Cradle Will Rock

Rating:
Summary: CRADLE WILL BORE!
Review: It is not often that I turn off a DVD I spent $4.OO on renting, but the agony, the brutal and insufferable agony that this film gave to me is unbelievable. Tim Robbins simply does not know how to make a movie. He belongs (barely) in front of the camrea, but never, under any circumstances, should he be behind one! First he insulted us by trying to make us feel pity for a rapist-killer in DEAD MAN WALKING, and now he tries to pass off this abomination, this complete waste of film, as entertainment. This was not dramatic, scary, interesting, funny, cute, sexy, sad, romantic or anything other then TERRIBLY BORING AND POINTLESS. This movie is not even worthy enough to be a rabid dog's chew toy. My hatred for this film is astounding, almost as astounding that people bothered to make such an odious piece of manure. Who needs NyQuil when youv'e got this stupid thing!

Rating:
Summary: compelling drama
Review: Although ultraconservatives will undoubtedly dismiss `The Cradle Will Rock' as blatant leftwing propaganda, the rest of us will see it as a fascinating rumination on the intricate relationship that has always existed between politics and art. Writer/director Tim Robbins, whose left-leaning sympathies are common knowledge in the film industry, has managed to create a screenplay of amazing complexity and depth, functioning on an enormous number of levels - political, historical, aesthetic, personal - without ever losing clarity and focus. He has set up a dizzying array of characters, yet each one is fleshed out with enough depth and particularity to make him or her a vital part of the overall tapestry.

Set in the turbulent 1930's, Robbins' tale focuses on the National Theatre Company, an organization set up by Roosevelt during the Depression to provide out-of-work artists a vehicle through which to ply their trade and culture-starved audiences a chance to revel in the glories of live theatrical performances. Unfortunately, it was also a time of great civil and political upheaval, with Communism and Fascism battling for supremacy abroad and many Americans divided along similar lines in their loyalties. With passions running deep, it was only a matter of time before many in the United States Congress began suspecting the NTC of Communist sympathizing - and it was a short road from there to the eventual dismemberment of the organization. The film centers on the production of a controversial musical play called `The Cradle Will Rock' that portrays the glorious coming of unionism to a steel factory, a scenario that parallels the events in the lives of several of the characters in the film.

Given this fascinating historical background, Robbins has filled his film with a rich assortment of characters, from Orson Welles, as a fledgling young actor who sees unions as the ruination of artistic purity, to Nelson Rockefeller, as a well-meaning art patron who balks at the mural Diego Rivera has painted for him only after Rivera refuses to remove the image of Lenin from Rockefeller's monument-to-capitalism lobby. In fact, the cast of characters is so enormous, with each one taking a crucial part in the narrative proceedings, that it is quite impossible to mention them all here. Suffice it to say that Robbins covers the social spectrum from industrialists and capitalists to union workers and the unemployed, from sympathetic patrons and patronesses to the little people eager to root out the seeds of Communism even at the expense of their own ostracism. And not a one is uninteresting.

Robbins has assembled an all-star cast that reads like a who's who of contemporary movie acting (albeit of a non-blockbuster variety). Although at the beginning of the film, the casting of such familiar faces seems a bit disconcerting - leading to what critic Judith Crist refers to as the `hey there' syndrome, i.e. destroying the verisimilitude of a work by parading too many recognizable people before the camera - this technique actually helps the audience to differentiate the many characters who might otherwise pass by in a confusing and disorienting blur. Hank Azaria, Ruben Blades, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Cary Elwes, Bill Murray, Vanessa Redgrave, Susan Sarandon, John Turturro and Emily Watson comprise this truly fine cast.

