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Rachel, Rachel
The late Paul Newman made an impressive directorial debut guiding wife Joanne Woodward to her second Oscar nomination in a quietly moving character study called Rachel, Rachel that will provide entertainment for viewers who like this kind of cinematic journey.
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The 1968 film stars Woodward as Rachel Cameron, a 35-year old spinster schoolteacher who lives in the small town of Japonica, Conn. with her mother. They live above a funeral parlor that was once run by Rachel's deceased father, but the new owner has allowed them to continue living upstairs. Rachel has never really gotten over the death of her father and has a lot of conflicted feelings about her mother, that have caused her to cut off all forms of socialization. On the other hand, she also uses caring for her mother as an excuse to get out of a lot of social engagements. Things start to look up for Rachel when Nick Kazlik, a childhood friend, returns to town and won't take no for an answer as he pursues a romance with Rachel.
Newman proves to have a very inventive camera eye here and obviously has no problem communicating what he wanted from Woodward. Rachel's true feelings about her mother and just about everything else were cleverly manifested through visual fantasy featuring Newman and Woodward's daughter, Nell Potts as child Rachel and actual inner dialogue from Rachel beautifully performed by Woodward. We get much more insight into Rachel through these directorial methods than we do in Rachel's outer actions. I loved Rachel's inner dialogue when she's laying in bed after her first time having sex with Nick and she's pleading with God to help Nick to forgive her for being so bad in bed.
The relationship between Rachel and Nick also rings completely true, even if it is only kicked into gear when Rachel's co-worker, Calla (Estelle Parsons, fresh off her Oscar for Bonnie and Clyde) makes a pass at her. I loved the awakening that Nick caused in Rachel...there's this great moment where he wants to spend the weekend with her and she can't talk because her mother's sitting there or when the phone rings and Rachel is in the shower and practically kills herself to get out of the shower and yank the phone out of her mother's hand. The resolution of the relationship was a little fuzzy, but while it was happening, this was one of the loveliest romances I have ever seen in a movie.
Newman, with grand assists from screenwriter Stewart Stern and film editor Dede Allen, create a beautiful and believable look at a character who we love at the beginning but worry for and are surprised by the growth of the character as the final credits roll. Woodward, as always, is riveting in the title role and, in another year, might have won a second Oscar for this performance. James Olson is a warm and engaging romantic interest and Kate Harrington brings just the right irritant factor to Rachel's mother, where you don't want to strangle her, but you do just want her to shut up once in a while. Newman, Woodward, and Potts would next collaborate on The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds, but their work here is just as effective.
The late Paul Newman made an impressive directorial debut guiding wife Joanne Woodward to her second Oscar nomination in a quietly moving character study called Rachel, Rachel that will provide entertainment for viewers who like this kind of cinematic journey.
The 1968 film stars Woodward as Rachel Cameron, a 35-year old spinster schoolteacher who lives in the small town of Japonica, Conn. with her mother. They live above a funeral parlor that was once run by Rachel's deceased father, but the new owner has allowed them to continue living upstairs. Rachel has never really gotten over the death of her father and has a lot of conflicted feelings about her mother, that have caused her to cut off all forms of socialization. On the other hand, she also uses caring for her mother as an excuse to get out of a lot of social engagements. Things start to look up for Rachel when Nick Kazlik, a childhood friend, returns to town and won't take no for an answer as he pursues a romance with Rachel.
Newman proves to have a very inventive camera eye here and obviously has no problem communicating what he wanted from Woodward. Rachel's true feelings about her mother and just about everything else were cleverly manifested through visual fantasy featuring Newman and Woodward's daughter, Nell Potts as child Rachel and actual inner dialogue from Rachel beautifully performed by Woodward. We get much more insight into Rachel through these directorial methods than we do in Rachel's outer actions. I loved Rachel's inner dialogue when she's laying in bed after her first time having sex with Nick and she's pleading with God to help Nick to forgive her for being so bad in bed.
The relationship between Rachel and Nick also rings completely true, even if it is only kicked into gear when Rachel's co-worker, Calla (Estelle Parsons, fresh off her Oscar for Bonnie and Clyde) makes a pass at her. I loved the awakening that Nick caused in Rachel...there's this great moment where he wants to spend the weekend with her and she can't talk because her mother's sitting there or when the phone rings and Rachel is in the shower and practically kills herself to get out of the shower and yank the phone out of her mother's hand. The resolution of the relationship was a little fuzzy, but while it was happening, this was one of the loveliest romances I have ever seen in a movie.
Newman, with grand assists from screenwriter Stewart Stern and film editor Dede Allen, create a beautiful and believable look at a character who we love at the beginning but worry for and are surprised by the growth of the character as the final credits roll. Woodward, as always, is riveting in the title role and, in another year, might have won a second Oscar for this performance. James Olson is a warm and engaging romantic interest and Kate Harrington brings just the right irritant factor to Rachel's mother, where you don't want to strangle her, but you do just want her to shut up once in a while. Newman, Woodward, and Potts would next collaborate on The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds, but their work here is just as effective.