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Mike Boody's avatar

Absolutely love this movie. Once showed it to some high school seniors when I was teaching government. Maybe a bit of a cynical choice, but I remember they liked it a lot.

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Ray Banks's avatar

I think it's a GREAT choice. Cynical enough to give 'em a realistic look at things, but optimistic enough to think they might be able to do things better. And then you follow it up with Punishment Park or The Battle of Algiers ... heh heh heh.

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Debbi Mack's avatar

Great review. It's been ages since I've seen this movie, but I remember feeling the movie's cynicism. I was 16 when this came out. Too young to be a hippie, too old to be a kid.

I love your conclusion. McKay being every kid who burned a flag or stuck a flower in a gun. :)

The hippie movement and it's empty promises. What do we do now? :)

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Ray Banks's avatar

I can't take credit for that quote - it's Michael Ritchie - but I can and will take credit for including it!

As for what we do now ... why, we all become Redford handsome, score ourselves a Peter Boyle, and take the fight back to them!

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Debbi Mack's avatar

Once more unto the breach! :)

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Mark Kureishy's avatar

Excellent, Ray, simply excellent!

As Pete Shelley sang, ‘nostalgia for an age yet to come’…and that age has well and truly come and gone and left in its place what passes for politics, and, dare I say it, principles, today.

Not seen it for a while, but it’s firmly on my list today! And Redford made some interesting choices, did he not?

PS Mention of the Hot Rock made me nostalgic for a time when we could say Afghanistan Bananistan without raising the spectre of destruction or offence…

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Ray Banks's avatar

Aaaay, a Buzzcocks lyric - a man after my own heart. Redford made some downright weird choices in the early '70s, before he settled into his stardom. And I will definitely cover The Hot Rock at some point - I remember it fondly, as I tend to do anything that features Zero Mostel.

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Mark Kureishy's avatar

Looking forward to it, Ray!

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Ray Banks's avatar

And you would be ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. Spectacular work. Lovely to see Adamson get a mention, too. One of these days, someone should make Moss Side Story an actual movie.

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Mark Kureishy's avatar

I suspected as much, Ray, and Moss Side Story is an inexplicably ’hidden’ gem.

And thanks for the spectacular praise!

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Kevin Hines's avatar

Adding this to my list of films I want to see.

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