Liberal as his leanings might be, Robbins is able to focus on the bitter ironies that abound on both sides of the political spectrum. For instance, while Susan Sarandon portrays a Jewish ally of Mussolini, abandoning her pro-worker principles to act as his capitalist representative in the States, Ruben Blades plays a Diego Rivera who has subordinated - if only temporarily - his own revolutionary ethos to the power of the almighty buck. Also, there is a certain paradox to the fact that, when the government has decreed the theater closed and thereby forbidden the premiere performance of the play, it is the actors' UNION that threatens the performers with firing if they carry out their plan to stage it furtively. Robbins is even somewhat evenhanded in his treatment of the `enemy' - the rich capitalists and the anti-communist members of the theatre organization - portraying them with good-natured humor and pathos. Joan Cusack, as a clerk at the employment office and Bill Murray, as a vaudeville ventriloquist, seem like decent people, only hopelessly misguided and lonely. (Unfortunately, Murray's sudden change of heart at the end seems inexplicable and unmotivated). As for the elite in the story, Robbins does a lovely job of spoofery at the end of the film; as the play is finally being performed at a nearby theatre - representing the triumph both on stage and in the world at large of the common man over the oppressive tyrants of industry - the tycoons, dressed in masquerade ball costumes of the 18th Century aristocracy and Catholic hierarchy, mull over their plans to retain control of the art world by bankrolling only those paintings depicting the scenes of utmost blandness and banality. Thus, these men of corporate power are portrayed more as amusingly quaint pests than malevolent or malicious despots.

There is certainly no denying that `The Cradle Will Rock' is, at heart, a bit of a leftwing diatribe. However, it is not a cruel or unreasonable one. And Tim Robbins' extraordinary skills as both a storyteller and filmmaker make this clearly one of the most interesting and impressive films of 1999.

Rating:
Summary: Rather disappointing
Review: In one sentence, this film is Shakespeare in Love in the Depression.

Tim Robbins has an interesting story to tell, about the Federal Theater and ideological struggle in 1930's America, but he seems unable to decide on a tone for the first half of the movie. Right from the beginning, you see weaknesses: for example, a paragraph explaining the history of the period is followed by a newsreel which repeats the same material again, completely redundantly, and many serious conversations are conducted at a tempo which is more appropriate for slapstick farce. The primary plot is a playwright (Hank Azaria)'s attempt to get his work performed. However, other plots are interspersed. Susan Sarandon plays Mussolini's trade rep in the U.S.(After seeing her host Joseph Campbell videos, this was a shock.) The most interesting one for me was Diego Rivera (Ruben Blades) being commissioned by Rockefeller(John Cusack) for a mural. This would have been a great film in itself; the two actors are great. But the story eventually zeroes in on the play, and the film builds up to a sappy last scene where the play is performed against the odds in a purely spontaneous outburst of joy. As a socialist myself, I completely concurred with the message of the film, but it was presented so badly that I cannot really recommend the film as a whole. Certain comic scenes are very good.

Rating:
Summary: Dull
Review: First, the food points. There are many good actors in this film--or, to put it better, actors who have turned in fine performances in other films. The production is pretty good, the film looks great (especially on DVD) and the edits are crisp and keep the story moving along. What else. Nothing else. The problem with the film is that it tells a story without establishing a character-driven narrative thrust. Part of the problem lies in the director's hands. He cuts so quickly that meaning never arises out of a scene. It's too jumpy. There are a few film-schools tricks thrown in to remind you that, yes, Tim Robbins has learned the technical stuff. The script is as dull and colorless as film writing gets. There is a tonal problem--obviously, the intent is to tell a serious story about politics and theater in the 1930s, but there are semi-humorous asides thrown in, the movie can't quite take itself seriously enough. The characters are one-dimensional, and the acting consists of reading the lines fast, I guess because people spoke fast in 1930s movies? Who knows. A total lack of insight or cleverness, except of the self-conscious variety, render the dialogue flat. The acting--well, the fellow who plays Orson Welles is so bad he destroys the scenes he's in, and I gather the character is pivotal. John Cusack seems asleep. Bill Murray is forced into a role that must have made him long for Rushmore (a five-star film, by the way). I had the sense that an agenda was driving this piece. But the thesis for the agenda is never fleshed out. And the fleshing out is, after all, what the movie should be. A truly bad and boring film, despite the glossy production values and ostensibly worthy cast. Forgot one thing: the music is just plain awful. Utterly tuneless, in fact, quite irritating. Critics praised the film, as they do almost any period piece, but I am sure "Cradle Will Rock" will tip into oblivion rather quickly.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant and Important
Review: Tim Robbins created a brilliant story with many amazing and interesting characters. Bill Murray is fantastic as the Vaudeville actor who loves joan Cusack who also Shines. Hank Azaria is also great. Emily Watson is amazing as the actress who doesn't have a good voice, which was the point of her being the part which one of my fellow reviewers didn't understand. Susan Sarandon was good but her acsent was terrible. John Cusack was good but didn't have a lot to work with. But the film really belonged to Cherry Jones and John Turtturo. Cherry Jones has a wonderfully intreging voice that she uses masterfully. John Turtturo is wonderful especially at the end when he is portraying the male lead in the play The Cradle Will Rock. All in all, Tim Robbins should be extremely proud of his wonderful film.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent acting, interesting & true stories well dramatized
Review: This was an entertaining film, but often confusing for me. There was a lot of dialogue that overlapped other dialogue and if I didn't have the closed captioning activated, I never would have known what was going on.

