The Whole Wide World
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Movie Reviews of The Whole Wide World
Movie Review: The Best Drama in the Whole Wide World
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me begin by saying that I was an action movie child. I didn't even see a drama until I got into high school and they stuck on 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. "What on earth is this?" I wondered, "It's good, yeah, but where are the guns?" That being said, even as I'm older I have to be forced to watch dramas, and refuse to cry in a film.
By the end of The Whole Wide World, I was howling like a baby and this true life drama is now one of my favouite films of all time.
Like most females, I got my hands on this because of Vincent D'Onofrio. I was not disappointed by his performance - I never am. There are some scenes in this film where, I kid you not, I was sitting open-mouthed at how amazing and vivacious and incredibly talented he is. Yes, gush gush, I know. I don't care - he's just unbelievable. After watching the best kissing scene in cinema in this film, I was convinced that he has to be the best on-screen lover as well. As uninviting as Robert E. Howard seemed to be at times, Vincent D'Onofrio made me fall in love with him in every scene.
Another reason why I was drawn to this film was because it was a bio-pic of a writer. A real writer, not one of those made up Hollywood ones who lives in a great apartment and cures writer's block with a half-caf latte. Real writers are always a little unhinged, outside of the world, opinionated, and all in all intriguing people that very few seem to understand. I will tell you that's true from experience. I felt an incredibe affinity with this man who had died 40 years before I was born, and who's work I had not read (even though I'm an action movie freak, the Conan films were not my faves of Arnie's, I have to confess). Again, although others saw him as disagreeable and freakish, I was empathising with him at every turn.
Renee surprised me - I have to admit I'm not a great fan of her work, but it seems to me now that she doesn't have the material to work with that brings out her best as The Whole Wide World does. From reading the book "The One Who Walked Alone" (which is incredible, and also a must) it's clear that Novalyne was something of an outsider herself in many ways, and such a strong character. Renee did it quite well.
Many have said of how deeply affected they are because of the subject matter of suicide in this film. It is not so much the suicide that pulled at my heart, but rather the way that others in that time, AND EVEN NOW, do not care to discover the complexities of a person like Robert E. Howard that he ends up believing that he has no-one or nothing else than his mother and that he is driven to his death. His lonlieness is what broke me up, even though he contributed to it in his own way, and that he can never break past the wall that's been built up between himself and the rest of society so that he can be WHO he is and still be happy at the same time. People have to make that choice even in this day and age - be who you are and suffer for it, or be like everyone else and then be rewarded with the fruits of a happy life.
The commentary is very interesting, and it's great and insightful to listen to Vincent and the way he worked through this film. Although at some points the director in particular get a bit "oh it's so wonderful, she's so wonderful, you're so wonderful, everything's so wonderful" that it gets a bit much. But it IS incredible how they brought this tragically beautiful story to the screen with so little money and time, and I thank them dearly for it.
I fall in love and have my heart broken every time I watch this film - which is often. You so want there to be a happy ending, and always hope for it, even though you'll know it will never be. But that is how enveloping a story it is, and how well it is delivered. I have since bought the book from which the film was based, and a lot of Howard's work. My life is so much richer for it.
Movie Review: A stunning look into one of pulp fiction's greats
Summary: 5 Stars
Getting back into reading Robert E. Howard's pulp stories, and being impressed again with his visceral, if a little overblown, energy permeating through every page, I decided to learn more about the man. I knew he lived in a small town with his folks, and really did't get out much, but had very little idea as to his personality.
Now, it goes without saying this movie is a mix of fact and fiction, even thouh it is based on a biographical work of the woman second closest to him before his tragic end, the first being his mother. Usually these types of movies delve into sentimental fluff as opposed to the hard conflicting emotions that permeate through every relationship, but this movie is certainly an exception. It seemed Robert had his side that was constantly looking to be acknowledged and respected, and the other side that enjoyed being a misfit in the world, and a terrible fear of what would happen to his writing his he started walking with "civilized" society.
Anyone familiar with Robert's works knows the type of man he looked up to. He loved the loner who had a thirst for life regardless of how vicious the world around him one. He loved the hero who saw the world as nothing but barbarism masked under civilization that the hero always saw through for what it truly was. His heroes loved life all the same. He seemed to see the world as petty, sadistic, and empty, but lacked the will for life that his characters had.
His lack of trust of the outside world is what doomed his relationship with the school teacher, and caused him to latch on to a kind if overbearing mother. I found it amusing how his female characters acted at certain points when he was writing while dating her. While they were at tough times they were vicious and heartless while when things were going well they were innocent and fragile.
