The Film

In wartime New York, an everyday man suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of local anti-Semitism (despite not being Jewish). Based on Arthur Miller’s novel about standing up for what’s right even if it doesn’t concern you.

The Sight & Sound

Clear sound and a very crisp picture, as if the film was shot especially for DVD. The richness of the colours and music under the direction of Neal Slavin translate with a strong texture.

The Extras

The single extra is a documentary looking at the story, from its conception in the Arthur Miller novel to the screenplay and filming.

The major players all bring their take on the messages behind the story, including director Slavin, author Miller, and the lead actors — William H Macy, Laura Dern and David Paymer (all of whom are dedicated and articulate about what it means to them).

The Worth

If you’re a William H Macy fan, this film ranks among his best thought provoking ones (Fargo et al). It wraps a moral dilemma in a bright, true to life rendition of wartime America when the darkest manifestations of hatred were starting to spread.

The disc is light on extras, but there’s not much more to tell than the film itself does.

3 out of 5

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2003 at 12:00 am and is filed under DVD Reviews, Film, Filmink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.