Mr. Movie: More on Donald Sutherland

Fellini’s Casanova (1976) is helmed by the famous director and stars the very unlikely Donald Sutherland. It is basically faithful to the history of the infamous debaucher. It is Fellini’s first film in English, and is rated a very marginal R. That the anit-hero constantly went from bed to bed is well known. Sutherland seems to have a good time in a slam dunk role. Not for the easily offended! The 2005 version with Heath Ledger is milder but wanders further from the truth.
 

The Great Train Robbery (1978) is a film that has been made numerous times. In fact, the 1903 version is widely considered to be the first feature film. And it is pretty good! The 1978 features Sutherland as Agar, an accomplished pickpocket and thief. He is all in for robbing the gold bars under the tutelage of Edward Pierce (Sean Connery). This is at the top of the heap of heist stories. The screenplay and the direction are by the legendary Michael Crichton. The true story of this robbery has inspired lots of books and movies. This is close to the best.
 

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) is still nightmarishly scary. Aliens from a dying planet come to earth in pods which hatch to become exact duplicates of each human. Sutherland plays Matthew Bennell, a health department inspector. He and a colleague, Elizabeth (Brooke Adams), discover the invasion and strive to destroy it. People start noticing their spouses and friends are somehow different. The aliens are recognized by their complete lack of emotion.

Ordinary People (1980) is a splendid movie, and in Mr. Movie’s top 10. Sutherland plays Calvin Jarrett, the father of a family bereaved by the death of one its sons. Timothy Hutton (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting) is the surviving son, Conrad. He is guilt-ridden because he failed to save his brother in the boating accident. He is counseled by Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch). The mother is portrayed by the surprising Mary Tyler Moore, who is simply splendid. Director Robert Redford also won the Oscar, and Hirsch was also nominated. The movie itself won Best Picture. Highly recommended.
 

In Eye of the Needle (1981) Sutherland portrays Henry Faber, about as loathsome a character as you’ll find. Faber is a German agent sheltering in Britain, called “The Needle” because he kills with a stiletto. He discovers that the allies plan their big invasion at Normandy, not another spot the German high command suspects. He is desperate to get this information to his German masters. He is unable to transmit the information, so he travels to Storm Island off the Scottish coast to meet with a Uboat for transport home. He encounters the only other people on the island and starts a romance with Lucy (Kate Nelligan). She discovers his true identity as he attempts to contact Germany on the island’s radio. That’s all I’m telling here!

All of the movies in this column are for adults. All are available for streaming somewhere. Google the title and click on “Watch Movie” or click around the site.