There Will Be Father Goose

Last night I enjoyed a double feature of movies. I vicariously watched with a friend online the Cary Grant classic Father Goose. Walter Eckland is a lovable drifter who is forced into the coast watcher service during world war two. Finally a chance arrives to fetch his replacement and he finds Catherine Freneau, played by the lovely Leslie Caron and her charges. A group of children.

Hilarity ensues as they force Eckland out of his own hovel, take his whiskey, confiscate his clothes, and make an uneasy peace. This is a lovely and fun movie. A lighthearted romp in the South Pacific and the chemistry between Grant and Caron is comic timing heaven.

Next up was There Will Be Blood. A portrait of an oil baron at the turn of the 20th century. We follow thirty some years in the life of Daniel Plainview, masterfully played by Daniel Day Lewis, as he unofficially adopts his partner's son after an oil field accident and buys up land by spinning tales of trust and decency.

He soon meets the Sunday family and purchases their farm. Eli has a goal of being a faith healing preacher and comes off as shady as Benny Hinn does. Slick and smarmy. Needless to say Plainview and Sunday clash multiple times, neither person is good and you really don't have anyone to cheer for.

Lewis is his usual incredible self. Getting into every nook and cranny of the Plainview character as he disintegrates before our eyes, showing one layer at a time how he hates everyone around him. Paul Dano tries to match the performance of Day Lewis but how do you match him? You can only hope to stay out of his way.

A good movie, borderline great with Paul Thomas Anderson's direction. Better than Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love.