volunteer (impressive newcomer Mauricio Kuri). Di-
rector Dean Wright’s epic -- which also features a brief
turn from Peter O’Toole as a wise and venerable priest
-- gets off to a slow start. But once the initially varied
story lines laid out in Michael Love’s script converge,
their outcome packs an emotional wallop. The fact-
based, faith-quickening tale the movie tells is sufficient-
ly valuable to warrant a younger viewership than would
normally be advisable for fare of this kind. Probably
acceptable for mature adolescents. Considerable action
violence with some gore, the torture of a child and at
least one mildly vulgar term. Spanish titles option.
The
Catholic News Service
classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is R
-- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or
adult guardian. (Arc Entertainment; also available on
Blu-ray)
‘
“Goodbye, Mr. Chips”
(1969)
Musical version of the James Hilton novel with Pe-
ter O’Toole as the distracted, unbending schoolmaster
who is set upon, conquered and finally humanized by
a hoydenish music hall performer (Petula Clark). Di-
rector Herbert Ross shifts the focus from the academic
to the happy marriage of such unlikely opposites, with
pleasantly unobtrusive songs by Leslie Bricusse pacing
an old-fashioned romance some will find quite charm-
ing, though youngsters are less apt to be enchanted by
the sentimental proceedings.
The Catholic News Ser-
vice
classification is A-I -- general patronage.
The Mo-
tion Picture Association of America
rating is G -- gen-
eral audiences. (Warner Home Video)
‘
“How to Steal a Million”
(1966)
Wacky romantic comedy set in Paris where the
daughter (Audrey Hepburn) of an art forger (Hugh
Griffith) enlists a willing accomplice (Peter O’Toole) in
a complicated scheme to steal her dad’s bogus master-
piece from a museum exhibit before it can be revealed
as a fraud. Director William Wyler handles the droll
proceedings with sophisticated elegance, but the comic
results may be too slow-paced for some tastes. Spanish
language and titles options.
The Catholic News Service
classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by
the Motion Picture Association of America
. (20th Cen-
tury Fox Home Entertainment)
‘
“Lassie”
(2005)
Handsome adaptation of Eric Knight’s original nov-
el,
“Lassie Come Home,”
about an impoverished York-
shire mining family (Samantha Morton, John Lynch and
Jonathan Mason) in World War II that reluctantly sells
its beloved dog to a rich nobleman (Peter O’Toole) who
takes the dog to Scotland where the collie escapes and
attempts the impossibly long trek back home. Writer-
director Charles Sturridge has assembled a fine, mostly
English cast, including Edward Fox, Kelly MacDonald
and Jemma Redgrave, and two appealing youngsters,
Mason and Hester Odgers. The scenic vistas are breath-
taking and the story appealing, making this fine family
viewing, though discerning adults may be bothered by a
disjointed narrative, some plot turns that defy credulity,
and an awkwardness in both script and direction that
places it several notches below the classic 1943 MGM
version. A brief sequence of Lassie being beaten with
a belt, a nongraphic scene where the miners urinate to
throw some hunting dogs off the scent of an escaping
fox, some mildly crass language, some mild violence
and the death of a dog.
The Catholic News Service
classification is A-I -- general patronage.
The Motion
Picture Association of America
rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. (Classic Media)
‘
“Lawrence of Arabia”
(1962)
Set within the frame of a grand adventure is this
interesting study of British hero-author T.E. Lawrence
(Peter O’Toole), whose World War I exploits in lead-
ing the Arabs against the Turks made his literary works
popular in the 1920s. Director David Lean focuses on
the diverse aspects of the man with an ambiguity suit-
able to the mystery still surrounding this mythic figure.
Bloody wartime battles and implications of a homosex-
ual incident.
The Catholic News Service
classification
is A-II -- adults and adolescents.