Acting was terrific and convincing and this film teaches a lot about a little-known facet of theater and free speech right here in America. It wasn't what I expected.

This is a great insightful film for those studying film, drama and anything involving the world of theater and performing. History buffs will also love the wardrobes and backdrops that are true to form.

I think the downfall for this film in the theaters was its failure to acknowledge that only a minority of people are highly knowledgable in the history of the WPA, The Theatre Project in general and the politics and historical characters involved. The film assumes that you know who everyone is, and most people do not. Being an art major, I was familiar w/ Diego Rivera and Freida Khalo... but only those who read the credits would even know that Freida had a last name, much less a highly accomplished artist in her own right. I love watching a film that assumes you have a brain and some knowledge, but this film assumes a little bit too much knowledge by too many people on too many subjects at the same time. Nonetheless, a quality film. The commentaries on the DVD are excellent, seeing each actor in costume commenting on the character they portrayed. I really wish I watched the commentaries before seeing the movie.

Rating:
Summary: A Bit Too Diverse
Review: An energetic endeavor by writer-director Tim Robbins, "Cradle Will Rock" is a dramatization of a true incident which occurred in 1936. During the Depression, there was a government funded theater program, created to give work to professional actors, and to make live theater affordable for the average person. The story revolves around a pro-union musical, "The Cradle Will Rock," written by Marc Blitzstein (Hank Azaria), to be produced with government funds, and directed by Orson Welles (Angus MacFadyen). At the same time, there is concern about possible Communist infiltration of the program, and a Senate sub-committee begins hearings in an effort to root out the "Reds." This witch-hunt precursor to the infamous McCarthy hearings brought about the closing of the show before it ever opened. The theater in which it was to be staged was closed down, and the actors forbidden (under union sanction) to take the stage anywhere else in order to perform this show; and it all came down on the eve of opening day. Welles and company managed to secure a venue anyway, with the idea that Blitzstein (who was not a union member) would play piano and perform the entire show himself. And for this one performance, the entire cast was seated in the audience to watch, and give Blitzstein some moral support. Near the beginning, when he falters, one of the actresses, Olive Stanton (Emily Watson), rises from her seat and begins singing her part; and, one by one, the rest of the cast follows suit, until the entire show is performed by the actors from their places in the audience. This project was obviously a labor of love for Robbins, as a statement against censorship, as well as to illustrate the tyrannical embolisms that can be caused by fear. Unfortunately, he takes this opportunity to make other statements as well, involving the politics of big business, and of wealth, and how it all tied in, and still does, with business as usual in Washington today. And, though his stand is well-taken, to anyone not quite up to speed with their history, at least concerning this particular facet of the Depression, the story just seems to cover too much ground in too short a time. True, the events enacted here are significant, and they do tie in with the funding of the theater program, but the story of the show, of Welles, of all the other members of the cast, and everything that went into it, was enough story for the movie on its own; but, perhaps, that movie wouldn't have made the impact Robbins had set out to make. As it is, "Cradle Will Rock" is fairly entertaining, but to actually learn anything from it, one would have to make a number of cross-references first, before making any conclusions (There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the film, which states that the following is "partly true"). There are some notable performances here, particularly Azaria, John Turturro (Aldo), and Cherry Jones (Hallie Flanagan). Hopelessly miscast are MacFadyen, who is made to bear a strong physical resemblance to Welles, but who lacks that distinctive voice, and Cary Elwes as John Houseman; in both instances, their performances are no more than impersonations, and the actors never really get to the soul of the men they are portraying, who ultimately become nothing more than boldly drawn caricatures. John Cusack, it must also be noted, was less than credible as Nelson Rockefeller. The supporting cast includes Joan Cusack (Hazel), Ruben Blades (Diego Rivera), Susan Sarandon (Margherita), Vanessa Redgrave (Countess LaGrange), Bill Murray (Crickshaw), Philip Baker Hall (Gray Mathers) and Jamey Sheridan (John). Robbins must be given credit for making a noble effort with "Cradle Will Rock," and it does shed some light on an important moment in the history of the theater; but in the end, it all seems just a bit too diverse for it's own good.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Film
Review: This is a wonderful film. As an aspiring actor myself, I appreciated the determination shown by the characters in this film to express themselves in a restrictive, Communist-fearing society. This is a must see for any artist, no matter what the art-but especially the performing arts and writing. Cradle Will Rock shows how true artists will stop at almost nothing to freely express themselves. This film also has a great look and atmoshere, with great sets and wardrobe. Plus, it has an impressive cast featuring some of my favorite actors such as John and Joan Cusack, Bill Murray, and Susan Sarandon. I humbly recommend this film.

