Biloxi Blues (1988). Since there are so many good movies on TCM, I try not to watch a movie more than once. I wouldn't even get to head out to catch live music if I watched my favorite movies multiple times throughout the year as well as movies I've never seen. Taking that into account, here's my story about watching this movie. I wasn't sure if I'd seen this movie before. The lead actor of the movie is Matthew Broderick and I had seen many of his movies that he made during this timeframe (1980s): we're talking WarGames, Ladyhawke, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Glory. So I had a deep suspicion that I'd seen this movie, as well, but I just wasn't sure.
The movie is 1 hour and 47 minutes in length. I didn't remember any of the beginning. The movie starts off with Eugene Jerome (Matthew Broderick) going to basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi. After basic training, he'll be shipped off to either Europe or Asia for World War II. He, along with his fellow recruits, are assigned to Sergeant Toomey (Christopher Walken). The sergeant has some interesting rules where he creates internal conflicts between the recruits. The movie also shows how the recruits bond over time -- even though the Sergeant is intent on creating strife. I didn't recall any of this.
What I do remember is perhaps a 30 minute segment of the movie. On the same day, Jerome losing his virginity to a prostitute and then later that night he meets up with Daisy Hannigan (Penelope Ann Miller) at a dance. I find it interesting that the only part of the movie that I recall are those boy-girl interactions.
After that, I once again remember nothing about the movie including the dramatic ending where the sergeant (drunk) threatens to blow out Jerome's brains. The reason for the sergeant's mental breakdown is that he is being sent to a hospital to deal with a war injury (a metal plate protecting a part of his skull) -- a very similar storyline to Week-End at the Waldorf (the below movie review, though the Captain Hollis character in that movie is a far more sympathetic individual than our sergeant in this movie). Since he is being sent to a veterans hospital for the surgery, the sergeant is fearful that he is getting kicked out of the army.
The movie ends with the recruits finding out that the war has ended.
The movie is based on a play by Neil Simon. It is part of what is called the Eugene trilogy and is semi-autobiographical. It is the second part of the trilogy with the first part called Brighton Beach Memoirs and the third part called Broadway Bound. Brighton Beach Memoirs was made into a movie in 1986 and had Jonathan Silverman playing the Eugene Jerome character. Broadway Bound was made into a TV movie in 1992. Interestingly, Jonathan Silverman was in that movie, but did not reprise his role. Instead, he played the older brother to Eugene.
Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) Before there were interconnecting storyline movies such as Crash, Pulp Fiction, and Traffic there was Grand Hotel (1932) and Week-End at the Waldorf (1945). Week-End at the Waldorf is a remake of Grand Hotel. The movie includes actors such as Ginger Rogers (Irene Malvern), Lana Turner (Bunny Smith), Walter Pidgeon (Chip Colyer), and Van Johnson (Captain James Hollis). Though there are various actors coming and going, the movie largely revolved around two couples: Irene Malvern / Chip Colyer and Bunny Smith / Captain James Hollis. The connecting tissue in this is a crooked oil man named Martin Edley (Edward Arnold).
Chip Colyer is a World War II correspondent who is taking a break from his European reporting. He happens to get roped into assisting in the investigation of Martin Edley. Due to amusing circumstances, he ends up in the hotel room of Irene Malvern (a famous actress who is out to promote a movie). The other couple has Bunny Smith as a hotel secretary who is looking to marry rich. She comes from a poor background and intends to move up in life. When she is assigned to assist Edley with his business affairs, she sees her chance -- though his supposed wealth is up to debate. If you go with the age of the actors (Turner and Arnold), there is a 30-ish year age gap between the two. She also assists a doctor who is providing a diagnosis of Captain Hollis. Captain Hollis took shrapnel while flying and it is lodged near his heart. He requires surgery and only has a 50-50 chance of surviving. Due to helping out the doctor, Smith learns about Captain Hollis' chances of survival. Captain Hollis sees Smith and asks her out on a date. As mentioned, Smith has certain aspirations and Captain Hollis does not fit that criteria, but she agrees to a date knowing that he is at death's door.
I found Colyer to be rather annoying (he is obviously infatuated with finding himself in the company of a famous actress), but by the end of the movie Malvern falls for him. There is an immediate connection between Captain Hollis and Smith, but the question is will Smith follow her heart and date someone who is not wealthy. Though it helps that Edley's scheming is uncovered, Smith does decide to follow her heart.
I've also seen Grand Hotel -- though it has been a couple years. If I remember my impressions of that movie correctly, I'd say that Week-End at the Waldorf is the superior movie. I can't exactly say why, I just believe that I enjoyed Week-End at the Waldorf better. The movie is a light romantic-comedy that is a fun ride of interconnecting storytelling. One cheers for the Captain Hollis / Smith relationship while finding the Colyer-Malvern relationship a bit of a headscratcher.
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