Thank you Michael Hoppé for creating a musical score that added so much sentiment to this beautiful film that it really brought out every single emotion I've held in for years. This is a film that reminds the audience that they are indeed human, that emotions are real and that loss of a beloved one is one of the greatest tragedies that human beings face at any age, especially when it a child facing what they don't understand. For Henry Thomas, losing his mother as him confused, and his only companion is his older brother, Huckleberry Fox, since their father Gene Hackman is too grief-stricken to really deal with consoling his children. At several times throughout the movie, Thomas sees the beautiful spirit of his mother, the gorgeous Susan Anspach, and indeed, she does look like an angel.
This film could have easily been maudlin and overly sentimental to the point of annoyance, but the script is a combination of light pathos, a lot of humor (especially in dealing with an all too enthusiastic governess who goes too far), and how young boys will be boys regardless of the situation. Hackman is excellent, playing a father who is alternately stern and concerned, and when he is forced to face his unintentional neglect, he finally sees into the soul of the children he's been avoiding in helping. Set in Tunisia, the film shows how local natives aide the boys with dealing with the realities of death in a way that Hackman would never understand, and it's very touching to see the bond that is created by different nationalities towards an innocent child. Films rarely make me run out of tears, but this one came close. By the end, I was completely drained. That's what Hollywood magic is supposed to do, and this is a little sleeper I'll never forget.
This film could have easily been maudlin and overly sentimental to the point of annoyance, but the script is a combination of light pathos, a lot of humor (especially in dealing with an all too enthusiastic governess who goes too far), and how young boys will be boys regardless of the situation. Hackman is excellent, playing a father who is alternately stern and concerned, and when he is forced to face his unintentional neglect, he finally sees into the soul of the children he's been avoiding in helping. Set in Tunisia, the film shows how local natives aide the boys with dealing with the realities of death in a way that Hackman would never understand, and it's very touching to see the bond that is created by different nationalities towards an innocent child. Films rarely make me run out of tears, but this one came close. By the end, I was completely drained. That's what Hollywood magic is supposed to do, and this is a little sleeper I'll never forget.