Rating:
Summary: Overly ambitious film by a man with a mission
Review: Poor Tim Robbins. An anachronism born 50 years too late, he endures as a passionate liberal crusader in an age of capitalistic dominance. 'The Cradle Will Rock', written and directed by Robbins, is a pining for the glory days of the socialist and labor movements in the United States. It is a nostalgic piece with leftist sensitivities, written by one who wishes he had been there.

This is a well assembled but bloated ensemble piece, based on fact, that centers on the federal theater program of the mid 1930's. This program was an outgrowth of the WPA from the depression years that gave federal funding to the arts to give employment to out of work actors, with the thinking that good theater would be good to boost the moral of the masses. Unfortunately, Robbins was overly ambitious in this collage, attempting to weave together no less than four virtually unrelated stories. The result is a whirlwind of disjointed jump cuts that distracts the viewer from the only engaging storyline, namely the production of Marc Blitzstein's play. The disparate barrage of stories, assembled carefully to wax nostalgic about the leftist movement, had little appeal to anyone but those with a predilection to such waxing. For everyone else, it just diluted the effectiveness of the main storyline, which is a pity because it was a good human interest story.

That story shows a young Orson Welles directing a new play sympathetic to the labor movement. The play and the federal theater program come under scrutiny of the U.S. Government. The play is closed down on opening night and federal troops sent to barricade the doors of the theater, because the play is believed to have a communist message.

In a defiant act, Welles finds another theater and herds the audience from the front door of the garrisoned theater to the new one where the play is to be performed as a one man show by the author, the only man not in the union. All the other actors are under orders not to perform lest they lose their jobs, a daunting thought in depression times. The play goes on with a dramatic and uplifting twist at the end.

The whole ensemble did a terrific job. All the actors gave wonderful performances, though they needed to find someone with a voice better than Emily Watson's for the singing role. Though I have been critical of John Turturro in the past ('Illuminata' for instance) his was a standout performance in a very talented ensemble. Ruben Blades was also terrific as the eccentric Diego Rivera.

Overall, it was a decent effort at tackling a subject that simply no longer has an audience. Robbins did a good job on the period props and sets, and the scenes brought forth frankly many of the real issues of the day (with a decidedly leftward slant). But the film dissipates itself on irrelevant scenes designed to serve as a catharsis for every perceived injustice and admiration Robbins held for the times. That jihad annuls some good performances by rendering the film a mediocre hodgepodge.

I rated the film a 6/10. It had greater potential but flubbed it. If you are a staunch conservative capitalist type, don't waste your time with this film. It will just aggravate you. If you long for the days of passionate liberal activism, you will love it, but if you are just looking for entertainment, you will probably be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Tendentious and Tedious
Review: Unspeakably boring and predictable, except when self-contradictory (in order to put on a play about the glories of unions, the actors defy... the actors' union). One-dimensional stock characters from the Socialist Realist roster, and are either angelic or demonic. There is no nuancing, and no growth in any of the characters.

Overlong; I thought this flick would never end.

Propoganda need not be dull, but it takes much more skill than Tim Robbins has to pull it off.