Overall, this was an excellent movie, and one of the few romances I really managed to enjoy. The acting was excellent, the scenery of Texas was sublime, and the script was excellent. There were maybe two scenes that seemed a little unbelievable, especially the last five minutes of the movie, though only a hard cynic could not see the treasure that these two shared.
Movie Review: Hearts and Souls
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever seen shows about people who go to a garage sale and find something they like that may be something perhaps not worth much, but they bought it because they liked it? Then they come to find out that it wasn't junk, in fact it's worth a lot of money.
Watching The Whole Wide World for the first time was exactly that. It didn't look like much, but we gave it a shot. We took it home. To find out, not that it was worth a lot in money, but worth a lot in our hearts. My husband and I sat to watch this movie together. When it finished we knew how much we were moved. It's not this lovey dovey sappy love story, but rather a real life story of love. It has all of its twists and turns. It has all of its share of heart break. But that is love. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The movie was not one we ever heard about played in the movie theatre. We know the actors now. It's a movie made on low budget. It's story and the way it's portrayed is beautiful. Just to prove that a good movie or a good story don't require millions of dollars.
Robert E. Howard was an intelligent man and a creative man. You would have to be creative to write Conan, but he was plagued as many artists can be. The acting to portray his inner struggle I felt was done brilliantly. It was not overly acted, it was done just enough to get the point across. Novalyne Price was perhaps what is considered a feminist this day in age, but she was more than that. She was strong. And she finally fulfilled her dream of writing by telling her story with Bob.
I am moved beyond words at this story. To the person, the only person, to write a bad review here on Amazon, I say, you obviously wanted Hollywood and all it's glory to tell the story. You needed more entertainment, perhaps you'd better stick to reading the works of Robert E. Howard only because this movie was not meant for you. For the rest of us who have been lucky to have seen it and enjoy it, we did because it touched our hearts and souls.
Off to read the book now One Who Walked Alone by Novalyne Price.
Movie Review: A MOVING AND TRAGIC STORY
Summary: 5 Stars
Whenever people talk about Robert E. Howard, the first thing usually said is he was the creator of Conan the Barbarian. True, and this was Howards most well-known character but Howard did so much more. King Kull, Solomon Kane, Bran Mak Morn, El Borak...horror stories such as "Pigeons from Hell" and Skull-Face that rivaled anything contemporaries such as Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith did, historical adventures, westerns.
The genius of Robert E. Howard was not in the creation of Conan, a Character that has survived for over 70 years and grown in popularity, it's in Howard's recognizing markets for his work. While Lovecraft wrung his hands over every word and survived on 5 cent cans of spaghetti, Howard knew how to sell his stories. He willingly canibalized his own work and would take a successful story, and re-write it for a different type of market. While REH never got rich, his ability to market kept him with a steady paycheck through the depression years.
The Whole Wide World is based on the book "One who Walked Alone" and tells the story of Howards short but remarkable life through the eyes of perhaps his only love, teacher Novelyne Price, who wrote the book. It's a story about their relationship as Howard transforms in dispostion from as wild and brutal as his barbarian creation, to the gentle, thoughful, and beautiful person that was evident in much of His poetry.
Howard's life was short, a mere 30 years before he committed suicide after learning of his dear mother's terminal medical condition. Vincent D'Ononfrio and Renée Zellweger's performances were absolutely deserving of Oscar nominations if not wins. D'Ononfrio brought to life one of the most powerful, enigmatic and flawed writers of the 20th century.
A Truly fabulous film
Movie Review: Pure Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this movie in a bin at Walmart for $5.50 and decided to watch it because I couldn't afford anything else and I recognized who starred in it. That was all. I had only slightly heard of Connan the Barbarian and I knew nothing of the author of that character. But loving the actors that played in this movie I gave it a chance. It was one of the best chances I've taken.
I felt many emotions through this movie. I cried through the end of it. I bawled like a baby actually. I was frustrated with Ms. Price and her stubborness at wanting a socially acceptable man. Robert Howard had his problems but I believe he wouldn't have been such a great writer had he been "normal". I laughed at some of Robert Howard's comments and marveled at his imagination. And my heart ached at the love between these two and the devestation at the end that you see in Novalyne's eyes.
This movie was filmed in 24 days on a very small budget yet you feel as if you were there in the 1930s experiencing this yourself. There is no sign in this movie that the director was inexperienced or that the actors didn't know each other before they began filming. And at times you wonder if the actors really are acting because it seems so real when watching them interact.
If you need one more reason to watch/buy this film then do it for the kiss. Sceen 15, about 54 min into the movie, you get to see the most romantic, passionate, intense, pure kiss in cinema history. I cannot think of another kiss that matches this one. All the feelings these two have been experiencing and holding back come out and are shown through this kiss. It's pure magic.