China Syndrome (The)

Genre: disaster drama

With: Jane Fonda (Kimberly Wells), Jack Lemmon (Jack Godell), Michael Douglas (Richard Adams), Scott Brady (Herman De Young), James Hampton (Bill Gibson), Peter Donat (Don Jacovich), Wilford Brimley (Ted Spindler)

Director: James Bridges

Screenplay: Mike Gray, T.S. Cook and James Bridges

Release: 1979

Studio: Columbia Pictures Corporation, IPC Films, Major Studio Partners

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.5/10

 

 

What They Won’t Tell You  

 

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Story-line: while doing a remote at the Ventana nuclear power plant, a TV reporter who is considered mere filler by her colleagues observes an incident that may have compromised public safety and the plant’s operations.  

Pluses: marquee performances by Jane Fonda (a bright and assertive Kimberly), Jack Lemmon (the increasingly conflicted Godell) and Michael Douglas, excellent support from well-known thespians, a methodical screenplay that leads to a suspenseful final act, dynamic direction that develops bracing (almost painful) tension, convincing production values (the power plant sets especially) and fine cinematography.

Minuses: viewers beware… this chilling film is not for the fainthearted.

Comments: although nuclear energy is generally viewed as a safe source of electricity, the events depicted in THE CHINA SYNDROME are certainly possible − as evidenced by the Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) incidents. And you don’t need much to trigger a catastrophe; it only takes a miscalculation, neglect, greed or misguided loyalties (or any combination of those factors) to endanger whole communities. Remember our goal as movie buffs: we don’t seek to see everything out there… we focus on films that matter. THE CHINA SYNDROME, with its mighty drama, social import and star power, is clearly one of them.    

 

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 I Compagni

English title: The Organizer

Genre: social drama (in black and white)

With: Marcello Mastroianni (Professor Sinigaglia), Renato Salvatori (Raoul Bertone), Folco Lulli (Pautasso), Bernard Blier (Martinetti), Gabriella Giorgelli (Adele), Raffaella Carrà (Bianca), François Périer (Maestro Di Meo), Vittorio Sanipoli (Baudet), Mario Pisu (the Manager), Kenneth Kove (Luigi), Annie Girardot (Niobe), Elvira Tonelli (Cesarina), Franco Ciolli (Omero), Enzo Casini (Antonio), Antonio Casamonica (Arro)

Director: Mario Monicelli

Screenplay: Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli and Mario Monicelli  

Release: 1963

Studio: Lux Film, Vides Cinematografica et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.5/10 

 

The Struggle Never Ends 

 

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Story-line: the setting is Turin in the late 19^th century. Exasperated by their brutal working conditions, the men, women and children slaving in a local textile plant rise against their ruthless bosses with the help of a visiting teacher. 

Pluses: a strong cast of Italian and French thespians led by an intense Marcello Mastroianni, a realistic and detailed screenplay that studiously develops its characters, builds drama and delivers a symbolically potent ending, solid helming that sustains interest from the get-go, fine production values and a well-suited score of Italian folk music.

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: I COMPAGNI, a strong companion film to GERMINAL and NORMA RAE, rates as a high-quality ensemble drama and a compelling manifesto about labour relations, poverty and man's dependence on machines for industrial production (not much has changed… today it’s robots). Mario Monicelli’s film bears witness to a difficult era that paved the way for trade unionism worldwide. 

 

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