TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG (1993) *** Produced by the Hallmark greeting card company, this film was rife with potential to be among the worst in the history of cinema as an art form. Fortunately Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn could never be associated with such a thing. Unlike the couple portrayed in the film (who are married for 57 years) Jessica 'n Hume were married only 54 years before she, as in the film, preceded him to a higher dimension. The principals make the love story crackle and sparkle and ooze in all the right places. Their story takes place against a sympathetic, and accurate, backdrop of the South: pecan trees, drinkin' in rocking chairs on the porch, screen doors, pickup truck roadtrips on red dirt roads, farmers who are friendly to strangers, affirmative religiosity that allows for ghost dogs, biscuits, and well meaning ditzhy busybody women. Unfortunately any time the action falls to cast members other than Jessica or Hume (or the dog) the aesthetic levels plunge precipitously to sub-Brady Bunch levels. That doesn't happen much, and whenever it does one of the old lovers steps right back in where they left off, acting like they didn't notice with the wisdom and grace borne of experience and age.
back to Brilliant Observations on 1776 Films home
go back home, or send me email
no more reviews! I want to buy your novel!