Jan. 31, 2004 - 10:36 pm
i'm not sure what has always made me want to see this film, but i think the cover of the box has a lot to do with it. it has to be one of the coolest covers i've ever seen. and then the fact that Peter Sellers is always amazing. Shirley MacLaine doesn't hurt either. so i checked it out from the library.
this is sort of a Forrest Gump (1994)-type tale about a simpleton gardener who winds up becoming a trusted advisor to one of the chief financial bigwigs in the nation.
definitely an interesting story about an interesting character, portrayed brilliantly by Peter Sellers. i'm always amazed that he never won an Oscar. he was nominated 3 times total, and in the 1980 ceremony he was beat out by Dustin Hoffman for Kramer vs. Kramer. too bad really. my vote would've gone for Peter Sellers.
the last scene of the film seems a bit odd to me. sort of out of place, but it's really not that disturbing i guess. Chance walks on water. now i don't think they mean to say at all that he is a Christ figure or Christ-like. they're just trying to be poetic i suppose. it makes me wonder if that was in the book. i can't imagine that being the last line of a book. i'd be upset because "What? He walked on water?" but maybe as the last visual shot of a film it's more acceptable. just an opinion.