Oh, those teasing folks from the Atlas Shrugged movie team. They’ve just released a 3:40 minute scene from the movie. Fans of the book know this one well. Henry Rearden comes home after the proudest day of his life to be greeted by his family.
Not my favorite scene, and played a little flatly perhaps. But great atmosphere and totally true to the book. I like this Hank Rearden (played by New Zealander Grant Bowler). I never pictured Rearden with Bowler’s touch of gentleness and sad humor. But it works. IMHO, it enhances the Rearden that Rand created — a man of character who is constantly taken advantage of and made to feel guilty not for his flaws but for his strengths.
A little _too_ flat, I think. I’d have preferred more passion in his eyes and voice.
I’d like to see the scene where Dagny exchanges bracelets with Lillian at the party.
What I liked is the faithfulness to the book and Pat – remember this is early in the the Rearden characters development.
Every bit I see makes me want to see the rest even more.
Yeah. But I remember his pride in that steel, and in that bracelet. He was laying it at her feet, so to speak. He was hurt and confused by her response. None of that came through.
I have to agree with Pat. All the elements were there, but so downplayed that they didn’t come across as well as they should have. Lillian ought to inflict as much pain as a stinging wasp. Still, if that’s the biggest complaint we have to make about the movie, it’ll be a damned good movie. And as MSJordan says, it’s early in Rearden’s story and he’s so used to being crushed by Lillian, his mother, and Phillip that it makes sense he wouldn’t show every wound.
But … brain fart. The guy with the glasses in that scene. When I saw him in the trailer, I assumed that was the Wet Nurse. I didn’t recall exactly whom Rearden had that “but my only aim IS to make money” conversation with, but it seemed like the sort of talk he would have had with the WN, and the sort of response the WN would have made. But the Wet Nurse in the Rearden family drawing room? And isn’t it too early for him to be in the story, in any case? Help my memory out here, please. Who is that character?
Claire: That’s Paul Larkin, the sorta-kinda industrialist who hangs around Rearden to suck some of his energy of success, and borrows money from Rearden to buy Rearden’s own ore mines after the law is passed limiting business owners to own only one business…then later fails to deliver the ore Rearden needs, and betrays Rearden in favor of Wesley Mouch’s gang.
Blurgh.
It was perfect. Just because you know how he felt in the book doesn’t mean he showed it to these worms. Having been in that situation with an ex it made my skin crawl. The dissapointment he showed was pitch perfect and not overacted, a serious problem with most movies.
“You’re giving me a railroad spike?” The flash of anoyance and hate in his eyes rings true.
Beth — OH YEAH. Thank you! I’d forgotten all about Paul Larkin.