Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid and Clancy Brown in the Gary Fleder movie ‘The Express’

The 1983 Robert C. Gallagher book Ernie Davis, The Elmira Express: The Story of a Heisman Trophy Winner tells the story of multiple firsts in the impressive college career and illness shortened life of national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and Syracuse University football player Ernie Davis. We look at the Charles Leavitt screenplay for the Gary Fleder movie The Express (2008) that came from that book.

(From left, Rob Brown as Ernie Davis and Charles S. Dutton as Willie ‘Pop’ Davis in the Gary Fleder movie The Express).

The story of Ernie Davis begins with Davis growing up first in Pennsylvania and, in later in Elmira, New York. It is in Elmira that a young Ernie Davis first plays runningback in an organized youth football league. A number of years later, Ben Schwartzwalder of Syracuse University recruits Davis with the support of the graduating Jim Brown, who would go on to excel with the Cleveland Browns. Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid and Darrin Dewitt Henson would portray Ernie Davis as an adult, Ben Schwartzwalder and Jim Brown.

(Coaches from left, Dennis Quaid as Ben Schwartzwalder and Clancy Brown as Roy Simmons in the Gary Fleder movie The Express).

The sport of college football, a legacy of racism in Dallas, Texas made tangible through threats, and the effort to play The University of Texas at the Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas for the 1959 championship on January 1, 1960 unfolds in the telling of The Express. An injured leg and biased officiating interject, as does further insult at the recognition banquet following the game. The outcome of both the game and the follow-up indicates something uplifting in the face of ugliness.

(From left, Rob Brown as Ernie Davis, Omar Benson Miller as Jack Buckley, Nicole Beharie as Sarah Ward and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Marie Davis in the Gary Fleder movie The Express).

The story of Davis getting drafted by the Cleveland Browns, then of the National Football League (NFL), leads to the revelation of a life threatening disease during preseason efforts to get into condition for the coming season. The formal revelation by then owner Art Modell that the disease would keep Davis from formally fulfilling his professional dream happened matter-of-factly in the middle of practice. The formal announcement of the outcome was addressed with more class. Davis‘ recruiting of Floyd Little to Syracuse mirrors his own recruitment there with the aid of Jim Brown. Saul Rubinek and Chadwick Boseman portrayed Modell and Little, respectively.

(From left, Dennis Quaid as Ben Schwartzwalder and Darrin Dewitt Henson as Jim Brown in the Gary Fleder movie The Express).

As presented in passing in the movie, former United States President John F. Kennedy offered praise for Davis after the football player as a player and citizen following Davis‘ death. The tribute gave dignity to the sympathetic portrayal of Ernie Davis. I give The Express as directed by Gary Fleder 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, September 2, 2023

Charlie Sheen, Michael Douglas and Daryl Hannah in the Oliver Stone movie ‘Wall Street’

Many have likely heard the famous line delivered by Michael Douglas in the Oliver Stone directed movie Wall Street (1987). The notion of corporate excess that in some ways defined the political conversations of the 1980s expressed itself as Douglas in his role as Gordon Gecko pronounced in a monologue that “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” The boldness of that full speech, and the conflict within this movie, motivates much of the stakes explored in this movie.

(From left, Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox, Millie Perkins as Mrs. Fox (back seat) and Martin Sheen as Carl Fox in the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

The movie Wall Street, as written by Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser, includes at its core the notion for buying and selling stock on Wall Street in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. A central question involves how well this can play with creating and managing profitable industry with employment wither with or against the financial and political systems that give people a sense that both can work in combination. The Fox family reflects this question, exemplified through Bud Fox and his parents, Carl Fox and Mrs. Fox. Millie Perkins, Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen portray Mrs. Fox, Carl Fox and Bud Fox, respectively.

(Daryl Hannah as Darien Taylor and Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

Bud Fox works as a junior stockbroker at Jackson Steinem & Co. in New York City, having the typical difficulty of many folks when making cold calls of making the volume of success that he is after. Bud’s stockbroker friend, Marvin, sees similar ups and downs filling a similar role with the same company in the workstation next to Bud. Marvin is portrayed by John C. McGinley. Bud’s story takes a bold turn when after roughly two-months of trying to land a meeting with legendary stock trader Gordon Gecko, Fox lands a face-to-face with Gecko by bringing Gecko a present of illegal Cuban cigars on Gecko’s birthday.

(John C. McGinley as Marvin and Saul Rubinek as Harold Salt in the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

The fact that Bud Fox made his way into Gecko was a first step into establishing a positive impression. The legitimate analysis that Bud brought wasn’t enough to hold Gecko’s attention, though a decision made on the spot with knowledge about Bluestar Airlines makes the mark. It’s this that convinces Gecko to offer Bud Fox his, Gecko’s, distinct training, clout and industry connections to make an early career really grow.

(Terence Stamp as Sir Larry Wildman in the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

The storyline grows from this premise, with the hustle of youth on the side of Bud Fox. The knowledge Gordon Gecko teaches Bud Fox runs afoul of some of the ethical standards that Carl Gox, Bud Fox’s father, lives by. The first step of building this trust included taking honest, legitimately researched investments suggested by senior stockbroker Lou Mannheim. Hal Holbrook portrayed Mannheim. These investments lose money.