The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is PG -- parental guid-
ance suggested. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment;
also available on Blu-ray)
‘
“The Lion in Winter”
(1968)
Toward the end of her life, Eleanor of Aquitaine
(Katharine Hepburn) engages in a running duel with
her husband, Henry II of England (Peter O’Toole), over
which of their sons should ascend the throne. Director
Anthony Harvey does not allow history to get in the
way of the principals, whose full-blown performances
make absorbing entertainment. Adult themes. Spanish
titles option.
The Catholic News Service
classification
is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of
America
rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.
(MGM; also available on Blu-ray)
‘
“My Favorite Year”
(1982)
Peter O’Toole plays a fading movie star who agrees
to appear on a show in the early days of television com-
edy and a young gag writer (Mark Linn-Baker) is as-
signed to keep the drunken, womanizing actor in line.
Director Richard Benjamin’s comedy is bright and en-
tertaining as long as talented, charming O’Toole is on
screen, but when he’s off, the picture quietly dies. Be-
cause the humor revolves around the hero’s pursuit of
women and the bottle, as well as some rather vulgar
gags, it is not for younger viewers. Spanish titles op-
tion.
The Catholic News Service
classification is A-III
-- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (Warner
Home video)
‘
“Ratatouille”
(2007)
Delectable animated tale of a cute rat (voiced by
Patton Oswalt) who, inspired by the spirit of a famous
late chef (Brad Garrett), develops his improbable pas-
sion for cooking by becoming the secret adviser to an
esteemed Paris restaurant’s hapless garbage boy (Lou
Romano), turning the latter into a star chef, while the
eatery’s jealous head chef (Ian Holm) contrives to un-
cover the secret of the boy’s success. Writer-director
Brad Bird’s gorgeously animated production has a rare
sophistication that should entertain adults as much as
their children, while the messages of teamwork, hon-
esty and following one’s dreams are strongly conveyed.
Subtle implication of a character born out of wedlock.
The fine-looking DVD includes three deleted scenes (in
various stages of completion); a 14-minute conversa-
tion with Bird and chef Thomas Keller; a new animated
short,
“Your Friend the Rat”
; and the highly amusing
short film
“Lifted.”
The Catholic News Service
classi-
fication is A-I -- general patronage.
The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is G -- general audiences.
(Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)
‘
“The Ruling Class”
(1972)
Screen version of Peter Barnes’ play satirizing the
British upper classes in a story about the demented Earl
of Gurney (Peter O’Toole in a madcap virtuoso perfor-
mance) who, once he is cured of believing he is God,
assumes the identity of Jack the Ripper. Directed by Pe-
ter Medak, the looney black comedy even has some hi-
larious song and dance numbers but the nonsense goes
on much too long and becomes repetitive. Some may
take the casebook condition of claiming to be the Deity
as irreverent but religion is not at all under attack here.
The Catholic News Service
classification is L -- limited
adult audience, films whose problematic content many
adults would find troubling.
The Motion Picture As-
sociation of America
rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested. (Criterion)
‘
“Stardust”
(2007)
Eventful fairy tale based on a popular book by Neil
Gaiman about a star that falls to earth in human form
(Claire Danes), and how she’s pursued by a witch (Mi-
chelle Pfeiffer) who hopes to acquire eternal youth, a
murderous prince (Mark Strong) trying to secure his
late father’s (Peter O’Toole) throne, and a young man
(Charlie Cox) who promises the maiden (Sienna Miller)
he loves that he’ll bring her the star to prove his love.
Matthew Vaughn directs the multi-strand narrative with
conviction, and there’s a good deal of welcome humor
and an interesting cast (also including Robert De Niro,
Rupert Everett and Ricky Gervais) but some of the sto-
ry elements veer more toward adults -- or older teens
-- than the youngsters who might most enjoy this sort
of yarn. Intense action violence, implied premarital sex,
a flamboyantly gay character, another born out of wed-
lock, some innuendo and brief crass language. Spanish
language and titles options.
The Catholic News Service
classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture As-
sociation of America
rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for chil-
dren under 13. (Paramount Home Video; also available
on Blu-ray)
Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.
Gulf Pine Catholic
•
January 31, 2014
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