Dan's Papers - October 26, 2007

On Saturday October 27 at 3 p.m. the venerable Dan's Papers "They Made The Movie Here" FREE (yes, FREE) Film Festival, continues its presentation of movies using this Long Island's particularly pictorial locations. This production is 1997's dynamicthriller/action film The Devil's Own, which also encompasses intense psychological clashes. Two brilliantly bright stars, Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt, are locked in deadly combat, first mentally and ultimately, physically. Produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula, a long time resident of the Hamptons until his untimely death in a freak accident on the Long Island Expressway, the film deals with terrorism in the days before we were touched by it in our own country. It was a time when Irish terrorism spilt blood rather indiscriminately and we knew of it through newspaper coverage. Now, it is chilling at one point in The Devil's Own when, in a traveling shot of the New York City skyline from the Long Island side, we see the Twin Towers in bold relief against the sky. This is not a movie to simply be thrilled by, it is awesome in its omnipresence.

Be sure to be at the Westhampton Performing Arts Center on Main Street. I am your absent host, Guy de Fraumeni, but Sarah Halsey will be there with the good people of WHBPAC, who will chat you up, accompanied by refreshments.

Trodding on the long, blood-muddied path of treacherous attacks and strewn over the years and the world, leading to the ghastly events that penetrated our national vulnerability, the film The Devil's Own follows the violent trail of one destructive individual killing in the name of patriotism. Blood runs from a fishing village in turbulent Northern Ireland to the placid waters and town of Greenport, Long Island.

The opening scenes take place in 1972 and show a small boy fishing with his father in waters not far from Belfast. Later, they are at home at the dinner table. Abruptly, masked men break in and kill the father. He's accused of being a Republican sympathizer. Then, it is 1992 British Intelligence make that now grown boy their top priority for capture or death. This is Brad Pitt. He's grown to be a top killing machine and brilliantly clever. Pitt's performance will give you a jolt as strong as the jolts from his easy violence. You get a huge dose of it when a large scale trap is set for him. With brute force he gets away but he and his group are so angered, they decide much more is needed to really shake the world up. Pitt is sent to the United States to purchase missiles! Stingers from Afghanistan. Here the movie takes a severe turn - Pitt is put up to live in the Brooklyn home of a totally unsuspecting NY Police Sergeant, played by Harrison Ford, with his lovely wife and three daughters. Pitt's devastating charm that we have all come to know and love totally wins them over. At this time, we are shown Ford's violent work policing NYC streets. We are made aware of his very decent nature and dedication to peace. This is cross-cut with Pitt's illicit dealings to obtain a truly terrifying weapon of destruction. Ultimately, the two come together in a battle of conscience and a physical duel of wills defining the triumph of morality and mortality as Pitt attempts to sail the missiles home. Poor Greenport is the scene of a heart-pounding battle for survival.

Greenport has finally settled down again to the quietude of small shops, nice dining and, awfully good citizenry.

Guy Jean de Fraumeni is the producer/writer/director of award-winning European and American feature films. He has been a judge at Major Film and TV award competitions, including the Oscars, the Emmy's and various film festivals.