The Big Brass Ring (1999)
Blake Pellarin is on the campaign trail to become president of the United States. While making a stop in St. Louis, a chance encounter brings his past back to haunt him.
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Thanks for the memories!
Perfect cast and a good story
If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
Best movie ever!
The Big Brass Ring apparently never made it to a movie theater, and doesn't get anywhere else, either. The script, credited posthumously to Orson Welles, takes a number of twists and turns, but they are neither clever or clear. William Hurt portrays Missouri gubernatorial candidate Blake Pellarin, an independent running against another independent, which is unlikely enough. The fact that both candidates sport Southern accents even though it is set in Missouri is another peculiarity that is never explained. Miss it and you'll be better off.
If you want to see the short that inspired the feature,take a look at a DVD called SHORT 2: Dreams. Apparently it's the only place where the short can be seen. There's also an exclusive interview with filmmaker George Hickenlooper. Fun name, no? And there's also alternate video tracks with clips from the feature. Check it out. I bought it at Amazon.com. Enjoy...
I liked this film, particularly at the beginning. The acting was great and it had interesting ideas and some great dialog.Also, there were some very interesting plot twists, but unfortunately the plot didn't hold up overall. About halfway through, its credibility began to decline seriously. The William Hurt character began to act in a completely unbelievable way for someone who was running for governor. So you kind of had to forget about the story and focus on the mood, the emotions and relationships, which were enough to keep things interesting.
I happened on The Big Brass Ring on Showtime while channel surfing, knowing none of its background. I commented to my wife about the wonderful acting and stunning script. I was a little embarrassed to find out it was written by Orson Welles, but I would pay that price anytime to see such a wonderful film.Does Welles have any other material hidden somewhere? One can only hope. In the meantime, if you haven't seen The Big Brass Ring, do see it: superb acting, terrific direction, a thought-provoking plot. TV isn't all drivel, after all.