"SECOND HAND LIONS": Good Family Entertainment

Self | 02-04-2004 | Captain Peter Blood

[Captain Peter Blood]

Since Sunday's Super Bowl there has been nonstop pontificating on the half-time antics of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake.

In a more broader context most Americans lament the lewd sexual content that seems to permeate our society and from the entertaiment outlets we watch.

Sometimes we wonder is Hollywood capable of making something that transends this.

Well the answer is yes.

Last night I finally was able to rent and watch the movie "Second Hand Lions". It was a delightful movie with wonderful performances by Robert Duvall, Michael Caine and Haley Joel Osmet.

It told a heartfelt story of a shy young boy sent to live with his very eccentric uncles for the summer. He becomes curious and very enchanted by their wild behavior and the mystery of where they had been for over 40 years and the source of their almost unlimited wealth.

This was a film that had no nudity, bad langauge, but just a great story.

When I see the junk that passes for entertaiment today I sometimes just cringe. I wonder what goes through the mind of the so called Academy when they nominate people like Sean Penn, Johnny Deep, etc. and then omit a picture like "Second Hand Lions" and really terrific actors Like Duvall and Caine.

I hope those of you that are looking for a film that you can watch with your kids or just one that is kind of uplifting and tells a wonderful story for yourself, this is it.

I highly recommend this picture. If any of you have other pictures of a similar vein post them.

[Captain Peter Blood]

GREAT PICTURE, VERY HEARTWARMING, UPLIFTING, JUST A FEEL GOOD MOVIE.

[murdoog]

It seems like Robert Duvall is a good indicator for pictures freepers would like. A couple of other movies he's in that I'd recommend are The Apostle and Tender Mercies.

[It's me]

Ohy good! I just rented it.

[iceskater]

Excellent movie. I really enjoyed it.

I also enjoyed Seabiscuit. Yeah, I know, they changed some of the plotline from the book. But it was a great movie.

[Brian Mosely]

We watched it last night. I loved how the kid made his living after growing up with those two...just perfect.

[GeorgeWBiscuit]

Isn't Duvall a Conservative or something like that? I thought I read somewhere recently where he supported the Iraq war or War on Terror and really lashed out at the press or some other Hollywood type? Hopefully someone can refresh my memory. Duvall always gives a strong performance, and he has a very impressive catalog of work. I even would recommend The Apostle, though it is somewhat disturbing at times it makes you think about your faith.

[what's up]

Didn't like "The Apostle" (pretends evangelists regularly get away with adultery)...but did like the recent "Open Range". Even tho Costner and Annette Benning are also in it, it's a good, wholesome show.

[SwinneySwitch]

We loved it and told all our friends about it.
It reminded us of our little ranchito!
Classic, about time to see it again!

[Vol2727]

Great movie!! It's the kind of movie you want to own and watch again and again. A feel good movie.

[woofer2425]

Our family really enjoyed the movie too!

[Mugwump]

Dittoes here. Mrs. Mugwump and I decided we'd buy it on DVD as we watched the end credits roll in the theater. Great, fun movie!

[wallcrawlr]

your right. Godfather was great.

[Hildy]

Robert Duvall has been in so many good movies, it's hard to keep track...here they are (courtesy of IMDB):

Lost City, The (2004) (in production)

• Untitled Will Ferrell Soccer Comedy (2005) (pre-production)
  
  
• Secondhand Lions (2003) .... Hub
• Open Range (2003) .... Boss Spearman
• Gods and Generals (2003) .... Gen. Robert E. Lee
• Assassination Tango (2002) .... John J. Anderson
• John Q (2002) .... Lt. Frank Grimes
  ... aka John Q. (2002) (USA: poster title)
• 6th Day, The (2000) .... Dr. Griffin Weir
  ... aka Sixième jour, Le (2000) (Canada: French title)
• Shot at Glory, A (2000) .... Gordon McLeod
• Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) .... Otto Halliwell
  
  
• Civil Action, A (1998) .... Jerome Facher
• Deep Impact (1998) .... Capt. Spurgeon 'Fish' Tanner
• Gingerbread Man, The (1998) .... Dixon Doss
• Apostle, The (1997) .... Euliss 'Sonny' Dewey - The Apostle E.F.
• Man Who Captured Eichmann, The (1996) (TV) .... Adolf Eichmann
• Sling Blade (1996) .... Frank Childers
• Phenomenon (1996) .... Doc Brunder
• Family Thing, A (1996) .... Earl Pilcher Jr.
• Scarlet Letter, The (1995) .... Dr. Roger Prynne/Roger Chillingworth
• Stars Fell on Henrietta, The (1995) .... Mr. Cox
• Something to Talk About (1995) .... Wyly King
  ... aka Grace Under Pressure (1995)
• Paper, The (1994) .... Bernie White, Editor New York Sun
• Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993) .... Walter
• Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) .... Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts
• Falling Down (1993) .... Prendergast
  ... aka Chute libre (1993/II) (France)
• Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980, The (1992) (V) .... Tom Hagen
  ... aka Godfather Saga, The (1992) (V) (USA)
  ... aka Godfather Trilogy, The (1992) (V)
• Stalin (1992) (TV) .... Josef Stalin
• Peste, La (1992) .... Joseph Grand
  ... aka Plague, The (1992)
• Newsies (1992) .... Joseph Pulitzer
  ... aka Newsboys (1992)
• Rambling Rose (1991) .... Daddy
• Convicts (1990) .... Soll
  ... aka Horton Foote's Convicts (1990) (USA: complete title)
• Days of Thunder (1990) .... Harry Hogge
• Show of Force, A (1990) .... Howard
• Handmaid's Tale, The (1990) .... Commander
  ... aka Geschichte der Dienerin, Die (1990) (West Germany)
  
