Twilight (1998) 3 stars out of 4. Starring Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, Susan Sarandon, James Garner and Stockard Channing. Directed by Robert Benton.
A feeling comes over you while you're watching Twilight. The simplest way to describe it is reassurance, a confidence that the movie will not disappoint you.
This feeling, no doubt, can be attributed to those involved both in front and behind the camera of this laid-back mystery. Twilight stars Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon and Gene Hackman, plus it features James Garner and Stockard Channing. And, the movie is directed and was co-authored by Oscar-winner Robert Benton (Kramer vs. Kramer, Places in the Heart, Nobody's Fool).
With credentials like these, Twilight can't fail.
Well, that depends. For today's young audiences, used to MTV-style rapid cuts, dramatic explosions, testosterone machismo and music loud enough to drown out inane dialogue, Twilight will seem quaint.
But for the serious filmgoer - those who, no matter what their age, can appreciate crisp dialogue and good acting - Twilight will be a treat.
It is a languid melodrama, set in contemporary Hollywood and features stock characters familiar to those who enjoy the film noir genre. There's the burned-out ex-cop-retired private eye who, though he observes the world through cynical eyes, nonetheless still retains a modicum of idealism. There's the rich movie star couple who, behind the facade of having it all, share dark secrets. There's the rebellious, sexpot young daughter who's too mature for her age. And there's the decent police detective who, though bound to do her duty, also is compassionate enough to bend the law to aid a friend.
Newman is Harry Ross, ex-cop, ex-P.I., who has fallen on hard times. He lives above the garage of the mansion of his last clients, screen legends Jack and Catherine Ames (Hackman and Sarandon). Two years earlier, Ross was hired by Jack Ames to go to Mexico to retrieve Ames' then-17-year-old daughter.
Ross caught the teen, but in the ensuing struggle, she got hold of his gun, which discharged, hitting him in the upper leg. However, as Ross was to learn later, the rumor circulating around L.A. was that he was shot in his manhood.
It is two years after the shooting incident and Ross, who claims to be retired, is asked by Jack Ames to deliver a package.
Being this is Hollywood and a murder mystery, the package, of course, contains hush money for a blackmailer. From this starting point, the bodies and mayhem begin to pile up.
Like most types of tales in this genre, there are some lapses in plausibility, but the script is so slick, the acting so intriguing, that it's not until you are leaving the theater that you pause and ask yourself, "Hey, why didn't he just ...?"
Newman, as Ross, glides through his role. His voice has the raspiness of a man who has downed a hundred too many Jack Daniels, and his observations - especially in his voice-over narration - are that of a weary man who has seen too many double-crosses and listened to too many lies.
Wisely, Sarandon is not a smoldering femme fatale, but a mature woman who exudes sexuality without needing to advertise it. She is fierce and sharp.
Hackman's character, the onetime matinee idol, is the weakest of the three, both literally and figuratively. He is dying of cancer. But, despite his illness, he remains a shrewd observer of the human condition, playing on Harry's guilt to get the detective to work for him.
Garner, as Ross' colleague and rival, matches his longtime friend's cynicism. What he lacks is the moral center that Ross is still able to maintain.
Channing, as the police lieutenant and Ross' former partner, again demonstrates what a fine actress she is. Her Verna is a good cop with divided loyalties, first to the department, the other to her ex-partner.
Twilight is a stylish film. Benton's dialogue is mature and wry. The musical score by the legendary Elmer Bernstein is appropriately plaintive.
Twilight, though set in contemporary L.A., has a nostalgic aura. It doesn't rush its story, allowing the viewer to get to know its protagonists as it ambles along. It's a first-class production.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or cbloom@iquest.net
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