"HOPSCOTCH" (1980) Review

 

"HOPSCOTCH" (1980) Review

Back in the 1970s, author Brian Garfield wrote a novel about an aging C.I.A. field agent who walked away from the Agency before being forced to retire called "Hopscotch". Published in 1975, Garfield's novel won the 1976 Edgar Award for Best Novel. Four years later, producers Edie and Ely A. Landau produced a screen adaptation of the novel that starred Walter Matthau.

Garfield's novel had been published during the period of the Church Committee Congressional investigations of the Intelligence community. Even before the novel had been published, the C.I.A.'s reputation had been under attack for alleged abuses and blunders. "Hopscotch" proved to be one of several novels published during the 1970s that used the Agency's blunders and abuses as the theme for their narratives.

The movie "HOPSCOTCH", released in 1980, began with C.I.A. Agent Miles Kendig leading a team to foil a microfilm transfer between KGB agents in Munich, West Germany. However, Kendig did not bother to arrest the KGB agents' leader, one Mikhail Yaskov (a longtime adversary and old friend), knowing it would take years for the Agency to become familiar with Yaskov's replacement. Unfortunately, Kendig's aggressive boss, G.P. Myerson, took umbrage at Kendig's lack of action and explanation. He reassigns Kendig to a desk job and assigns the latter's friend and protégé, Joe Cutter, to replace him in the field. Instead of accepting a transfer that was sure to lead to early retirement, Kendig decides to quit the Agency and write and publish a memoir exposing the dirty tricks and general incompetence of the C.I.A. - especially those operations connected to Myerson. The latter, enraged and fearful of Kendig's goal, orders Cutter to stop the veteran agent. And Yaskov, not wanting the K.G.B.'s follies exposed, also pursues his old adversary.

The Wikipedia page for Brian Garfield's novel had described it as possessing a "a dark, cynical tone". When I read that particular passage, I found myself wondering if the film adaptation had changed the novel's narrative. But according to Wikipedia, movie had followed the novel's plot pretty closely. Only the 1980 film had been made as a comedy. Although "HOPSCOTCH" lacked the novel's dark tone, I believe it did retain the latter's cynicism. At least three characters seemed to convey the novel's cynicism - Miles Kendig, his old love and former agent Isobel von Schönenberg and Joe Cutter. Both Kendig and Cutter seemed to view the Cold War they had been raging on behalf of the C.I.A. with cynical eyes, along with Myerson's hardcore and rigid attitude as a Cold War "warrior". Kendig also seemed to view his former boss as incompetent. This cynical humor - mainly directed at Kendig's boss - proved to be one aspect that made this film very enjoyable to watch. But there were other aspects of "HOPSCOTCH" that I had enjoyed.

One, I really enjoyed how Kendig managed to make a fool out of Myerson throughout the film. For me, watching Myerson act as Wile E. Coyote to Kendig's Roadrunner seemed like the backbone of Bryan Forbes and director Garfield's screenplay and the film's humor. The latter also seemed to be dominated by witty one-liners, especially from Kendig and von Schönenberg's characters. However, Cutter and even Myerson managed to occasionally display some wit. Thanks to Ronald Neame's direction, "HOPSCOTCH" seemed to give the impression of a charming film with a leisurely pace. Yet, both Neame and film editor Carl Kress managed to inject the right amount of energy in the film's pacing to prevent me from getting bored. Also, I believe Kendig's situation had allowed him and his pursuers to travel to different parts of the American South and Western Europe - Georgia, the Washington D.C. area, Bermuda, Germany (West Germany then), Austria, France and Great Britain. I also enjoyed Arthur Ibbetson and Brian W. Roy's cinematography. I thought the pair brought a good deal of sharp photography and color for the film's locations.

