The Legend of 1900
*
Rated on a 4-star
scale
Italy
Directed by Guiseppe Tornatore
Written by Guiseppe Tornatore
Based on a dramatic monologue by Alessandro Baricco
CAST.....
Tim Roth..... 1900
Pruitt Taylor Vince..... Max
Clarence Williams III..... Jelly Roll Morton
Melanie Thierry..... The Girl
Bill Nunn..... Danny Boodmann
I've seen TV commercials for cancer charities
that are less melodramatic than "The Legend of 1900", and at
least those schmaltzy ads have a purpose. This is a pointless collection
of scenes that keeps topping its own absurdity, the kind of movie that springs
the words "Well, once upon a time..." on us every few minutes, and expects
us to take them seriously.
The narrator is a fat, cross-eyed American called
Max (Pruitt Taylor Vince), who trembles every few minutes for no apparent
reason. Max wanders around England telling the life story of his best friend,
an amazing pianist named 1900 (Tim Roth) who lived his entire life onboard
a ship.
That's where 1900 was born, as far as anyone knows.
He was found abandoned on the luxury ocean liner Virginian at the turn of
the century, was raised there by a hyperactive engine-worker, and grew up
with a fear of land. It's too vast, he confesses at one point, like a piano
with never-ending keys. How does anybody settle down?
This is the only feeling of 1900's that is ever
conveyed to us. He is described as a wonderful friend and a noble figure
by Max, who says every word slowly and emotionally, with quivering lips and
eyes that wince to hold back tears. Why? 1900 may be a genius, but as a person,
he's an arrogant jerk who refused to try to achieve anything with his
life.
There is a lot of talk by the narrator about what
a good story he has, and how nobody would believe it. He keeps bringing it
up at the most inappropriate moments, breaking off from conversations to
go into slow, soft-spoken monologues that reduce hard-hearted characters
to hushed declarations of "Wow, mister!" This would look ridiculous no matter
how great a story was being told, but let's look at everything that happens:
Kid is found on a boat, kid plays a mean piano, grows up to be afraid of
land, stays on boat till he dies. The only marginally exciting moment in
"The Legend of 1900" comes when the title character has a piano duel with
the inventor of jazz, Jelly Roll Morton (Clarence Williams III). But even
that scene is ruined by Max, who jumps about the place making grand expressions
of distress -- convulsing, stuffing paper into his mouth and generally playing
the moron.
My high school English Literature professor, Mr
Johnston, drifted into reminiscing as much as this film, but delivered his
great tales with wit, and an obvious delight at the magic of memory. "The
Legend of 1900" has nothing to say and says it with self-importance -- Guisseppe
Tornatore, the writer and director, has put big soppy music cues in every
scene, and loves to let his camera drift tenderly into every image. Ten years
ago he won international acclaim and an Oscar for "Cinema Paradiso". If he
thinks he's about to repeat that success, he's crazy.
COPYRIGHT© 1999 Ian
Waldron-Mantgani
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