Word: melodrama
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...even in the rarified atmosphere of Capital Hill reputation mongering, the most jaded cynic can't help but be bemused over the rollercoaster ride the reputations of three so-called giants of national security policy have taken over the past decade. The melodrama of Cap and George and Henry the K--reaching one of its most interesting chapters in recent months--goes to show once again just how transitory stature in Washington can be, how fleeting prevailing wisdom really is, and, perhaps most fascinating, how little general smarts, can matter in foreign and defense policy...
...ACTORS PLAY their roles dutifully and perceptively, but too often they tend to wail and to repeat the same frenzied gestures. Appearing overwhelmed by their characters' anguish, they give the production a pretentious note of melodrama. As James Tyrone, Kevin Walker seems the archetypal rough-edged Irishman: loving--if slightly clumsy--towards his wife, self-righteous and defensive towards his sons. But his mannerisms and reactions are too stiff and blatant. He gapes to show he's shocked, shouts to show he's angry. He fails to convey Tyrone's appealing undercurrent of charm, or any of his amusing qualities...
...FAIRNESS, a few sparks of well-timed humor relieve the melodrama. Tracey's mother returns early from a weekend away, almost catching her and Rourke under the covers. Rourke escapes out the window, and Mrs. Prescott's big news is a credit card for darling Tracey. However, such spots of lightness vanish in the film's overwhelming murk...
Jungle Belles follows the long Theatricals tradition of farce, humorous melodrama, and painful puns. It is set in the 1480s in a jungle where Amazon "women" live under the benevolent rule of Queen Foraday. Their manless solitude is interrupted by the arrival of the Conquistadores, led by Captain Walter Wallcarpeting and the priest Missionary Position. A battle of the sexes ensues, further complicated by the romance of the Queen's daughter, Kitty Litter, and the Captain's son. Jim Panzee, not to mention the songs, dances, and infamous chorus line. The requisite happy ending is accomplished with the help...
...same time it is a very "European" picture, full of the eye-grabbing devices that the 31-year-old Eakins, still fresh from Europe, knew would make it stand out in a crowded salon: blood and darkness, baroque composition, and the melodrama of the horrified wife on the left, shielding her eyes. One cannot imagine it being painted by someone ignorant of the art milieu in Paris. Such interactions are the real stuff of this show, and no one interested in American painting should miss...