But aside from Garfield and Forbes' screenplay, I believe the film's best asset proved to be its cast. "HOPSCOTCH" featured some solid performances from the likes of David Matthau, George Baker, Ivor Roberts, Severn Darden, Lucy Saroyan, Allan Cuthbertson, and Herbert Lom as Kendig's professional adversary and good friend, Mikhail Yaskov. For me, the best performances came from leading man Walter Matthau, Ned Beatty, Glenda Jackson and Sam Waterston. The latter gave a relaxed, yet sardonic portrayal of Joe Cutter, a veteran C.I.A. operative who seemed at least a decade or two away from becoming the experienced, yet disenchanted agent that Kendig had become. I thought Waterston did an excellent job of conveying Cutter's position at this crossroad in his life and profession. Glenda Jackson was gloriously witty and sharp as Kendig's old love, Isobel von Schönenberg. She managed to convey Fraulein von Schönenberg's own cynicism with her former profession and at the same time enjoy her current life as the widow of a wealthy Austrian aristocrat. Unlike Kendig, Jackson's von Schönenberg had learned to move on. Ned Beatty's portrayal of the ruthless and petty C.I.A. boss G.P. Myerson could have easily spiraled into one-dimensional villainy. But thanks to Beatty's skillful performance, he managed to convey Myerson's ugly adherence to the Cold War ideology and at the same time his humanity. Walter Matthau seemed in top form as the wily, yet very likeable Miles Kendig. Matthau did a great job in conveying his character's professional demeanor, wisdom and cunning in the latter's conflict with Myerson. At the same time, Matthau managed to hint some of Kendig's less admirable qualities - his vindictive response to be demoted by Myerson, his stubborn inability to walk away and make a new life as Isobel had done, as the film's final scene managed to indicate. In Miles Kendig, Matthau had created a spy never seen before or since. Pity.

By this point, one would think I have no complaints against "HOPSCOTCH". Well . . . perhaps I have one or two minor complaints. One, I noticed that two-thirds into the movie I nearly found myself falling asleep. I believe the movie's pacing had briefly lost its beat at this point. Which makes me wonder if "HOPSCOTCH" could have benefitted from a slightly shorter running time. I also noticed that "HOPSCOTCH" seemed in danger of becoming one long "Road Runner" cartoon, especially since Kendig always seemed to be one step ahead of Myerson and the C.I.A. with very little effort or danger. Fortunately, Kendig's plans finally seemed to be in danger of falling apart and the movie acquired a bit of edge during during the last twenty minutes.

Although over forty years old, "HOPSCOTCH" managed to hold up very well after so long. The story's criticism of the intelligence community and "cold-war" style politics remain relevant, even to this day. And I have to say it, between the colorful travelogue, Kendig's schemes against Myerson and an excellent cast led by Walter Matthau, "HOPSCOTCH" managed to remain a very entertaining movie.





R.I.P. Glenda Jackson (1936-2023)

"HOPSCOTCH" (1980) Photo Gallery

 

Below are images from "HOPSCOTCH", the 1980 adaptation of Brian Garfield's 1975 novel about a veteran CIA field officer who walks away from the Agency in order to keep from being retired and placed behind a desk. Directed by Ronald Neame, the movie starred Walter Matthau:

"HOPSCOTCH" (1980) Photo Gallery

"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Review

 

"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Review

Scarlett Johansson made her Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow in the franchise's 2010 movie, "IRON MAN 2". Despite spending the next decade as a major character within the MCU, Johansson never received her own solo film as the former Russian assassin-turned-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent until the release of the 2021 movie, "BLACK WIDOW".

During those intervening ten to eleven years, many fans have either demanded or pondered over whether Johansson would receive her solo film, pointing out the MCU's lack of a female-led movie. Ironically, Johansson was not the first MCU actress to receive her own solo film. That honor went to Oscar winner Brie Larson, who ended up starring in the 2019 movie, "CAPTAIN MARVEL". In fact, MCU showrunner Kevin Feige had decided to make the Captain Marvel film the MCU's first female-led film in 2014. I found this decision rather odd, considering that Johansson had been with the franchise for at least four to five years at that point . . . and the actress had already proved she was capable of being the lead in such a film. Johansson had to wait another three years before Feige finally decided to give her a shot at a solo film. Four more yeas would pass before "BLACK WIDOW" would finally make it to the big screen and Disney's streaming service.

What made the situation regarding "BLACK WIDOW" even more odd were two developments - the MCU had finally set about making the film after the Natasha Romanoff character had been killed off in the franchise's 2019 film, "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME"; and the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, which first broke out in December 2019. I understood why the pandemic had both delayed and eventually limited the movie's theater release. What I could never understand was why Feige had decided to green-light a Captain Marvel film three years before doing the same for a Black Widow film. Especially since the latter had been a part of the MCU since 2010.

