AMY PARSONS: Lynch Takes Oscar Story to Film

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For the past five months, you've been regaled with a plethora of rental films that you can check out for your viewing pleasure.

Since it is difficult to keep track of all this info, here is a recap of the movies we've talked about since January.

If you've been keeping copious notes and don't need the rundown, skip on ahead to this week's rental review — “The Straight Story,” rated G.

10 Things I Hate About You - 4
Mumford -.5
An Ideal Husband 4
Muriel's Wedding 4
Anywhere but Here 2
The Muse 3
Barney's Great Adventure 4
Mystery, Alaska 2
Being John Malcovich 4.5
The Natural 3.5
Boys Don't Cry 4
Next Stop, Wonderland 3.5
Bull Durham 4.5
October Sky 4
Bulworth 4
Office Space 3.5
Devil in a Blue Dress 4.5
Out of Sight 4.5
Drop Dead Gorgeous 3.5
Psycho ('99) 2
Election 4
Pushing Tin 2.5
Eve's Bayou 4
Richard III 4
Eyes Wide Shut 1
Run Lola Run 4

Fast Times at Ridgemont 3
Rushmore 5
Go 3.5
The Secret of Roan Innish 5
Grace of My Heart 4
The Secret Life of Girls 3
Happy, Texas 4
Sugar Town 3
I Love You, I Love You Not 1.5
The Sweet Hereafter 4.5
The Insider 5
Tequila Sunrise 4
Iron Giant 5
Three Kings 5
James & the Giant Peach 5
To Catch a Thief 5
L. A. Confidential 5
Trees Lounge 3.5
The Limey 3
Tumbleweeds 4
Little Voice 3.5
Velvet Goldmine 3
Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking.. 4.5
Waking Ned Devine 5
The Love Letter 1.5
Witness 4.5
Marvin's Room 4
Women on the Verge ... 4
Midnight in the Garden ... 2

THE STRAIGHT STORY

Rated G

David Lynch is a filmmaker not known for sweet story telling. In fact, David Lynch is not known for anything less than an R rating for his films. After all, this is the man who brought us "Eraserhead," "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks."

A true auteur, however, readily spreads his wings, and Lynch has done so with terrific results in "The Straight Story," a movie based on the true tale of Alvin Straight. In the title role is Richard Farnsworth, who at age 79 was the oldest person ever nominated for Best Actor in this year's race. Between Farnsworth's humbled, watery eyes and Lynch's respect for the people and landscapes of the Midwest, "The Straight Story" is a wonderful film.

Alvin Straight is 73, with two bums eyes and two bum hips. He lives in Laurens, Iowa, with his daughter, Rose, a woman who may talk funny, but isn't "slow." One day when Alvin is late for his appointed rendezvous with the boys at the bar, one of Alvin's friends comes looking for him. Upon finding Alvin lying on his back on the floor, the friend sighs, "Guess I'll call the bar and tell 'em we're not coming." Alvin can't get up because he needs hip replacement surgery, a prospect Alvin nixes. He further disdains using a walker, preferring instead to rely on two canes. You get the feeling Alvin is a bit bull-headed.

When Rose receives a call from Alvin's nephew informing them that Alvin's brother, Lyle, has suffered a stroke, Alvin decides he must go to Wisconsin and try to overcome the rift that has kept the brothers from speaking to each other for ten years. The problem for Alvin is twofold: he can't see to drive a car, and he refuses to have anyone drive him. He surveys his options and decides to buy a 1966 John Deere tractor, attach a small trailer stocked full of wieners, blankets and folding chairs, and head out for Wisconsin. Traveling five miles an hour, this will be quite a trek.

Along the way, Alvin meets a young pregnant girl running away from her family, a woman who has hit her thirteenth deer in seven weeks while driving to and from work, and cranky twin brother mechanics, amongst others. To each, Alvin imparts a bit of his world-weary wisdom, best summed up by his response to what the worst thing about being old is: "Remembering being young."

David Lynch uses the scenery as a character, much like Terence Malick (another wacko genius director) did in "Days of Heaven." The rolling fields, the starry skies and autumnal leaves all create a pastoral ode to nature. As Alvin says to someone who asks him whether he's afraid to camp out along the highway, "I fought in World War II. I'm not afraid of a cornfield." People are the dangers to each other; nature is our haven from the madness.

There are a few too many kernels of wisdom in this movie, as Alvin is paraded as the wise old sage who can tell us all a thing or two. Even so, "The Straight Story" is a beautiful film to watch with a very sweet story. It also is rated G. And when was the last time you saw a G-rated movie that didn't have animated critters singing catchy little ditties?

On a scale of 1 to 5, "The Straight Story" deserves a 4.

Question of the Week

You can write me at moviegirl@mindspring.com, and we'll take a look at your answers in the ensuing weeks. In honor of the summer movie onslaught, the first question is: What is your all-time favorite summer movie?

Amy Parsons writes a weekly review of rental movies for The Pilot. She is a William and Mary graduate who lives in Pinehurst with her husband, Tom, and three children. If you would like to email her, you can do so at moviegirl@mindspring.com.