Bridge of Spies

Steven Spielberg’s newest film, Bridge of Spies, lands us in the late 1950s and early 1960s in the tense Cold War.  When Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is arrested for supposedly being a Soviet spy, Brooklyn lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) takes the case to defend him.  Donovan quickly realizes the job does not come without its hazards.  People frequently ask him why he would defend a traitor and suggest he might be a Soviet sympathizer.  His family’s home is even shot at.  Later, when an American U2 spy plane pilot is captured, the CIA asks Donovan to step in and and help negotiate a trade in Berlin, where the wall has just been constructed.

The most memorable scene set in America was when Donovan comes home to find his son prepping for the bombs to drop.  He shares with his father all that he was taught in school, as he fills up the bathtub in case the water were to suddenly be shot off.  It’s obvious Donovan doesn’t quite know how to respond to the whole situation.  Perhaps he knows the harsh truth that everything his son is doing would be pointless in the event of nuclear war, or he just doesn’t want to discourage his son.  But then his son brings up the trial in a way that everyone must be thinking, “You’re not a communist so why are you defending him?”

One of the most fascinating scenes in the film shows the building of the Berlin Wall.  All around the organized men stacking blocks of concrete on fresh cement are people panicked and scrambling to get on the East side.  We see people rushing through the holes before they are filled and people climbing out of buildings that align with the wall, hanging out of windows to outstretched arms below.  Among this chaos is a young American student on a bicycle trying to get to friends on the West side in time to get them out.  When they are too late, the young man is arrested under suspicion that he is an American spy and becomes a complication in Donovan’s negotiations.  

While Spielberg has made some truly great movies, my honest opinion is that Bridge of Spies is not one of them.  It is, however, a pretty good film.  The tone is serious, tense and cold, perfect for a Cold War thriller.  Visually, it has a modern noir feel that I think shows the era well.  And Donovan is a great character, played skillfully by Hanks and he quickly becomes the heart of the film.  That’s all well and good, but there is something that fell very flat about this film that didn’t keep me riveted, or even caring much at the end.  

That being said, The Academy decided to award Bridge of Spies with six Oscar nominations.  Mark Rylance is nominated for best supporting actor, in his portrayal of a very mild mannered accused Soviet spy.  The film is also nominated for best picture, sound mixing, production design, original score and original screenplay.  

If you’re up for a dry, no nonsense, not so thrilling spy thriller, then try Bridge of Spies.  Enjoy a portrait of 1950s America living in fear of Soviet spies living among them, or worse, fellow Americans defending their rights as prisoners.  Stick around for the more interesting second half set in Berlin as the wall is built and Donovan has to commute from the east to the west with a cold and lay down the law in his negotiations.  

“Well, the boss isn’t always right.  But, he’s always the boss.”

The Iron Giant

In the late summer of 1999, with Disney steadily dominating the animated film market, The Iron Giant was released by Warner Bros. Pictures.  With director Brad Bird at the helm, most known for his work on The Simpsons at the time, the film reminded audiences what an animated film could really focus on: an engaging story.  It had no catchy songs to sing along to.  No cute talking animals.  No princesses or fairy tale motifs whatsoever.  Instead, it had a boy growing up in 1957, who befriends a giant alien robot.  The film shows the unease of the Atomic Age in America, just after the Russians had launch of Sputnik.

Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal) is a boy wanting a pet, but his single mother, Annie (voiced by Jennifer Aniston) will have none of it.  One night, when Hogarth notices the antenna on the roof is gone, mysteriously bitten off rather, he follows a trail of destruction to find The Iron Giant (Vin Diesel’s voice computerized).  The Giant is an innocent creature, much like E.T., and learns English from Hogarth in the same way.  The problem is keeping The Giant hidden, from his mother and the rest of town.  There is a hilarious scene with The Giant’s hand running around the house like a dog and Hogarth desperately trying to get him back outside.  Eventually, word gets out and a government agent, Kent Mansley (voiced by Christopher McDonald) is sent to investigate.  Driven by power and paranoia, all he wants to do is destroy The Giant.  The impending doom from Mansley’s actions are more realistic and solemn than what most animated films dare to convey.

The film does a wonderful job of showing children the early years of Cold War America in ways that they could identify with.  In Hogarth’s school, we see them watching a film describing what to do in case of a nuclear attack.  The little jingle, “time to duck and cover, the bombs are coming down,” seems almost like an oxymoron now.  The comic books Hogarth shows The Giant are all created out of this new idea and fear of foreign weaponry.  Superman would surely not be around if it had not been for the early atomic age.

There are other great moments that illustrate the time period.  Hogarth’s mother works at a classic diner, while Dean (voiced by Harry Connick Jr.) portrays a stereotypical beatnik, complete with his espresso and scrap metal sculptures.  Great detail was taken to make sure all the cars depicted were from the era, including the train.  Hogarth staying up late and watching a typical B-horror movie is one of my favorite scenes.  I love how he rolls his eyes when leading man asks the woman if she wants to get a nightcap.  And if you notice a star moving in one scene, it’s meant to be Sputnik.

What I believe makes The Iron Giant a great animated film is the fact that it has a strong story that both children and adults will find captivating.  Adults will appreciate the accurate depiction of the time period more, but it will not push children away.  And what kid wouldn’t love the idea of having a giant robot friend?  Best of all, it has a simple parable about being who you choose to be, that adults can feel good about showing children.

“Oh, that’s Atomo, the metal menace.  He’s not a hero, he’s a villain.  But you’re not like him.  You’re a good guy, like Superman.”