Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 161

Chicago Tribune, Friday, September 25, 1992 Section 7 Friday 3 Siskcl's Flicks Pick; By Gene Siskel LvA A Crystal's 'Mr. Saturday Night' takes bitter with the shtick i i 4 -Vv 'OS in The Last of the Mohicans." 'Sfo ur Flick of the Week is "Mr. Saturday Night," which at its most interesting can be viewed as writer-director Billy Crystal's worst nightmare that he winds up as a bitter, old Jewish comic who never achieves all that he wants. fought the English, each side allying itself with one or more American Indian tribes.) The last Mohicans the only survivors of a once-robust Mohawk tribe are the elder Fiites tb accelerates 'Lastof Mohicans' Crystal, who can be spectacularly funny off-the-cuff Isn't his best work the Oscar telecast? has this thing for playing old men. Improbably he mimicked a veteran Negro League baseball player in a short film for "Saturday Night Live." What gives? The guess here is that he finds old men to be a convenient repository for strong emotions that he doesn't feel comfortable expressing himself.

Which leads us to the character of Buddy Young the title character in "Mr. Saturday Night," a Borscht Belt comic who began entertaining in his family's living room and psychologically never left Loyally standing by his side, and gradually moving deeper into the shadows, is the film's best character, Buddy's older brother, Stan (David Paymer from "City who constantly cleans up Buddy's messes. Buddy's problem, as delineated over a 50-year career, is that he is most comfortable telling jokes that work; offstage, he self-destructs and foreshortens his career. The result is a film that is both sweet and sour, full of dialogue that earns "Mr. Saturday Night" an rating.

Of course, there are laughs in the film, but to Crystal's credit (along with writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel), Buddy is presented as not as funny as he thinks he is. Indeed, the biggest "talent" in the film is Buddy's brother's ability to care for his sibling. In that way, Crystal may be arguing that a good heart is more precious than 30 minutes of one-liners. "Mr. Saturday Night" is playing at the Water Tower, Webster Place and outlying theaters.

Rated R. Ricks Picks guide 'UA Daniel Day-Lewis as frontiersman 'Vice' director ou would expect a movie from the man who brought if us "Miami Vice" to be vis- ceral. And Michael Mann, director of "The Last of the Mohicans," does not disappoint Never mind the gorgeous wilderness backdrop, the 18th-century details, the carefully voiced and subtitled American Indian dialogue. From its very first frame until seconds before closing credits, "Mohicans" is an action movie. Loosely based on James Fenimore Cooper's novel and on a 1936 film adaptation starring Randolph Scott, Mann's screenplay, written in collaboration with Christopher Crowe, is a vivid tale of passion, revenge and bloodshed set against the political complexities of what came to mingacngooK American inaian activist Russell Means, in a comfortable film debut), his son, Uncas (Eric Schweig) and his adopted English-parented son, Nathaniel "Hawkeye" (Daniel Day-Lewis).

Surviving as trappers in what will later be New. York State, they are heading west when they rescue two English sisters from a Huron ambush and are drawn into the hostilities. Animated by war, Mann's frontier world is not the bucolic grind of real-time but a place See 'Mohicans' on Page f.lovio review By Johanna Steinmetz "The Last of the Mohicans" 'a Directed by Wcheel Mann; ecreonptey by Mann and Christopher Crow, baaed on the now by Jemet Fenimor Cooper and the eoeenpley by PhUtp Dunne; photographed by Danta SpmottJ; production deeigned by Wolf Kroeoer; edited by Hoanijj and Arthur Schmidt: music by Trevor tionee ana Randy desman, costume deeioned by Elaa ZamporeW; produced by Michael Mam and Hunt Lowry; executive produced by Jewia O. ftobMtaon. A Twentieth Century Fox ralaaae; opene Sept 25 at Broadway, McCwrg Court and outtyrtg theater.

MPAA fating: P. Running fame: THE CAST Hawkeye Dental Cora Madeleine Stow ClwoachoooK Rum 1 Maana Uncaa Eric Schwog May Heyward Steven Weddtnoton M9ua Wn Stud Ongeweegone Deenle A Banks be called the French and Indian War. (Actually, the French seen. Fntrants must list their name, age, school, class, address and phone number(s) where they can be reached between Sept. 30 and Oct.

9. Entries should be mailed to: Friday High School Movie Panel, P.O. Box 803884, Chicago, 111. 60680-3884. All entries must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) by Sept.