"BLACK WIDOW" began in 1995 Ohio where Russian super soldier Alexei Shostakov and Black Widow Melina Vostokoff work as undercover agents, posing as an American family with Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova as their daughters. After stealing S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence, the quartet flee to Cuba where their boss, General Dreykov, has Natasha and Yelena taken to the Red Room for the Black Widow program training. In the following years, Shostakov ends up imprisoned in Russia, while Romanoff and Belova become successful Black Widow assassins. Romanoff eventually defects to S.H.I.E.L.D. after helping Clint Barton bomb Dreykov's Budapest office. The incident apparently kills Dreykov and his young daughter Antonia.

The movie jumps to 2016, following the events of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". Natasha has become a fugitive for violating the Sokovia Accords. After fleeing from U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross and his forces, Natasha ends up at a Norwegian safehouse in Norway by a former S.H.I.E.L.D. contact. Meanwhile, Yelena kills a rogue former Black Widow ,but comes in contact with a synthetic gas that neutralizes the Red Room's chemical mind-control agent. Yelena sends antidote vials to Romanoff, hoping she and the Avengers can free the other Widows. Natasha unknowingly drives away with the vials in her car. Red Room agent Taskmaster attacks her before Natasha makes her escape. She eventually realizes that the vials came from Yelena in Budapest. There, Yelena reveals to her that Dreykov is alive and the Red Room is still active for present and future Black Widow operatives. Both come to the conclusion that the Red Room needs to be shut down for good. The pair seek and recruit help from their former colleagues, Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff.

I cannot deny that "BLACK WIDOW" had its virtues. The movie boasted first-rate performances from its four leads. David Harbour gave an entertaining performance as ebullient super soldier Alexei Shostakov, who had maintained deep affection for his former colleagues. Rachel Weisz did an excellent job in conveying the ambiguous nature of the veteran Black Widow agent, Melina Vostokoff. Florence Pugh's performance as Black Widow agent Yelena Belova proved to be just as ebullient and entertaining as Harbor's. She also managed to add a touch of competition in Yelena's relationship with the main character. Scarlett Johansson gave one of her most poignant and subtle performances during her time with the MCU franchise as Black Widow agent and Avenger Natasha Romanoff. I was very impressed at how Johansson effectively conveyed Natasha's emotional vulnerability following the breakup of the Avengers and her outrage and anger at how the Black Widow program used drugs to coerce its operatives. Also, it was easy to see that all four leads proved to have great screen chemistry together. I found it easy to believe how anyone would view their characters as a loving family.

As for the film's other performances, they struck me as either solid or at best, questionable. I thought Olga Kuryenko did a decent job as the unrelenting and dangerous Red Room agent Antonia Dreykov aka Taskmaster. O-T Fagbenle proved to be mildly entertaining and witty as former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Natasha's ally, Rick Mason. However, I cannot say I felt impressed by William Hurt's portrayal of Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross or Ray Winstone's portrayal of General Dreykov. Hurt seemed to be going through the motions for what proved to be a cameo appearance. As for Winstone, I think he tried to make Dreykov interesting, but I suspect that screenwriter Eric Pearson's creation of a very bland villain may have defeated his purpose.

There are three or four major aspects of "BLACK WIDOW" that I disliked. One, I disliked how Pearson nearly allowed the Yelena Belova character to dominate the movie. Some claimed that Pugh's performance made it possible for her to overshadow Johansson. I do not agree. As I had earlier stated, I believe Johansson gave one of her best performances during her decade with the MCU. Yet, Pearson allowed Yelena to be the one to serve as the catalyst for the movie's plot with her discovery of the Red Room mind-control agent. And the movie seemed hellbent upon showcasing Yelena's skills . . . to the point of nearly shoving Natasha to the background.

Another aspect of the movie I disliked was Kevin Feige's decision to delay this film after the events of "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME" that included Natasha Romanoff's "fridged" death. Honestly, I thought it was a stupid decision to make on his part and insulting to Johansson. Feige and Disney should have made this film at least half-a-decade earlier. Which leads to the film's third aspect that I disliked - namely to set it after "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". I mean . . . why? The MCU could have set this film later - at least during the five years between "THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR" and "ENDGAME". Or . . . the MCU could have allowed Natasha to survive the 2019 movie and set "BLACK WIDOW" around 2023.

