. He wants to do his job as a pilot so that all of his missions are successful, whatever that takes.
Eric Stoltz ("Pulp Fiction") is Danny Daly, the crew's resident poet. He has become so accustomed to the Air Force that he is not sure he is ready to go home. The crew of the Belle has become his family and he cannot imagine life without them.
D.B. Sweeney ("The Cutting Edge") is Phil Lowenthal, the crew's navigator. Phil is convinced that his number is up and this final mission is going to be the death of him.
Billy Zane ("Titanic") is Val Kozlowski, the medical student who held off going into medicine to help his country out.
Sean Astin ("Rudy") is Rascal Moore, one of the youngest members of the crew who is only interested in getting women into bed and fighting in the war.
Harry Connick Jr. ("Copycat" and "Hope Floats") is Clay Busby, a southern boy who left his father's farm to help in the war effort. As in most of Connick's films, the audience is treated to hearing his jazz renditions on the piano. In "Memphis Belle" we hear Connick sing "Danny Boy" dedicated to the men on his plane.
These are the men whose names are very memorable, but there are some other really great performances by some lesser known actors.
This movie is not a "guy movie" or a "chick flick." It is a great movie for a "dorm date" because it is a movie that has a little bit of something for everyone. Admittedly, the film is a bit slow at times, but overall it is definitely worth checking out. You will not be disappointed.
All Scene Stories for Thursday, November 2, 2000
