The strong will

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Movie
German title The strong will
Original title Resurrection
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1980
length 103 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Daniel Petrie
script Lewis John Carlino
production Renée Missel ,
Howard Rosenman
music Maurice Jarre
camera Mario Tosi
cut Rita Roland
occupation

The strong will (original title Resurrection ) is an American drama film directed by Daniel Petrie from 1980 . Ellen Burstyn plays a woman who, after a tragic car accident, discovers that she has the power to heal other people. Key roles are occupied by Sam Shepard and Eva Le Gallienne .

action

Edna Mae McCauley lives in a small town in Kansas with her husband Joe, whom she has been married to for seven years . She gives Joe a car for his 39th birthday, with which both of them take a trip straight away. When a child suddenly appears on the street, there is a serious accident in which Edna, who was clinically dead for a short time , is seriously injured, while her husband Joe does not survive the tragic event. Edna is paralyzed as a result of her accident, which will stay that way, as the doctor tells her. She moves back to her home in the Kansas hinterland to her grandmother, who takes care of her lovingly, and to her puritan father, who is taciturn and ill-tempered.

Edna has a strange experience at a family picnic. When her little niece got a heavy nosebleed and she took care of the child and talked to the little one soothingly, the bleeding stopped. The guests present react from astonishment to amazement. Her grandmother makes Edna think that she has powers that can heal people just by touch. Edna is also able to help herself; after initially being able to move her toes again, she can gradually do without the wheelchair and, contrary to the medical prognosis, walk again on her own. However, getting there is not exactly easy.

After Edna's powers have got around, sick and injured people are brought to her. Among other things, she can help the neurotic farmer Cal Carpenter, who lives in the neighborhood and is the son of a fanatical lay preacher. She later developed a closer relationship with Cal. He sees Edna's ability to heal as a sign from God. Edna, however, is of the opinion that she only heals through the power of love. The resulting conflict puts the couple's relationship to a tough and difficult-to-manage test, which has a lasting impact on their relationship and ultimately leads to a final separation.

When Edna's father is dying, she tries to make peace with him. He was not a good father and made sure that Edna, when she was expecting an illegitimate child at a very young age, was so beaten up by a cattle doctor that she could never get pregnant again. Edna manages to touch his heart in the hour of his death and to ease the transition to death for her father.

Cal, shaped by his fundamentalist father's early childhood experiences , requires Edna to identify herself as the follower of Jesus Christ. She then sends him away and declares their connection ended. At one of Edna's events, Cal appears with a rifle and injures her with a shot that hits Edna in the shoulder area. Edna now decides to leave her home for good. She drives away with Clancy, the dog she has become a loyal friend.

Many years later, a young family stopped at the "Last Chance Gas" gas station, where Edna and her father had already stopped on their return home and met the eccentric Esco, who was desperate to go to the old ruined city of Machu Picchu . Edna is now the owner of this gas station. The family man tells Edna that his little son Jimmy only has a few weeks to live because he is suffering from cancer. Edna gives Jimmy the puppy Clancy III. and assures the worried child that he will be able to look after the animal for a very long time. In return, she asks Jimmy for a long, deep hug.

production

Filming

The film, produced by Universal Pictures , was shot on January 29, 1979 in Los Angeles , Valencia ( California ), Shiner, Fabens, Gonzales , Kyle , Lytton Springs and Uhland , all of which are in Texas .

Soundtrack

  • Old Chisholm Trail (Come a Ti Yi Yippee Yay) ,
    the traditional way, a cappella sung by Richard Farnsworth
  • Polly Wolly Doodle ,
    traditional way, played on the harmonica

reception

publication

The film was first presented on September 6, 1980 at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada. It was published on September 26, 1980 in the USA, February 6, 1981 in Sweden, June 18, 1981 in Uruguay and October 1, 1981 in Spain (Madrid). In the USA it was released on January 10, 2010 in a DVD special edition. The film was also released in Argentina, Brazil, Finland, France, Hungary, Poland and the Soviet Union.

In the Federal Republic of Germany it appeared on video in January 1987 under the title Der stark Wille (subtitle … she knows she can win ).

The original movie poster advertised with the words: There is a line between life and death. Edna McCauley crossed that line and came back. Now no one she touches will ever be the same.

criticism

Janet Maslin wrote in the New York Times that it was a moving drama about faith. It is "played nicely", the entire cast is "excellent".

The lexicon of international films summarized: “Miraculous story set in the deepest part of Texas without claim to credibility and without plausible explanations. The image design was excellent and the actors were excellent. "

Moria Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review certified Ellen Burstyn for an open and convincing performance in her central role in the film. The film kept a reserved and pleasant tone, but could never really convince. The end, which is actually not an end, is also irritating.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat from Spiritality Practice said this was an extraordinary film about a healer and the power of love. It is a contemporary film that deals with health, illness, healers (religious and non-religious) and the interest that science has in this phenomenon. On a purely emotional level, the film forces the viewer to grapple with their feelings about death, love, community, spirituality and self-healing. Thanks to a rousing and remarkable performance by Ellen Burstyn, Resurrection stayed in the mind and heart long after the credits.

TimeOut was of the opinion that the topic of faith healing was rather embarrassing, which the strong performances of Burstyn and Shepard would not change anything. The film, with Petrie's simple, beautiful direction and a script by Lewis John Carlino in the hippie style about the power of love, disappoints.

Even Variety complained direction and screenplay, spoke of a prosaic style of Petrie and an underdeveloped screenplay, which prevents them from exploiting the full range of emotions. There is indeed little greed for sensation, but also too few thought-provoking scenes. Variety brought the film close to a soap opera.

Sky spoke of an underrated film about faith and morals with a wonderful Ellen Burstyn.

Cinema pointed out that the "touching, critically underestimated drama", which was nominated for two Academy Awards, the "love can anything message" may have been "too thick", but sometimes one "likes to believe" wool. Conclusion: "Heavily played drama about religion and morals."

success

The film grossed approximately $ 3.9 million in US cinemas .

Awards

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ Resurrection , locations according to IMDb, accessed on July 30, 2007.
  2. ^ Resurrection , premiere dates according to IMDb, accessed on July 30, 2007.
  3. ↑ The strong will Fig. Video cover CIC Video
  4. ↑ Resurrection Fig. Film poster sS assets.mubi.com
  5. ↑ Janet Maslin : Resurrection In: The New York Times , November 7, 1980, accessed July 30, 2007.
  6. ↑ The strong will. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  7. ↑ Resurrection see moria.co.nz (English). Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  8. ↑ Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat: Resurrection sS spritualistyandpractice.com (English). Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  9. ↑ Resurrection see timeout.com (English). Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ Resurrection sS variety.com (English). Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ The strong will sS wunschliste.de. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  12. ↑ The strong will see cinema.de. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  13. ↑ Resurrection , box office results according to IMDb, accessed on July 30, 2007.