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The Majestic
by Jeanne
McKinney
The Majestic
is a refreshing film about remembering who you are, learning to
stand for something, and the meaning of America, with the lead role
taken by a Jim Carrey who seems more like his character in the Truman
Show than the sometimes off beat comic we see so often.
Enjoying the
Good Life
Debonair Peter Appleton is flying high, living the good life as
a successful, if somewhat manipulated screenwriter who has learned
to please the producers with endless accommodation on his scripts.
He enjoys seeing his name on the movie poster credits of his first
motion picture displayed at Graumann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood,
the place everyone wants to be.
When he walks
into the theater with his girlfriend, the lead in his new “B” black
and white film, Sand Pirates of the Sahara, clips about the
blacklisted ‘Hollywood Ten’ are running on screen. Ironically,
arriving at work the next day to an empty office, he learns that
for a flimsy reason he’s on a Congressional hit list himself Suddenly
out of work, his girlfriend dumps him, and his latest ‘A” movie
project, Ashes to Ashes goes up in smoke.
Peter gets drunk
and decides to take a ride in his classy vintage Mercedes convertible,
asking his favorite stuffed monkey and traveling companion, “What
if we take a drive up the coast till the sun comes up or the gas
runs out – change our names - start new lives and never come back?”
His car skids off a high bridge as he gives the right of way to
a rat, and falls into a river below, the ideal metaphor for his
life to that point.
A New Home Town
Washed up on shore, he awakens the next morning to the sound of
a dog panting in his face and no memory of his past. But people in
the Norman Rockwell-type town of Lawson think they know him. A town
that has faced the deaths of many of their sons in World War II, they
have never quite overcome the loss. Thus, when they see the amnesiac
Appleton who has an uncanny resemblance to one of their fallen sons,
they are sure he is Luke, the town’s favorite war hero, believed to
have been killed in action
Lawson comes
alive with Peter’s arrival, and the audience feels his dilemma.
He does not know whether he is Luke or not, but he is lauded and
loved by those who claim to know him, particularly Luke’s father
(Martin Landau), and if, in fact, he is Luke, he does not want to
disappoint a group who has pinned so much hope on him.. He rediscovers
the magic with his old girlfriend and law student, Adele Stanton
(Laurie Holden) who tries to spur his memory as the townspeople
look on with hopeful anticipation of a lost romance rekindled.
Recharged with life, his father decides to re-open '‘The Majestic”,
the local town theatre, whose doors were closed when Luke was believed
dead.
Grand Re-opening,
Remembering, and Retracing
The story moves a little slowly to get to this point, but it
is grand when the Majestic’s lights go up. Then comes the inevitable
time when Peter remembers who he is, as he sees his name on the
movie poster for Sand Pirates of the Sahara which is showing
at the theater. At the same time, federal authorities searching
for Appleton, ‘the lost Commie’, show up in Lawson to brand Luke,
who is really Peter, a traitor. This devastates the town, who celebrated
and cast him as an idol, among other sons of war who have paid freedom’s
dues with their lives. Peter, the outcast, is dragged away to face
the wrath of Congress.
The Trial
In a stuffy room, teeming with frenzied friends of the media,
Peter is first convinced to stand up and read a statement, buckling
under to the pressure of the Congress and falsely-accused Communist
ties. The former Peter would have probably done it without second
thought. But this new Peter has been wearing Luke’s shoes for too
long—and Luke was somebody who knew what it meant to stand for something.
Peter hesitates, remembering a letter, tucked away in a small book
of Constitutional Rights – Adele’s parting gift to him. In the
letter, the real Luke authored final words of love and courage that
inspire Peter to stand up and “beat the bullies down.” Under threat
of imprisonment, Peter ignores Committee Chair (Hal Holbrook) who
won’t stop pounding his gavel. We see and hear Carrey as never
before on screen, when he brings a packed audience to attention,
delivering an emotion-filled speech alleging, “the America that
Luke and many others gave their life to defend was not present in
the room today.” Refusing to use the Fifth, he stands on the First
Amendment of the Constitution, “laws paid for in blood, not subject
to negotiation.” The real Peter Appleton walks out on the committee
to an uncertain future. Frank Kapra would have been proud.
Carrey did a
great job in this movie – I felt his frustration and challenge with
being an innocent victim of government brutality, a stranger with
amnesia who had to fill a hero’s shoes, and someone who had to surmount
what he confessed as: “never seeing a percentage in being a man
of great conviction.” The nostalgic ambiance of the 50’s is well
portrayed, although picture- perfect ‘Lawson’ is reminiscent of
a not so distant “Pleasantville.” Technically, the camera creates
emotion as a thread of patriotism runs long and strong throughout
the movie, a friendly reminder of America’s song since September
11th. The black and white clips of Sand Pirates of
the Sahara are amazing – a better than ever portrayal of the
filmmaking style of the 50’s.
I wonder how
hard it is for Carrey to play a role where he doesn’t act funny.
He had me moved to tears as he was addressing the committee of Congress.
This story proves, life isn’t always what it seems, that it can
be changed in an instant and never be the same. Sometimes it takes
a bonk on the head to see what we’ve been missing. It’s also a
reminder that despite the mistakes even the government makes, America
is the greatest country in the world to live in. So many men and
women have paid with their lives; families have sacrificed, losing
loved ones. This film makes one ponder these things and points
out we cannot let any bully, whether it be the government, communist
or terrorist take away the freedoms that are rightfully ours, as
stated in the constitution, and given to all by God. It also reminds
to not drink and drive.
He brings life
to a small town and honor to his profession.
I really enjoy
watching Jim Carrey act a dramatic role. In The Majestic,
Carrey gives a Truman Show like performance. Although it’s
strange for him to be so serious, he’s a little more predictable.
Each movie has its good, bad and best. I’ll start with this film’s
best as motivation to watch it.
There are two
themes running through the story. One is patriotic and one, unpatriotic.
Carrey, who is Peter Appleton, a Hollywood writer in the late 1940’s,
becomes an innocent victim of both themes. By way of his profession
as a screenwriter, he is caught in the notorious sweep of Congress
that targeted Hollywood as a hotbed for communist conspiracy.
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© 2001 Meridian
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