Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
“Being Mary Tyler Moore”
Two of the great TV comedies were “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (1961-1966) and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970-1977). Both had marvelous casts, but Moore was the sun around which all the acting talents orbited.
This documentary covers her entire life. Ironically, her role in helping woman’s liberation move forward played out on screen rather than in real life.
She was married three times, the last to a doctor 19 years younger. At the time of her death in 2017, they had been married for 34 years. Tragically, her only child, a son, died at the age of 24 from what appeared to be an accidental self-
inflicted gunshot.
While the movie gives you a heart-warming view of Moore’s life on Broadway, as well as an Oscar nomination for Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” (1980), I would have been quite pleased if the film focused only on her two TV series. They are fun to watch to this very day.
Let’s start with “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” As noted, all the actors were memorable. It centered on Dick Van Dyke playing Rob Petrie, and Moore played his caring wife, Laura. What made the series so consistently funny were the performances of Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris and Carl Reiner.
We should also never forget the important fact that Moore changed the role of women on TV. She was the first actress to appear in pants, and it left a legendary impact.
And women also benefited from her role in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Though Ed Asner (Lou Grant) and Ted Knight (Ted Baxter) were hysterical at every turn, Mary’s relationship with Rhoda (Valerie Harper), Sue Ann (Betty White), Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) and Georgette (Georgia Engel) served to remind all women of the value of female friendship and interaction.
I’ll always remember Mary’s performance as Mary Richards as defining a single woman’s role in a tough, male-dominated world.
Rest in peace, my dear Ms. Moore.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
First of all, please recognize that this movie lasts two hours, 30 minutes. It becomes an endurance test when you make the mistake of watching it at an AMC theater. As noted in an earlier review, they make you wait nearly half an hour for the film to start with multiple previews and boring advertisements.
Despite some fine performances from great actors, director James Gunn found a way to make you repeatedly check your watch to see when this blasted ordeal would conclude. Quite frankly, I’m relieved that “Galaxy Vol. 3” is the end of a trilogy.
In short order, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is left on the edge of death by the demonic High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). In flashbacks, you see how he conducted cybernetic experimentations on fuzzy little animals like Rocket. His plan is to create a perfect species to live in the perfect world of his creation.
To try and get chemicals to save Rocket, the guardians must invade the High Evolutionary’s world. The entire film involves a constant battle between the enemy and the galaxy’s crew of Pete Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).
Having said all that, the movie does have an upside. First of all, Zoe Saldana reappears as Gamora. Though she died in the last “Avengers” film, she now comes from a different dimension. Quill may still love her, but she no longer possesses “that loving feeling.”
However, the interaction of a young Rocket with a small group of chemically altered animals will bring a tear to your eye. Though they are brutally shot and killed by the Evolutionary, you watch Rocket on his death bed imagine seeing them invite him to join them in the afterlife where “it is always sunny, and you live forever.” It pulls at your heartstrings.
As a spoiler warning, all our heroes live as you watch them say goodbye to each other. The ending is the best part of this film.•
__________
Robert Hammerle practices criminal law in Indianapolis. When he is not in the courtroom or the office, Bob can likely be found at one of his favorite movie theaters preparing to review the latest films. To read more of his reviews, visit www.bigmouthbobs.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.