I also disliked a good deal of the film's action scenes. Two of them - Shostakov's escape from prison and the final action sequence at Red Room facility - struck me as ridiculously over-the-top and in the end, simply bored me. Natasha's fight with Yelena at Budapest struck me as nothing more than another attempt to showcase the latter's fighting skills and nothing else. Why? Because I found their fight very unnecessary to the plot. The only action sequence I found interesting was Natasha's initial fight against the Taskmaster in Norway.

Finally, we come to my number one issue with "BLACK WIDOW" - namely the Red Room and the Black Widow program. According to the MCU canon and this film, the Black Widow agents had originally been psychologically conditioned to become spies and assassins. Around the turn of the 21st century, the Russians used a mind control agent to control and coerce their Black Widow operatives. I realize this new development came from Marvel Comics, but it seemed like a plagiarized version of the Winter Solider program that Bucky Barnes had endured. Whether drugs were used in his case, I do not know. Nevertheless, I wish the MCU, Pearson and director Cate Shortland had not used this aspect of the Black Widow program in the film's narrative. It just seemed so unoriginal to me. And I believe it undermined Natasha's own decision to defect to S.H.I.E.L.D. and struggles to face her bloody past. Nice going, MCU! Not. The movie ended with a mid-credit scene featuring Yelena visiting Natasha's empty grave a few years later and encountering her new boss, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who informed her that one Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, was responsible for Natasha's death. This little scenario played out in the DisneyPlus series, "HAWKEYE", so I will not go into it.

"BLACK WIDOW" featured some excellent performances from its four leading characters and perhaps one or two decent action scenes. But if I must be honest, there were too many aspects of this movie that I found unappealing, including unoriginal writing, some over-the-top action sequences and really bad timing. In the end, I believe this movie proved to be a disservice to its star, Scarlett Johansson.

Movie and Television Productions About the WATERGATE Scandal

 

June 17 marks the 50th anniversary of WATERGATE, probably the most famous political scandal in U.S. history. Below is a list of movie and television productions about Watergate (in chronological order):



MOVIE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS ABOUT THE WATERGATE SCANDAL



1. "All the President’s Men" (1976) - Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman starred in this adaptation of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s 1974 bestselling book about their investigation and exposure of the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post. Alan J. Pakula directed.





2. "Washington: Behind Closed Doors" (1977) - Cliff Robertson and Jason Robards starred in this ABC six-part television adaptation of White House aide John Ehrlichman’s 1976 novel, "The Company". Gary Nelson directed.





3. "Blind Ambition" (1979) - Martin Sheen starred in this CBS four-part television adaptation of White House counsel John Dean’s 1976 memoirs, "Blind Ambition: The White House Years". George Schaefer directed.





4. "Will: G. Gordon Liddy" (1982) - Robert Conrad starred in this television movie adaptation of Watergate burglar/conspirator G. Gordon Liddy’s 1980 memoirs about the Watergate scandal. Robert Liberman directed.





5. "The Final Days" (1989) - Lane Smith starred as President Richard Nixon in this ABC television adaptation of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s 1976 book about the Nixon Administration following the revelation of the Watergate scandal. Richard Pearce directed.





6. "Nixon" (1995) - Oscar nominees Anthony Hopkins and Joan Allen starred in this biopic about Nixon’s political and personal life. Oliver Stone co-wrote and directed this film.





7. "Dick" (1999) - Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams starred in this comedic reimagining of the Watergate scandal as two Washington D.C. teenagers who exposes the scandal and brings down the Nixon administration. Andrew Fleming co-wrote and directed the film.





8. "Frost/Nixon" (2008) - Michael Sheen and Frank Langella starred in this adaptation of Peter Morgan’s 2006 play about the behind-the-scenes details of David Frost’s 1977 television interview with Nixon. Ron Howard directed.





9. "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House" (2017) - Liam Neeson starred as adaptation of FBI agent Mark Felt’s 2006 autobiography about how he became "Deep Throat" for Bernstein and Woodward. Peter Landesman directed.





10. "Gaslit" (2022) - Julia Roberts starred in STARZ’s eight-part television adaptation of Slow Burn’s 2017 podcast about the Watergate scandal. Created by Robbie Pickering, Matt Ross directed.





11. "The White House Plumbers" (2022) - Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux star in HBO’s upcoming television adaptation of Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh’s book about the Watergate scandal. Created by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, David Manel directed.

"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Photo Gallery

 

Below are images from the 24th Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, "BLACK WIDOW". Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie starred Scarlet Johansson as Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow:



"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Photo Gallery