Movie Gold From 1974

It's like bumping into an old friend when you stumble across a favorite movie.  Just about the time you mumble to yourself that there really ARE about six-hundred channels and NOTHING on -- there it is.  

I happened upon Harry & Tonto the other night on TCM, Ted Turner's classic movie channel, and was reminded of what a really good film it was and still is.  I don't know if a studio would green light something as good today.  It would probably be called "too slow" and undeniably corny.  But, though  he no longer controls his namesake network, old Ted locked up a lot of good flicks for his favorite channel.

Harry & Tonto is a simple tale of a retired teacher, Harry Coombes, who is forced to vacate his soon to be demolished  apartment in New York City.  Harry hits the road with his beloved cat, Tonto, inspired by the idea of seeing his kids, old friends, and maybe even a long lost love.  Perhaps he'll make some amends, meet new friends and find someplace to live.  Harry is wise enough to know that nothing in life is guaranteed.  He merely hopes to enjoy the time he has left on his meter.

Art Carney

Art Carney, one of our most underrated actors,  snagged the 1974 best actor prize for this dramatic roll.  He is simply brilliant.  

Watching the movie I was struck by how much the country has changed since 1974.  A war America had become involved with when I was in junior high would still be going on for another year in spite of the fact that I had grown to adulthood, served my Army hitch, gotten married and become the father of two.  Our Vietnam morass was nearly at its ignominious end after the sacrifice of almost 60,000 American lives.  Maybe because it was filmed on location, the movie has a feel of war weariness that was pervasive in 1974.  Peace talks were on, the draft had ended, but we were still there.

Other aspects of Harry & Tonto that gave it a real rear view mirror feel were:  long hair, large glasses, smoking, pay telephones and the complete non-existence of cell phones and the Internet.  The absence of artificially white teeth took awhile to catch but was a welcome reprieve from that blinding blue-white near perfect dentistry sported by today's movie folk.  Natural…what a concept.

Like most memorable movies, Harry & Tonto has some surprisingly refreshing performances by big stars in small character rolls.  Ellen Burstyn and the late Larry Hagman are completely believable as Harry's difficult and slightly messed up kids.  You find yourself rooting for them all.

Harry & Tonto is a gem.  If your old enough to have been around in '74, take a trip back in time just to see how much we've changed.  If you're too young to remember, treat yourself to a look at a country on the precipice of great change.  Not all of it for the better.

   

Ellen Burstyn