The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 02, 1980, Page Page 6, Image 6
F.mntinnal
By Nancy Young
Staff Writer
Perhaps it was a coincidence that Death
of a Salesman opened a week before the
fourth of July, as it is generally regarded as
one of the most important dramas in the
American theatre. Willy Loman, as
playwright Arthur Miller described him, "is
the classic American figure ? the chnmn
-0? ? r
who believes in the slogans and the
banalities." Charles Whetzel, in this IJSC
production, was illuminating as Willy, a
perfect personification of Miller's
description. His pathetic yet tender
characterization drew the audience into a
close circle and created a feeling of unity.
By shows end there wasn't a dry eye in the
theatre.
The play's somber message made a
powerful and gripping impact on audiences
back in 1949 when it was first produced; it
still does. Death of a Salesman is a
definitive, laconic statement of twentieth
century American life. The USC Repertory
company put the drama on last week with
the appropriate amount of intensity
required.
i ne siory concerns willy Loman, striving
to become the successful businessman while
pushing his sons in\o the same profession.
Summer rrn
By David Baker
Film Critic Th?? I?
Because of the increasing number faithful
of new movies in town and the Benchle
decreasing amount of space in
which to write about them, I'm
giving up my regular review this
week in order to make a few brief Tfl
comments about each of the films I a
will not be able to devote an entire
column to. 1
The Blues Brothers: $30 million j
went down the drain to make this ;,
bomb, most of it on expensive
props (more than 100 cars were
destroyed, along with a 32-store V
shopping mall). The story concerns
the Brothers' attempts to ' '
raise the $5000 needed to save the ; ,
nrnhanaffp in u/hifh thpv trrpw iir?
" " ?'~J O**"' "KDan
Ackroyd's Elwood character I
is funny when the script (which he
co-wrote with director John / jy
Landis) allows, but John Belushi's
Jolier Jake is silly and nothing I. U
more. In cameo roles, James
Brown and Cab Calloway are ;} p \ J
exceedingly fun to watch (and , j \ti\
lief an f a\ D o P i f
uotv/ii iv/ ivat^u IV.
J i
Brubaker: Powerful stuff - a bit ,
too powerful, perhaps, for most )}
audiences. Robert Redford stars (
as a prison warden bent on
reforming the penal system. The U
problems he encounters ? sadistic
trustees, worm-ridden food, slave Moot
labor and murder ? seem in
surmountable, but his willingness BHH
to face them is quite inspiring. | _J
Redford's performance is his best
in vears and the movie itself looks
like a sure Oscar-nominee. Its j
opening sequence ? a slice of life I
behind prison walls ? might even
help keep potential criminals in, _
line for the next few years. Rated |
The Empire Strikes Back: Just I "v.
when this Star Wars sequel (the K
second of a projected nine-part [": y
series, in which the original is #4 j
and this one is #5) irretrievably : - hooked,
it ends, leaving your
mouth literally watering for the [ v =
I1CAI IIISUIUUICIU VIVCVCU^C U1 U1C j- ,v Jedi).
Irvin Kershner has directed
in the best George Lucas tradition K: .
and the special effects actually E j- ;
surpass those of the original. It's v
too bad the original's wit and I-- ;
humor were deleted. All of the
original cast ? Mark Hamill, jHlIlP
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, I
Anthony Daniels and Sir Alec I
Guiness ? have returned. Rated I 3_\.
'Salesman
His sons fall short of his expectations, and
eventually even he fails to realize his
dream.
Richard Jennings played his eldest son
Biff, the spoiled son as a result of his
father's lavish exnenditnre nf attention and
money. His lack of responsibility and
discipline cause him to give up the chance of
going to college and a successful career as a
businessman. Jennings was able to render a
sympathy and loathing for his character.
As the younger son, Happy, Jeffrey West
fell into the role with ease. This pathetic
man who seemed to forever be babied never
realizes any self-worth or satisfaction. He
never fulfills his promise to get out of the
house and get married. Nor can he ever hold
Ull ll> U JUU OI Illdlldgc I11S MlUIICy .
Sally Welch proved to be an actress who is
able to give light and shade to her role. As
Linda Loman, she is the pillar that stands
among the ruins. Welch made her convincing
as the typical American housewife,
standing behind her husband all the way.
This group of talented actors come from
all over the country. Whetzel is assistant
professor of theatre at Morningside College
in Sioux City, Iowa. West is a candidate fT a
master's degree at the University of
Virginia. Welch has played in theatres in
ovi es:cowb
land: For the most part, a prising, since B
screen adaptation of Peter the script). T
y's best-seller (not sur- pirates in
Caribbean ? i
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uirecior ivncna*
work, though he
with less than 1
and gore. Mich<
Warner co-star
Urban Cow
comedy-drama
couple (John T
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take new partn
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trade are side
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NOW SHOWING - ADULTS Of
1. Beach House
2. China Dolls
Starts Friday, June 27
/oijilimT ^
Introducing and Starring TAR A CHU
nammm mmmAM uuii IUIW HJUUBH wmutatmt UMU MVU
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Nashville as well as starring in the offBroadway
production of Medea. Jennings is
a resident professor who has proven to be a
fine, professional director as well as an
actor.
Jim Patterson directed the production
admirablv. enmhasine the weakness of his
characters while still giving them that
oys,corned
enchlev also wrote Dicture tends to lose foci
he plot ? about time period changes,
the modern-day rather mechanical ant
is far-fetched, but toward the end. Moore, 1
el Ritchie makes it superb throughout a
; could have done so reason enough to place
one-tenth the blood
ael Caine and David
RatpH R Vi w
Jrregn;
boy: Outstanding (\ Cou
about a Texq&, X p
ravolta and Debrjjjjy'
ifter a tempestuous "ft $175 Monday-V
ere ?'just to make } $200 Saturday
ealous. Travolta's y ti
onvincing, but his ft .... ? .. 0.
e right place, and 1411 Barnwell SI
most exciting new y This
in years. The scene
pouty-faced young
erotic dance atop a I
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mcu la uic ciuauiutc
s: Move over Monty
udley Moore and f
re concocted the / n .-ft
:al parody with this w
the false prophet f "%54S<X125-minute
prologue /
> the funniest thing /
ear ? director Gary I
le Holy Land tourist I
-splitting- ? but the I
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id Sally Welch in 'Death of a Salesman'
critical element of hope. The dark side of the
drama was deeply felt by the audience.
The next production in the summer series
is Lu Ann Hampton Oberlander. Later
performances of Death of a Salesman are
scheduled for July 9,10,13,18,26 and August
1 and 3. All shows are at Longstreet Theatre,
show time is 8 weekdays, and 3 on Sundays.
v and prison
^ M
is when the near the top of one's must-see list.
becoming James Coco, Laraine Newman and
J tiresome Richard Pryor are excellent in
lowever, is support, though the latter could
nd that's use a bit more screen time to flesh
the movie out his Pharaoh schtick. Rated PG.
ancy Termination 1
inseling Available J
LH neg. shot included y
/eunesuay-r naay (\
he Ladies Clinic <\
;. Columbia, S.C. 254-7553 ft
is not a referral agency. X
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