Shadow of Fame - The Michael Landon Story

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Movie
German title Shadow of Fame - The Michael Landon Story
Original title Michael Landon, the Father I Knew
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1999
length 89 minutes
Rod
Director Michael Landon Junior
script Linda Bergman
production Linda Bergman
music Richard Bellis
camera Michael Slovis
cut Peter Svab
occupation

The autobiographical television film Schatten des Ruhms - The Michael Landon Story (original title: Michael Landon, the Father I Knew ) was broadcast for the first time on US television on May 23, 1999 and on German television on April 29, 2000. It describes the relationship between Michael Landon junior in childhood, youth and adolescence and his father, the actor Michael Landon .

action

Michael Landon's junior mother, Lynn, finds out through a private investigator that her husband is having a relationship with makeup artist Cindy. Landon jr. notices that his father, whom he admires, has allegedly gone fishing, but comes back with unused gear. He suffers from Landon sr. withdraws from the family and now has even less time than before to look after his four children with Lynn. With a car given by his father, he has an accident by driving too fast, later flies from high school and has to move out with his mother. He finds accommodation with his older sister Leslie. Because of his name, he finds a job in an upscale restaurant, but is clumsy. When Cindy becomes pregnant by his father, he and his sister feel even more neglected by him. His father gets him a job on one of his sets , but he overslept and costs the production company money. He finds support in a Bible study group .

Landon senior's third wedding is attended by all four children from his second marriage, while Lynn visits Dodie, Landon senior's first wife, and says that she would understand her now that she was in the same situation as she was then. Dodie replies that this is yesterday's news.

Landon jr. meets Sharee Gregory on the set. He tells his father about the scheduled wedding, and he says that he should have taken more time with it. Landon jr. doubts arise about his plan; in conversation with Sharee he comes to the conclusion that he is not like his father. He calls all of his children to come to him and explains that they have pancreatic cancer : They shouldn't shed tears or look sad. Landon jr. then makes a radio call, looks for help for this type of cancer and comes to his father with pills from Mexico. He explains that he has already received such things and many other things, but that ultimately did not help. He is ready to die and is not afraid of it - he also does not want to be kept alive by a machine.

Landon jr. after some thought comes to the realization that he should allow his father to be a person with weaknesses and strengths. Only if he succeeds in dispensing with blame and forgiving will he be able to shape his own life carefree.

background

Michael Landon Jr. states the film is based on a combination of his own experiences and his father's last interview, which was published in the June issue of Life magazine shortly before his death . In February 2005, Landon Jr. commented on how the script would be written because, “The movie was about divorce and that was my main reason for making it. I basically used my dad's guidelines in his Life article. The last interview he gave before he died. The film put things into perspective from my perspective - the affairs, his drinking. I followed my father's parameters in this article, and had great trouble respecting them. The only difference was that I wanted to add what I and my siblings had to go through. "

Reviews

The film received mixed reviews, with some critics in Landon Jr. Script identified an element of payroll. Entertainment Weekly reviewer Ken Tucker said that “Michael Landon, Jr. would show little affection for one of the most popular stars of television "," when the public Landon sr. as a compassionate and caring family man. "" Landon Junior remembers a workaholic who neglected the children of his multiple marriages in favor of a series of ever younger women. " his casting - that this version of Daddy Dearest has a certain undeniable attraction. "

At People magazine , Terry Kelleher criticized similarly and wrote: “In the final stages of this television film there is talk and action. But its director, Michael Landon Jr., seems more intent on letting it be known that his famous father [...] was a hypocrite. No matter how good the son's reasons are, his movie memoirs feel vengeful and harsh. […] The story ends with a note of reconciliation, but the dominant chord is resentment. "

The Variety critic Stuart Levine took the view that the film documented the emotional phases of the older Landon good. "Michael Landon, who starred in healthy family dramas during his five decades of television career, didn't always find that warmth in his own home." The story was "thoughtfully, if somewhat predictably, portrayed." as an actor, father, and often confused husband, but it's the memory of Michael Landon Jr. to a loving but suddenly distant parent who makes for a touching story. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Previous broadcast dates on wunschliste.de
  2. ↑ 'He Was My Everything' at christianitytoday.com, accessed on March 17, 2018.
  3. ↑ Ken Tucker: Michael Landon, the Father I Knew at ew.com, accessed March 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ Terry Kelleher: Picks and Pans Review: Michael Landon, the Father I Knew at people.com, accessed March 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ Michael Landon, the Father I Knew on variety.com, accessed March 17, 2018.