The River **** (1984, Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek) – Classic Movie Review 3242

Director Mark Rydell’s affecting 1984 drama is a classy movie, not least for the superb cinematography of Vilmos Zsigmond and music of John Williams, but also for the marvellous, moving star performances of Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek.

Troubles and hard times seem to come in flood waves for Tennessee farmer Tom Garvey (Gibson), his wife Mae (Spacek) and their two children Lewis and Beth (Shane Bailey, Becky Jo Lynch) as they are forced to battle severe storms and a bank that is threatening to repossess their farm.

Rydell’s film is a highly impressive and enjoyable land drama that is rather steady and sombre, but it has a brain and a heart. Rydell directs with great feeling and nostalgia for a way of life under threat, and there is outstanding work from cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and composer John Williams, both Oscar nominated. Gibson and Spacek (Oscar nominated as Best Actress) give fine performances in rather one-dimensional roles (he’s simply bullheaded and she’s just supportive) and Scott Glenn helps them out as the leering villain, Joe Wade.

It is exactly the very kind of film you expect to win Oscars, and was nominated for four (also Best Sound), but it did not win any, and won only a Special Achievement Award – the relatively humble prize for Best Sound Effects Editing (Kay Rose). No Golden Globe wins, no Baftas, not even a single nomination.

Also in the cast are Billy Green Bush, James Tolkan, Bob W Douglas, Andy Stahl, Lisa Sloan, Larry D Ferrell, Susie Toomey, Kelly Toomey, Frank Hoyt Taylor and Don Hood.

Zsigmond and Williams both worked on The Long Goodbye (1973) that featured an acting role for Rydell.

The legendary Vilmos Zsigmond died on January 1 2016, age 85. He was famed for his brilliant use of natural light and vivid use of colour on films like The Long Goodbye (1973) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), for which he won the Oscar for Best Cinematography. He was also nominated for The Deer Hunter (1978), The River (1984) and The Black Dahlia (2006).

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3242

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