PICS of the Week – Heaven Can Wait and Reds
Article Series by Ray Schillaci
Yes, there is so much to choose from with the end of the season releases vying for awards, but I found it impossible to avoid Paramount’s one-two punch with their new Blu releases of Warren Beatty’s delightful Heaven Can Wait and Reds. his magnificent study of the life of the American radical journalist and writer, John Reed, who became immersed in the Communist revolution in Russia, hoping to bring its spirit and idealism to the U.S. Together, those two films garnered 22 Academy Award nominations, and it’s high time they be revisited with much improved picture and sound.
I rarely care for remakes. But, there are the exceptions like Heaven Can Wait. Beatty and his talented team exceeded expectations, including directing partner Buck Henry (The Graduate, What’s Up Doc?), Beatty’s co-writer Elaine May (A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid – ‘72), and an uncredited Robert Towne (Chinatown, Shampoo) adapting the story from a 1938 play by Harry Segall. They pulled it off beautifully with great comic timing bringing the touching romantic comic fantasy to life once again. The 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan had already been done delightfully by Alexander Hall with Robert Montgomery. The original film remained closer to Segall’s play with a horn-playing boxer being plucked untimely from the mortal world and needing a body inhabit to go back and continue with his career.
Beatty and his writing team smartly deviated from the original play to bring it up to date and made the lead character a clarinet-playing quarterback. The magic continued with brilliant casting: James Mason, Buck Henry, Julie Christie, Jack Warden, Dyan Cannon and Vincent Gardenia. Oscar nominations would go out to Warren Beatty, Dyan Cannon and Jack Warden. The directing and screenplay would also receive nominations. Beatty’s Joe Pendleton, an innocent single-minded quarterback out to win the Super Bowl for the L.A. Rams is accidentally taken away from his body by a newly appointed angel (Buck Henry) and then winds up in the body of a murdered millionaire industrialist, Leo Farnsworth, much to the surprise of his scheming wife and his personal secretary.
Joe only takes the body because of Betty Logan, an environmental activist who pleads her case with Farnsworth. Joe wants to help her with saving her village all the while gaining the trust of his trainer and team so he can get in shape for the game. Of course, everyone thinks Leo Farnsworth is off his rocker because he’s no longer the ruthless bully that everyone knew and he drastically changes the way he does business, talks to himself in the closet and buys the L.A. Rams. The film still holds up to this day. It is both charming, funny and touching.
This new 1080 transfer is near flawless. The film as a whole still has a touch of grain, but that’s to be expected especially out in the football field. When it comes to Leo’s mansion and grounds, the picture is sharp with surprising detail. There is still the softness in scenes that Beatty intentionally put in, but it’s not overwhelming. All in all, the color palette is dynamic for a film of this age.
Okay kids, we do not get all the bells and whistles on the soundtrack. We are only supplied a TrueHD 2.0 mono track. Although, the musical score is not sacrificed nor is the rich dialogue. This is more of a straight forward presentation that is not going to raise eyebrows, but it will not hamper your listening experience.
What is a true disappointment is the lack of supplemental materials. My God Paramount, don’t you think there is enough interest in this wonderful film? The outtakes alone would have been worth purchasing the Blu. Sadly, all we get is a digital copy.
Three years later, Beatty turned in his magnum opus, the historical drama, Reds. Some critics went as far as declaring the filmmaker’s vision comparable to David Lean (Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia). Beatty not only gathered a superb cast with Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Edward Herrmann, Maureen Stapleton, Paul Sorvino and Jerzy Kosinski, he also incorporated interviews with people that actually knew journalist and writer John Reed and American feminist, political activist and journalist Louise Bryant.
The film delivers the highlights of John Reed and Louise Bryant’s exploits with interviews, filling in the blanks with the actual people that knew them. Those interviews are not only informative, but incredibly entertaining. Fact checking collides with personal thoughts, making for a very intimate journey of these two extraordinary people during such turbulent times.
From 1915, when Louise first encounters the “radical journalist” John Reed at a lecture in Portland, Oregon and is fascinated by his idealism, to her leaving her husband and joining Reed in Greenwich Village, New York where Reed holds gatherings of artists, activists and anarchists, Louise is inspired by John and company and becomes a popular feminist and radical.
Reed eventually gets involved with labor strikes and the Communist Labor Party of America where he sets out to change the world. As he leaves Louise to cover the 1916 Democratic Convention held in St. Louis, Louise falls into a complicated affair with American playwright Eugene O’Neill (Long Days Journey Into Night, The Iceman Cometh). Reed at the same time has his own dalliances. As much as both believe in free love, when they discover each other’s infidelities sparks fly and Louise takes off for Europe to be a war correspondent.
With all the stress and travel, Reed is cautioned to ease up due to a kidney disorder. But, he cannot help himself and he and Louise pair up as working partners traveling to Russia and getting caught up in the 1917 Revolution. Reed heads back to America to bring the spirit of Communism, disappointed by the policies placed by Communist Russia and the Bolsheviks. While heading out, he is interrogated and imprisoned in Finland. Reed is eventually released and heads back to Russia to reunite with Louise.
Warren Beatty has fashioned a sweeping historical drama like no other. It is both fascinating, frustrating and heartbreaking. His passion for the subject matter is in every frame and he captures the heart and soul of all those involved with and in the life of both Louise Bryant and John Reed.
This is the 40th Anniversary edition and Paramount has gone the extra mile to make this film look great. The grain is handled delicately, playing into the era for which it represents. The detail and clarity is remarkable for a film this old. The film captures the warmth of the gatherings and interviews while at the same time perfectly reflecting the cold and chilly scenes in Russia and the heated labor strikes. Yes, I mentioned detail because every skin tone, hair and wrinkle is captured beautifully. This is what a restoration should look like – reference quality from start to finish.
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack has also been beautifully restored. Surround is nicely represented and is not overpowering. Dialogue is crisp and clear. The music never overrides, merely enhances the experience as a whole. This is a solid restoration that is a big plus to the viewing experience.
We get a little over an hour of supplements on an extra disc all in 480i except for the trailer which is in 1080p. To accommodate such a fine presentation with the epic length, Paramount chose to skip including a DVD. But, a digital copy is included. Supplemental content is as follows:
• Witness to Reds: The Rising
• Witness to Reds: Comrades
• Witness to Reds: Testimonials
• Witness to Reds: The March
• Witness to Reds: Revolution, Part 1
• Witness to Reds: Revolution, Part 2
• Witness to Reds: Propaganda
• Reds Trailer
This Beatty double feature demonstrates the actor/writer/director/producer at his best. These films are also iconic examples of cinema in their day. The price for either or both is extremely reasonable as well. A great way to end the new year. Enjoy!
Lowest Price – Both Heaven Can Wait and Reds – $14.99 – Amazon and Walmart
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