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Actors: Richard Farnsworth
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Straight Story |
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Based on a true 1994 incident, this lovely, delicate 1999 film was something of a surprise coming from director David Lynch. Its story is simple: 73-year-old Alvin Straight, worried about mending a relationship with his sick 75-year-old brother Lyle, to whom he has not spoken in 10 years because of an alcohol-driven argument, drives a John Deere lawn mower for six weeks and 300 miles up the highway from Laurens, Iowa to Mt. Zion, Wisconsin to patch things up before one of them dies. We see his simple-minded middle-aged daughter (beautifully acted by Sissy Spacek), the pleasant, helpful folks he meets along the route of his small, epic journey. The film is rather spiritual in many ways -- celebrating the beauties and virtues of the American Midwest as well as the terrors and consolations of aging. Richard Farnsworth, 78 years old himself and just a year away from committing suicide to end the pain of bone cancer, acted the title role with moving dignity and grace. (Cinematographer Freddie Francis was 81, too.) Harry Dean Stanton appears briefly at the end as Lyle.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Straight Story |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1980's-1999
Family, struggling with
Yes
Struggle with:
- Brother
Family, loving
Yes
Special relationship with
- daughter
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- 60's-90's
Events of movie makes character more...
- caring
- happy
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- natural phenomena
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Midwest
Farm/Ranch?
Yes
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting
- bar
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- spiritual
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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