  
• "Lonesome Dove" (1989) (mini) TV Series .... Augustus 'Gus' McCrae
• Colors (1988) .... Officer Bob Hodges
• Apocalypse Pooh (1987) (TV) (voice) .... Gopher
• Hotel Colonial (1987) .... Roberto Corrosco (Luca)
• Let's Get Harry (1986) .... Shrike
  ... aka Rescue, The (1986)
• Belizaire the Cajun (1986) .... The Preacher
• Lightship, The (1985) .... Caspary
  ... aka Killers at Sea (1985) (USA: TV title)
• Stone Boy, The (1984) .... Joe Hillerman
• Natural, The (1984) .... Max Mercy
• Terry Fox Story, The (1983) (TV) .... Bill Vigars
• Tender Mercies (1983) .... Mac Sledge
• Aliens From Another Planet (1982) (TV) .... Nimon
• Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, The (1981) .... Gruen
  ... aka Pursuit (1981)
• True Confessions (1981) .... Tom Spellacy
  
  
• Great Santini, The (1979) .... Bull Meechum
  ... aka Ace, The (1979)
  ... aka Gift of Fury, The (1979) (USA)
• Apocalypse Now (1979) .... Lt. Col. William 'Bill' Kilgore
  ... aka Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) (International: English title: longer version)
• "Ike" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Ike: The War Years (1978) (TV) .... General Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) (uncredited) .... Priest on swing
• Betsy, The (1978) .... Loren Hardeman III
  ... aka Harold Robbins' The Betsy (1978)
• Greatest, The (1977) .... Bill McDonald
• Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The (1976) .... Dr. John H. Watson/Narrator
• Eagle Has Landed, The (1976) .... Col. Max Radl
• Network (1976) .... Frank Hackett
• Killer Elite, The (1975) .... George Hansen
• Breakout (1975) .... Jay Wagner
• Godfather: Part II, The (1974) .... Tom Hagen
  ... aka Mario Puzo's The Godfather: Part II (1974) (USA: complete title)
• Outfit, The (1974) .... Earl Macklin
• Conversation, The (1974) (uncredited) .... The Director
• Badge 373 (1973) .... Eddie Ryan
• Lady Ice (1973) .... Ford Pierce
• Joe Kidd (1972) .... Frank Harlan
  ... aka Joe Kidd (1972) (USA)
• Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid, The (1972) .... Jesse James
• Tomorrow (1972) .... Jackson Fentry
• Godfather, The (1972) .... Tom Hagen
  ... aka Mario Puzo's The Godfather (1972) (USA: complete title)
• Lawman (1971) .... Vernon Adams, Smalltime Rancher
• THX 1138 (1971) .... THX 1138
• Revolutionary, The (1970) .... Despard
• MASH (1970) .... Maj. Frank Burns
  ... aka M*A*S*H (1970)
  
  
• Rain People, The (1969) .... Gordon
• True Grit (1969) .... Ned Pepper
• Bullitt (1968) .... Weissberg (Sunshine Cab driver)
• Detective, The (1968) .... Nestor
• Countdown (1968) .... Chiz
• Flesh and Blood (1968) (TV) .... Howard
• Cosa Nostra, Arch Enemy of the FBI (1967) (TV) .... Ernie Milden
• Fame Is the Name of the Game (1966) (TV) .... Eddie Franchot
• Chase, The (1966) .... Edwin Stewart
• Nightmare in the Sun (1965) .... Motorcyclist
• Captain Newman, M.D. (1963) .... Capt. Paul Cabot Winston
• To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) .... Arthur 'Boo' Radley
• John Brown's Raid (1960) (TV)
  
  

[XHogPilot]

I loved it.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

Wonderful movie! I sent everyone to see it at the theaters. I remember that they had a website with character-building downloads for the kids to go with the movie when it came out. I'm planning to buy it.

Another movie I liked, but you didn't hear much about it because it was an English movie, was "Nicholas Nickleby", which came out on video this past fall. Christopher Plummer is the villain. It's based on an early book by Charles Dickens. The Brits at least do Dickens well.

[Shooter 2.5]

Great movie even thought the death rate was way up there. After the first dozen or so get their guts slashed open, I became immune and started to really like it.

If I'm not mistaken, The guy who plays the younger Duvall character is "Lindsey" from the TV show, "Angel". He seems pretty accustomed to using a sword even on the TV show.

[moonhawk]

Don't forget Open Range.

[It's me]

Just saw it and really liked it.
Refreshing to be able to view a movie freely w/ the kids and not have to fast forward anything!

[ambrose]

Agree 100%

I just finished watching it. Touching hardly begins to describe it.

I will be buying a copy for my young nephew.

[NYCVirago]

Thanks for the recommendation -- I'll check it out!