Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
bkoganbing
Danny Huston, son of legendary director John Huston, directs this adaption of the whimsical Thornton Wilder novel with young Anthony Edwards in the title role. John Huston was to have had a prominent role in this production, but his own mortality caught up with him.As it was Huston missed a pretty good picture to be in even if was directed by his son. Robert Mitchum took his place as the recluse millionaire kept as such and infirm by his greedy relatives led by daughter Tammy Grimes.Edwards is the ingenuous young Theophilus North who is a Yale graduate and spending the summer in Newport looking for odd work here and there maybe for a permanent spot with one of the millionaire folks who summer there. He's a scholar without any particular career ambitions, but he has one natural talent although most would consider it a curse. He charges static electricity more than most and gives out some nasty shocks when he touches people. Through an interesting combination of circumstances, Edwards gets the undeserved and unwanted reputation of a healer. That's the basis of the plot and a lot of the action that follows.Mitchum does quite well in a role you would not normally consider him for. However I can see how John Huston would have owned this part had he lived to finish it.Lauren Bacall is also in the film, playing another Newport society swell. It's too bad that she and Mitchum did not have any good scenes together.Mr. North is an interesting and feel good kind of film. Nice family entertainment as well with an interesting moral about folks who have a vested interest in the status quo.
sweetcolleen
I loved the choice of actors, the acting itself, the art direction, costuming and most everything about this film...BUT the screenplay. I read the book and remember it as a lively, interesting fast-paced read, but the movie stays lugged down, even despite the best efforts of the actors involved. I was pleased to watch it though, I was, but couldn't help but make the same comparison most do when watching a film adaptation of a favorite book...it couldn't help but pale in contrast. Anthony Edwards did his best, and it was charming, that was worth watching. Lauren Bacall, Mary Stuart Masterson, Virginia Madsen, Anjelica Huston...all so lovely to watch. I think even if I had not read the book I would have found the film sluggish, but it was sweet to watch.
Paul-271
This is hardly an epic movie, but then again, it doesn't need to be. As another reviewer said, there are no aliens, nothing horrid occurs, no crashing soundtrack nor is there some deep dark message which You Must Get to enjoy the movie being thrown at you.Instead, this is a quiet way to pass a little bit more than an hour of time. Can you really ask that much more of a film? Given, the nastiness inherent in most modern films, I'd say that it's more than you'll probably find at your local cinamaplex these days.The cast is fine to exceptional with Mitchem in one of his last and most interesting roles, Huston looking terrific and Edwards as, well, Edwards. Helped by a rather stellar supporting cast, I can recommend this film to you as a full family type of event. By all means - take the kids and by the film's end, you'll all be in a better mood.
ccthemovieman-1
This was a New Age-type tale which turned me off quickly, thanks to some Bible-bashing right in the beginning of the film by Anthony Edwards and Robert Mitchum, both downgrading the value of reading "The Book."From there, the lead character demonstrates his amazing ability to heal people because electricity runs through his body and can be transmitted to those people he touches. Hollywood takes that stuff seriously but makes fun of the Bible? Give me a break. Sad to see a good cast (this also includes Lauren Bacall, Harry Dean Stanton, Anjelica Huston, Mary Stuart Masterson, Virginia Madsen and David Warner) wasted on tripe like this.
