IslandGuru Who payed the critics

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

MartinHafer I think I scored this slight film as high as I did because not only did it have a likable script and likable characters, but it was also nice for an old film buff like me because the film features a couple surprising appearances in supporting roles. Although big stars, Robert Mitchum, Angelica Huston and Lauren Bacall provide support to a film anchored, surprisingly, by a young Anthony Edwards. I say surprisingly because this was well before his "ER" days. Sure, he'd appeared in "Revenge of the Nerds" and "Top Gun", but he was still far from being a star--yet here, the entire film rests on his shoulders--very capable shoulders it turned out to be.Edwards stars as Theophilus North--a very poor graduate of one of the elite universities in the nation. Being poor, he makes a living as a reader to the rich elite in Newport, Rhode Island during the 1920s. While he has a relatively lowly job, his incredibly sweet personality make him a guy people just seem to like. And, being very thoughtful and kind, you can't help but root for the guy. Eventually, he does make a name for himself--and gains some fame as a faith healer--although he keeps telling people he is NOT a miracle worker--just a guy with a strange physical anomaly. I could say a lot more about the film--but really don't want to ruin it.The film has a very simple story and modest pretensions. It is NOT a big-name Hollywood production and yet, oddly, the film has great support and a nice script. It's not brilliant--but quirky and likable. See this one if you want to see what Hollywood can do IF they don't look for huge special effects, explosions and the like. Very likable and endearing.

bkoganbing Danny Huston, son of legendary director John Huston, directs this adaption of the whimsical Thornton Wilder novel with young Anthony Edwards in the title role. John Huston was to have had a prominent role in this production, but his own mortality caught up with him.As it was Huston missed a pretty good picture to be in even if was directed by his son. Robert Mitchum took his place as the recluse millionaire kept as such and infirm by his greedy relatives led by daughter Tammy Grimes.Edwards is the ingenuous young Theophilus North who is a Yale graduate and spending the summer in Newport looking for odd work here and there maybe for a permanent spot with one of the millionaire folks who summer there. He's a scholar without any particular career ambitions, but he has one natural talent although most would consider it a curse. He charges static electricity more than most and gives out some nasty shocks when he touches people. Through an interesting combination of circumstances, Edwards gets the undeserved and unwanted reputation of a healer. That's the basis of the plot and a lot of the action that follows.Mitchum does quite well in a role you would not normally consider him for. However I can see how John Huston would have owned this part had he lived to finish it.Lauren Bacall is also in the film, playing another Newport society swell. It's too bad that she and Mitchum did not have any good scenes together.Mr. North is an interesting and feel good kind of film. Nice family entertainment as well with an interesting moral about folks who have a vested interest in the status quo.

Paul-271 This is hardly an epic movie, but then again, it doesn't need to be. As another reviewer said, there are no aliens, nothing horrid occurs, no crashing soundtrack nor is there some deep dark message which You Must Get to enjoy the movie being thrown at you.Instead, this is a quiet way to pass a little bit more than an hour of time. Can you really ask that much more of a film? Given, the nastiness inherent in most modern films, I'd say that it's more than you'll probably find at your local cinamaplex these days.The cast is fine to exceptional with Mitchem in one of his last and most interesting roles, Huston looking terrific and Edwards as, well, Edwards. Helped by a rather stellar supporting cast, I can recommend this film to you as a full family type of event. By all means - take the kids and by the film's end, you'll all be in a better mood.

Tom Murray I have never seen anything by Thornton Wilder that I have not loved, including this film. Mr. Theophilus North is new to a small, wealthy town and he has a special healing power. He is a gentle, loving man who befriends a rich recluse (One of Robert Mitchum's most interesting roles since Night of the Hunter), who is being kept in sick mode by his family for their own devious goals: to hurry his death and their inheritance. When his power becomes known, he gains many friends and a few enemies. Theophilus North (Theophilus is from the Greek and means Lover of God) is a little reminiscent of Jesus and the film is an allegory of human nature: the desire, of everyone, to be healed and the desire of the powerful to maintain the status quo. The film is another Huston family project: John assisted with the delightful screenplay; Danny directed; Angelica and Alegra acted. I highly recommend the film to anyone who likes films that are unusual.