A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Tuck Everlasting (2002)

Date Viewed: 10/12/02

Details:

Alexis Bledel

William Hurt

Sissy Spacek

Jonathan Jackson

Scott Bairstow

Ben Kingsley

Amy Irving

Victor Garber

Narrator: Elizabeth Shue

Director: Jay Russell

Original novel: Natalie Babbitt

Score: +

The Review: In preparation for a nanotechnology symposium in biomedical research -- think about it; the connection is not as specious as it may seem; I hear no irrelevancy alarm -- I have been re-reading for the umpteenth time "Methuselah's Children" and "Time Enough for Love," both science-fiction novels by Heinlein centered on the tales of crusty multi-millenarian Lazarus Long, a.k.a. Woodrow Wilson Smith of the Howard families. This has put me in a mindset peculiarly appropriate for reviewing Tuck Everlasting.

Based on the (1975) novel by Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting is advertised as family fare, and what would be more appropriate for a movie from the Disney group? Certainly there was an overabundance of children in my audience, and considering the overt aspects of youthful romance and unrequited first love, it was not unexpected. But there is more to this production (enough to make me want to seek out the novel, a work I was unaware of previously) than a summer romance, May-December though it may appear. Indeed it is the nature of the May and the December that makes it interesting. For the focal characters, the Tucks, are unwittingly immortals -- and the movie studies some of their interactions with the rare (ephemeral) humans that encounter them.

There are several choices that arise as the plot evolves, and recommendations and advice and angst from several corners. I'm not convinced that I would reach the same decisions that Winifred did, nor do I necessarily share the opinions and advice offered by the various Tucks (certainly Lazarus Long and most of the Howards would strenuously disagree). But this makes for interesting debate, as well as interesting speculation.

Although the primary point-of-view is through Winifred's (Bledel) eyes, the two characters that most impressed me were the senior Tucks: Angus (Hurt) and Mae (Spacek). Their quiet and patient strength, resolution, and willingness to play the hand they dealt themselves, make them fascinating and compelling characters, well acted. Amy Irving is buried almost invisibly in her role as Winifred's stifling mother. Turning over the other side, no less well acted, Ben Kingsley is chilling and disturbing as the Man in the Yellow Suit. One of his snippets of dialog with a local minister is the only visible introduction of religion into this otherwise potentially susceptible film: in response to "Sir, you speak blasphemy!" Kingsley replies "Fluently!" There are strong echoes of Errol Flynn's response as Robin Hood to Basil Rathbone's sheriff in the 1938 film.

Filmed in the back-country of Maryland, with intriguing cinematography (spoiled only by the abysmal focus in the theatre I attended) that illuminates both the time (early 20th century just before WW-I) and the forest, bringing hints of the forest primeval or darkest Neolithic Caledonia. The single scene of running across the meadow lit with deep blue polarized stormlight was worth the price of admission.

This is not the first film version made from Babbitt's novel. Back in 1980 there was a version, with what appears to me to be a cast of "unknown's," by director Frederick King Keller, who has since garnered kudos for directing several TV series. But this most recent version is certainly worth watching.

(13-Oct-02)

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