Category Archives: 1-By Laksh

All these articles are from Laksh’s desk

The Old Man

It is always a challenge to present an aged man as the protagonist and even a big challenging if a veteran like Jeff Bridges steps into the role. The Old Man overcomes these two challenges even with Jeff Bridges in the titular role. Modelled as a spy thriller with intertwining personal relationships, the series has lot to offer not just to Jeff Bridges fans but also to anyone who is interested in a good drama based action series. 

The Old Man is about an ex-spy living a lonely old life with his wife dead and a daughter far away. His only solace in his bucolic existence is the phone conversations with this daughter and two dogs.

But things change quickly for The old man aka Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges)when an intruder is in his house and his old killer instincts come back to put him on a no return path.

What follows is an interesting triangle between Dan Chase, Harold Harper (John Lithgow) and Emily/Angela (Alia Shawkat). As the series moves forward, the old stories reveal at various points to provide the shock and suspense.

The Old Man is streaming on Disney+

Mash – A classic American war comedy

“MASH” is a classic American war comedy film released in 1970, directed by Robert Altman. The film is set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit during the Korean War and follows the antics of the surgeons and support staff stationed there. The film is known for its black humor, social commentary, and its representation of the counterculture of the 1960s.

“MASH” was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $81 million and receiving five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. The film’s success was a turning point in the career of Robert Altman, who went on to direct several other notable films. “MASH” also helped establish the career of actor Elliot Gould, who played the character of Trapper John.

The impact of “MASH” went beyond its box office success and critical acclaim. The film’s style, which combined humor with a skeptical perspective on authority, helped establish a new trend in American cinema. “MASH” inspired a number of other films that tackled serious themes with humor, such as “Catch-22” and “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.” The film’s success also helped popularize the anti-war sentiment of the 1960s and 1970s, and its legacy continues to be felt today as a classic of American cinema.

Memorable scenes: One of the most memorable scenes in “MASH” is the football game between the surgeons and the infantry. This scene showcases the camaraderie and humor of the main characters, as well as their inventive approach to overcoming the monotony of army life. Another iconic scene is when Hawkeye Pierce and Duke Forrest perform surgery while drunk, using unconventional methods to save the patient’s life. This scene highlights the film’s use of black humor to comment on the absurdities of war and the military. One final memorable scene is when Hawkeye and Trapper conduct a mock funeral for a fallen comrade, complete with a funeral procession down the main street of the hospital camp, which serves as a poignant commentary on the loss and senselessness of war. These scenes are just a few examples of the film’s memorable and impactful moments that have helped establish “MASH” as a classic of American cinema.

Making of “MASH” : The making of “MASH” was filled with interesting stories and events. One of the most notable was the casting process. Originally, the studio wanted to cast big names in the lead roles, but director Robert Altman insisted on using lesser-known actors, which helped to contribute to the film’s realism. Another interesting story is the fact that the film was shot on location at Fox Ranch in Malibu, California, which helped to create a convincing Korean War setting. Additionally, the film’s famous soundtrack, which features classic songs from the era, was created through a combination of live recordings and library music.

Desk Set: Love is around the desk

Release Date : March 2, 1957
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Duration: 1h 43m
Rating: 2.9/5
Director Walter Lang
WriterPhoebe Ephron , Henry Ephron
William Marchant(based on the play written by)
Produced byHenry Ephron
StarsSpencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Gig Young
Cinematography              Leon Shamroy
Edited by             Robert L. Simpson
Music by              Cyril J. Mockridge
Production Design byMaurice Ransford, Lyle R. Wheeler
Production companies20th Century Fox

Richard Sumner: Caroline was a model. Five feet ten in her stockinged feet.

Bunny Watson: You had occasion to measure her?

Richard Sumner: Among other things, yes, yes.

What is it about

The movie is about an efficiency expert, Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy) with a mandate to install his computer machine EMARAC, in a division headed by an experienced and able manager, Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn). His initial thoughts about women, are shattered in the first lunch meeting at the top of the building. And he falls in love with her. But there is a problem. She is already in a relationship with another guy, her boss and an upwardly mobile guy.

Will EMARAC create problems as the staff thinks it would? Will Mr.Sumner succeed in both this personal and professional missions?

Desk Set answers these in a humorous and a mature fashion.

Thumbs up

Lead Cast
Sharp Writing
Premise
Production Design

Thumbs down

Slapstick towards the end.
A hurried climax

Final verdict
Overall, a good film for old movie lovers, exploring themes that are relevant even today.

Management Concepts/ Lessons/ References

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
English idiom

“Machines Do More, So That Man Can Do Less.”
― ENIAC (1945) machine slogan

Analysis
The movie presents a few interesting perspectives that are relevant even today.

  • The perception of women, especially well dressed and fashionable (as portrayed by Katharine Hepburn, interestingly the blu-ray had a news item about a fashion launch around the movie).
  • The trepidation towards modern technologies, during its various cycles like computerization, internet and now AI etc 

The theme of the heroine in a hopeless relationship is portrayed in several films like The Apartment, The Terminal etc, but in Desk Set, both are equally independent and intelligent.

It would be interesting to see a reverse story of this…with the efficiency expert being a woman.

Tidbit.

Apparently the sounds created for the machine in this movie were later used for movies like ‘Fantastic Voyage’