Rating of
2.5/4
Stupid, but Fun
SIngli6 - wrote on 12/24/12
Ira Levin's novels were known for containing outlandish plots that, against all odds, appeared plausible due to the understated way with which they were portrayed. What they were not known for was an intelligent prose style. As such, they were perfect fodder for film adaptations. After 'The Stepford Wives', 'Rosemary's Baby', and 'A Kiss Before Dying' were successfully brought to the screen, 'The Boys From Brazil' was the next viable candidate for the film treatment. And for good reason. It's plot - which I refuse to impart - is so absurd that even William S. Burroughs would do a double take. All the film needed to excel was a fresh-faced auteur with a knack for subtlety and nuance to capture the quiet menace of Levin's novels. Instead, it got Franklin J. Schaffner. Now we have Laurence Olivier as a Jewish grandpa, Gregory Peck as a Nazi, and Steve Guttenberg as a Zionist. And that's only the first fifteen minutes...
However, though it isn't particularly a good film, it sure as hell is an entertaining one, and Jerry Goldsmith's Germanic score could honestly rival the best of Wagner and the Strauss dynasty.