30. All entries must be sent by U.S. mail. Only one entry per person. Twenty-five finalists will be invited to attend a Saturday late morning or early afternoon movie screening on Oct 10 in downtown Chicago.

After the screening, the finalists will return to Tribune Tower where they will have Last call for teen movie panel entries New this week BOB ROBERTS (Wafer Tower, Webster Place and outlying). Tim Robblns writes, directs and stars In this lake political documentary about a scary Pen-nyslvania senatorial candidate who it part Wal Street charlatan and part folk-singing, right-wing nut The politics of the Mm are obvious but the humor Is undeniable as we study the empty, ear-nest faces that respond positively to Bob's message of I've got mine, and I want more." This portrait of his supporters makes "Bob Roberts" an effective horror fHm. fl. A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME (Fine Arts). Superior documentary filmmaker Errol Morris of The Thin Blue tackles a most difficult subject, the comsology of Stephen Hawking, who dared to criticize Einstein's theorems and offered his own explanations of time and space and the origin of the universe.

While the science In the fHm Is difficult to comprehend, the drama of seeing the wheelchair-ridden Hawking, unable to move or speak due to ALS, is undeniable. Director Morris could have pushed a title harder into Hawking's personal Me he left his wife for his nurse but the bigger story of his InrJominable wal and brain Is the story here. Not rated. ENCHANTED APRIL (Fine Art and outlying). A wonderful travelogue and romantic drama, set the 1920s, about four very different English women who jointly rent a beautiful country home in the Kalian Riviera.

Two (Miranda Richardson end Josie Lawrence) are married to overbearing husbands; one is a pretty ring fWrt (PoUy Walker), end the fourth feisty grandmotherly type (Joan Plowright). The monthkmg vacation allows tor commiseration, sisterhood, and even the transformation of very idea of a vacation was designed to effect change Ike that PQ. fhe fourth competition for the Friday High School Movie Panel is nearing its end. The contest is open to teenagers who are registered students during the 1992-93 school year at any high school THE HAIRDRESSER'S HUSBAND (Fine Arts), A wonderful erotic tale with a dark side about a middle-age Frenchman who merries and objectifies the woman of his (teams, defining her only through their lovemaking in their barbershop. Director Patrice Leconte Is carving out an Impressive niche as an heir to the voyeuristic tradition of such filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock and Michael Powell, French with English subtitles.

Not rated. Vi HONEYMOON IN VEQAS (900 M. Michigan, Webster Pleco and outlying). Tloneymoon In Vegas" Is a sometimes very funny comedy from Andrew Bergman, the writer-director of "The Freshman," which dared Marlon Brando to spoof his "Godfather role. This time Bergman almost tops himself by placing his story of a gambler (James Caan) at- tempting to ruin an Incipient marriage (between young lovers Nicolas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker) amid a convention of Elvis Presley Impersonators In Las Vegas.

The widowed Caan sees hard-bodied Parker as the reincarnation of his dead wife and schemes to prevent her marrying Cage in Las Vegas. Instead, he I whisk her away to his waiian hideaway and claim her as his own. Bergman has a fine eye and ear tor the vulgar and his sense of humor comes across as much more bold than most of his filmmaking colleagues. Caan Is wei cast aa a desperate men, and Cage continues hie tack record of taking chances with goofy roles. R.

HOWARDS END (Pipers Alley and outlying). A wonderful adaptation of M. Forster novel of two sisters (Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson) In Edwardian England who become friends with a more upscale family and how that friendship changes everyone involved. This Is the third and best adaptation of See Flicks Picks on following page two hours to write a 200-word review of that movie. Finalists are responsible for transportation to downtown Chicago.

Finalists who are under 18 will be required to bring to the screening a signed letter from a parent or legal guardian stating that the parent or guardian has read these rules and permits his or her child to participate in this contest (Finalists who are 18 or 19 must provide proof of age; high school students who are over 19 on Sept 11, 1992, are ineligible.) Editors then will choose the five-member panel for 1992-93. Winners will be announced in the Oct 30 issue of Friday. in the hnday section i-county circulation zone (Cook, Du Page, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties in Illinois; Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana; Kenosha, Racine and Walworth Counties in Wisconsin). Entrants must submit a review of approximately 200 words (about one double-spaced typed page) on any re- motion picture they've 1'.