(From left, Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim and Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox in the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

Gecko gives Bud Fox a second chance, which involves following British investor Sir Larry Wildman. Terence Stamp portrayed Wildman, who Fox is able to offer is about to make a bid on Anacott Steel. This results in a wildly lucrative yet shady deal to the detriment of both the company and Wildman. Gecko rewards Bud Fox with the willingly offered intimacy services of interior decorator Darien Taylor. Daryl Hannah portrayed Darien Taylor.

(Director and co-writer of Wall Street, Oliver Stone, on the set of the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

This basic action comes with much of what proves useful to Gecko. The education and connections play themselves out, including through the family monologue offered by Gordon Gecko on the merits of greed. How long can this continue to function in this manner for Bud Fox, in an ethical and legal set of boundaries opposite those of his father. The compelling pieces for the larger message of the movie Wall Street rest in these conflicts, in addition to how the movie sets out to answer them.

(From left, actor Charlie Sheen, actress Daryl Hannah, actor Martin Sheen and actor Michael Douglas in a publicity shot for the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street).

The movie Wall Street represents subject matter that was new in the specific subject matter, inasmuch tackling stocks, economic questions, and a divide between working class and the financial class of the era. That the movie thematically tackled the feeling of class difference, exploitation, ethics and legality were not new fare for Oliver Stone. Overall, I found a compelling movie. I grant the movie Wall Street as directed by Oliver Stone 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, July 30, 2022

Tom Hanks, Melanie Griffith and Bruce Willis in the Brian De Palma movie ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’

A gritty story flush with racial and class sensibilities amidst conflicting power struggles seemed like a natural fit for a Brian De Palma directed film. The hard hitting black comedy satire that was the 1987 Tom Wolfe book The Bonfire of the Vanities became the poorly adapted, poorly cast movie The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990), losing over $31 million.

(From left, Melanie Griffith as Maria Ruskin with Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, and Kim Cattrall as Judy McCoy with Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, in the Brian De Palma movie The Bonfire of the Vanities).

Tom Hanks starred as Sherman McCoy, a Wall Street bond trader who makes millions while enjoying the good life. Things move from top of the world with an ongoing affair with Southern belle gold digger Maria Ruskin, as portrayed by Melanie Griffith, get into trouble in the South Bronx wherein a hit-and-run accident leaves an African American youth severely injured. McCoy’s life begins to unravel with multiple angles in play about how to respond.

(From left, Rita Wilson as a Public Relations ambassador and Bruce Willis as Peter Fallow in the Brian De Palma movie The Bonfire of the Vanities).

The movie version of The Bonfire of the Vanities stars Bruce Willis as the newspaper reporter Peter Fallow feels like an observer parody of Nick Carraway from F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s The Great Gatsby. Fallow breaks much of the public’s interest in the appearance of impropriety against Sherman McCoy, who is due to lose his wife and daughter, his profession, and ultimately his freedom. Kim Cattrall portrayed Sherman’s wife, Judy McCoy, with Kirsten Dunst portraying their daughter, Campbell McCoy.

(John Hancock as Reverend Bacon in the Brian De Palma movie The Bonfire of the Vanities).

Episcopal minister Reverend Bacon, as portrayed by John Hancock, is portrayed as one of many corrupted community leaders in the film and book. The court of public opinion with an underlying profit angle is placed aside the political ambition of a district attorney, pursuit of sexual favors from the assistant district attorney, and all antagonists in the storyline having an illegitimate motivation that values perceptions of truth over actual truth; this sense of satire as motivation includes Judge Leonard White, as portrayed by Morgan Freeman, prosecuting attorney Jed Kramer, as portrayed by Saul Rubinek, defense attorney Tom Killian, as portrayed by Kevin Dunn, District Attorney Abe Weiss, as portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, and others still.

(Saul Rubinek as prosecuting attorney Jed Kramer, Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, Kevin Dunn as defense attorney Tom Killian and Morgan Freeman as Judge Leonard White in the Brian De Palma movie The Bonfire of the Vanities).

Those having read the underlying Thomas Wolfe book will be decidedly disappointed by the movie, with casting and the Michael Cristofer screenplay contributing to this feel. The dissecting of motivation that so powerfully comes through with the book, and so strongly gets stated in first person testimonies in many circumstances, simply never shows up in the movie. Quite simply, that is a real shame for those aiming to understand the commentary that Wolfe‘s work really makes.

(From left, actor Bruce Willis, director Brian De Palma, and actor Tom Hanks in the Brian De Palma movie The Bonfire of the Vanities).

The Bonfire of the Vanities, in premise and subject matter, remains relevant. The hard hitting notions of the underlying conflicts, the efforts to get just outcomes without the taint of corruption, and the depth of the look within the movie resembles the book while taking too many departures, simplifications, and lost along the way qualities. Watching this movie simply does not do the story justice, which leads to my giving The Bonfire of the Vanities as directed by Brian De Palma 3.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, August 14, 2021