Word: socko
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...drawing a fictional portrait of Wolfe. Wouk is not interested in Wolfe's life, except as a scenario for a searching inquiry into the agonizing problems of authorship (taxes, how to get the highest bid for movie rights, etc.). Wolfe's autobiographical novels proved him to be socko literary material; why invent a mediocre character when you can crib a good...
Nevertheless, by sheer theatrical intensity, the film transcends its specious materials. Under Robert Wise's driving direction, its set pieces are socko and incessant. Natalie Wood has the right dark glow as the Latin heroine; Richard Beymer is winsome as the hero, and as a tan teen Tybalt and a nubile Nurse of anything but the usual Shakespearance, George Chakiris and Rita Moreno are strikingly slummy. On-screen as onstage, Stephen Sondheim's lyrics sting like a tongueful of tamales. Leonard Bernstein's music, as usual spinelessly eclectic, fails (as the whole film fails) to merge...