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Reviews
The Bet (1992)
Jekkyl and Hyde
The brothers' names are Henry and Harry. Harry has been a familiar form of the name Henry, used by close friends and relatives, at least since Shakespeare's era.
I didn't take notice of that when I saw the film. In retrospect, it suggests to me that the dramatic conflict plays out on an individual level of inner conflict - one brother being the personification of addiction's selfish appetite, while the other personifies rational, considerate reasoning mind that weighs consequences the addictive mind denies or dismisses.
Unfortunately, being a short, the film isn't available. I saw it on DirectTV in a program of shorts, which regrettably, doesn't include individual titles in the program's description.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Captures Irving's context better than any other version
Most renditions of Irving's short story focus of Ichabod's romantic rivalry with Brom for the attention of Katrina. This version captures the historical context of the Hudson River Valley following the Revolutionary War. Several characters distinguish Ichabod as a 'Yankee'. During that time, New Englanders were migrating into the Hudson Valley, displacing the old Dutch communities. The other thing I liked about this script is that it didn't subject Ichabod to the cliche that has developed through earlier versions. Instead of jumping out his skin every time something goes bump in the night, Ichabod works very hard in this script to mask his fears, at least when in the presence of others. This is how I imagine Ichabod when I read Irving's original, not as the wobbly-kneed, teeth-chattering, shaky handed Don Knotts-like cliche running off gobbling like a turkey at the sight of his own shadow.