Stephen Farber
“Even more crucial to the film's success are the performances by Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. Fonda creates the character of Sally--the repressed, docile, perfectly coiffed military wife--from the inside. Refusing to condescend to the character, as many actresses with her political beliefs might have done, Fonda makes a transcendent effort to understand a woman very different from herself. When Sally stands respectfully as "The Star-Spangled Banner" plays on television, we don't see Jane Fonda winking out at us and mocking the character; we see every fiber of Sally's body straining to believe in the pieties enshrined in the national anthem.
“Even in these early scenes, Fonda makes us aware of Sally's unspoken dissatisfactions. When she meets an other officer's hip girlfriend (excellently played by Penelope Milford), Sally is uncomfortable, slightly disapproving, but unmistakably fascinated by a woman without any of her inhibitions. Then when Sally begins working at the VA hospital, we see her genuine concern for the men battling her fastidious distaste. These contradictions prepare us for Sally's transformation. She finds herself more open to experience than she could have predicted; her shy pleasure in discovering hidden facets of herself is beautifully rendered.
“Sally's evolution is believably gradual; even at the end, she doesn't turn into a feminist firebrand. Because the film doesn't exaggerate Sally's transformation, it succeeds in convincing us that people who are usually submissive, when given a little encouragement, are able to overcome their conditioning. Jane Fonda's performance is illuminated by tremendous compassion and intelligence. Somehow Fonda keeps getting better in every movie; her performance in Coming Home is her most stunning in a growing roster of extraordinary achievements.
“…. [Voight's] performance, like Fonda's, is a triumph of courage and compassion. Since we care about both characters, their developing relationship is spellbinding.
“…. Bruce Dern does some fine acting; but I'm sorry he was cast in the role…. We never quite believe that Jane Fonda could be in love with Bruce Dern. If Luke and Bob had been played by equally attractive actors, the romantic drama would have been more evenly balanced and the ending could have been devastating….
“Fortunately, most of the film is so overwhelming that it survives even the weak, irresolute conclusion….”
Stephen Farber
New West, what's the date?
“Even in these early scenes, Fonda makes us aware of Sally's unspoken dissatisfactions. When she meets an other officer's hip girlfriend (excellently played by Penelope Milford), Sally is uncomfortable, slightly disapproving, but unmistakably fascinated by a woman without any of her inhibitions. Then when Sally begins working at the VA hospital, we see her genuine concern for the men battling her fastidious distaste. These contradictions prepare us for Sally's transformation. She finds herself more open to experience than she could have predicted; her shy pleasure in discovering hidden facets of herself is beautifully rendered.
“Sally's evolution is believably gradual; even at the end, she doesn't turn into a feminist firebrand. Because the film doesn't exaggerate Sally's transformation, it succeeds in convincing us that people who are usually submissive, when given a little encouragement, are able to overcome their conditioning. Jane Fonda's performance is illuminated by tremendous compassion and intelligence. Somehow Fonda keeps getting better in every movie; her performance in Coming Home is her most stunning in a growing roster of extraordinary achievements.
“…. [Voight's] performance, like Fonda's, is a triumph of courage and compassion. Since we care about both characters, their developing relationship is spellbinding.
“…. Bruce Dern does some fine acting; but I'm sorry he was cast in the role…. We never quite believe that Jane Fonda could be in love with Bruce Dern. If Luke and Bob had been played by equally attractive actors, the romantic drama would have been more evenly balanced and the ending could have been devastating….
“Fortunately, most of the film is so overwhelming that it survives even the weak, irresolute conclusion….”
Stephen Farber
New West, what's the date?
posted by Intersections28 - David Gibson at
1:07 PM
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