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A Salute to Sidney Lumet Hands Are Tied by His Political Bosses

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A Salute to Sidney Lumet Hands Are Tied by His Political Bosses QUOTEOF Berlusconi does not need to pay for sex. He is very MumbaiMirror 26 handsome and regardless of his age, he is very sexy WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011 EDIT PAGE THEDAY www.mumbaimirror.com/columnists — Raisa Skorkina, a Russian friend of the 74-year-old Italian PM [email protected] RAJA SEN LOVES TO RANT, RAVE AND BLATHER ABOUT CINEMA, OFTEN AT HIS OWN PERIL TELLTHEED Liked/hated this column? Write to Raja Sen at [email protected] at [email protected] » ‘Unholy’ coalition to blame This refers to ‘Mercury rising in planet Prithvi’ (MM, Apr12). As chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan’s A salute to Sidney Lumet hands are tied by his political bosses. He has no elbow room to counter the NCP’s political expediencies. In contrast, the NCP has lesser stake Why the man who made Serpico is the best filmmaker of ‘em all and has no qualms in bull-dozing the don’t think Sidney Lumet could state Congress leadership, thanks to its have been good at poker. Sure, I see enormous money power and muscle READERS’ him up there, head of the great power. FEEDBACK American director’s table, sitting The result is that the NCP is getting alongside Hitchcock, Ford, Altman away scot-free by making a mockery of Sachin belongs Iand Welles. And while wild-eyed the CM’s authority. Chavan has to to the world Kubrick sits it out and Hitchcock stoni- blame his high command for indulging This refers to the ly rakes in the celestial chips, Lumet, in such an unholy alliance. column ‘The the most recent member of that big — J Harikant world’s shortest table in the sky, looks around him and love story’ (MM, wonders: how best to capture Welles’ » Anna Hazare is no Mahatma April 6). I clearly cigar, how tightly to frame Altman’s This refers to ‘Anna welcomed home remember watch- permanent scowl, who to engage in with sweets, slogans’ (MM, Apr 12). It is ing Sachin’s bat- conversation to bring out the cleverest ridiculous to liken Hazare to the Mahat- ting against dialogue. Sidney Lumet, forever the ma – an example of love, patience and Pakistan in 1998 filmmaker. tolerance. World Cup. I am I call him that, of course, primarily Hazare often gets easily carried away sure Sachin’s wor- because of the staggering prolificacy and gives vent to his emotions in an shippers with which he churned out master- unpalatable manner. The result is loss of increased by few pieces – 45 films in 50 years, most of direction in all ventures. millions – in the them bullseyes – but also because a Let us stop indulging in the euphoria form of Pakistani close look at his work, or even a casual of the unexpected swift result of his re- fans – that glance at his seminal book, Making cent campaign. The government threw evening. Sachin is Movies, reveals a man thoroughly and in the towel simply because of the im- the god of cricket unashamedly smitten with every aspect pending polls, before which a single and god is not of the filmmaking process. Lumet made Sidney Lumet, the master. He gave us hope, he gave us faith and, with Dog Day hazardous step would have proved a confined to a par- movies because he was well and truly Afternoon, he gave us “Attica! Attica! Attica!” costly howler. ticular country. in love with them, and cinema made — Mukund Kumar – Ravi Jagtap sure it loved him right back. one thing, but Lumet looked at the genres with indiscriminate thrill, The other reason I think he was less- inevitable uncertainties and bended questing only that the style served the » But smokers do have a choice Jingoism suited for cards was that he trusted too them masterfully into magic, time and subject and not the other way around. This refers to ‘Cancer survivors write to much. Gifted as they were, actors under again. And this while structuring his And so the stories, too, loved him right govt, say Jaitley, Singhvi should not rep- hit for a six him flourished because of his unblink- films so elaborately, with such immac- back. resent tobacco firms’ (MM, Apr 12). Sachin has given ing faith in them, as did cinematogra- ulate albeit occasionally audacious cin- The Anderson Tapes. Dog Day As lawyers, the government cannot cricket fans a rea- phers and editors. And he trusted his ematic grammar, that everything fit Afternoon. Equus. The Fugitive Kind. order them not to represent tobacco son to rise over jin- audience to understand it. His afore- together in a way that made it all seem Serpico. Long Day’s Journey Into Night. firms. Besides, smokers do have a choice goism. Though mentioned book – one which really is preordained. Lumet made his own luck. Deathtrap. Garbo Talks. Fail-Safe. That whether or not to buy such products. India-Pakistan essential reading for anyone truly inter- His last film, Before The Devil Knows Kind Of Woman. They were all films Banning sale of tobacco products matches are ested in cinema – is nothing if not a You’re Dead, a crime drama made when about morality, but also films that will lead to black marketing and profi- eagerly-waited confessional of belief in cinema’s cogs he was 82, opens with doggystyle sex made us better people simply by bask- teering. Creating awareness of the events, it is impos- and sprockets, and how they serendip- and zigzags through linearity with ing in their glow. harmful effects of using gutkha and pan sible for Pakistanis itously come together to produce insouciant vigor. His first film, 12 Angry For me, Sidney Lumet was the finest masala will be more effective. The gov- to stop admiring instants of movie magic. And how Men, made nearly 50 years before that, American filmmaker of all-time. ernment can necessitate printing of Tendulkar’s grateful he is for his luck. takes place almost entirely in one room, (Watch Network again if you disagree. shocking, gory pictorial warnings to master strokes. It has nothing to do with luck, of its only perceptible action being a lot of Actually, watch it again anyway.) warn consumers. – Mihika Sharma course. A stroke of fortuitous chance is conversation. Lumet did it all, working And poker’s loss is all our gain. — M K Pande » Rising mango prices is no news This refers to ‘Mangoes here, but out of JUSTLIKETHAT AJIT NINAN MALAY DESAI aam janta’s reach’ (MM, Apr 12). TOP5 VIKRAM Such stories of the high prices of mangoes keep appearing in the media year after year. The reasons attributed Retorts from Congress are the same – poor supply and bad cli- mate which destroyed the crop. After Kerala CM Achutanandan called Rahul Gandhi an ‘Amul Baby’, the Congress Could this be some kind of a ploy on has sensed the opportunity and is launching this name-calling campaign… the part of mango traders to give out such reports in the media so that it Farex infant: Aditya Thackeray (for leads to panic buying and jacks up man- his growing troubles) go prices? Secondly, if every other year, prices are bound to increase, then what Parle-G Girl: Sushma Swaraj (for her is the ‘newsy’ bit about mango prices misplaced energetic ways) rising this year too? — Shubam Kamat Complan Boy: Pranab Mukherjee (for » Share-a-taxi scheme desirable his complete planned fiscal food) This refers to ‘Cab it to Nariman Point from Bandra for Rs 50’ (MM, April 12). Onida Devil: Narendra Modi (for his This is a great proposal by the Bombay not-so-pleasant past) Taximen Union. It will definitely help the common man by reducing traffic jams and air pollution in the city. I Stayfree Woman: Jayalalitha (for her hope the government clears it soon. on-off ways with the Congress) — Ria Verma.
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