Posted: 11/18/1999

Liberty Heights

(1999)

by Wayne Case

Director/writer Barry Levinson adds another to his series of films about Baltimore and the ’50s, and comes up with one of the best films of the year.

Back in the 60s, James Powers was the film critic for the trade paper, The Hollywood Reporter. Occasionally, Mr. Powers would get a bit carried away with his praise…not unlike what follows here!

Liberty Heights is one of the best films of 1999 and is sure to be on many year-end bests lists. From Warner Bros., Liberty Heights opened in New York and Los Angeles November 17, 1999, and starts December 10, 1999, in other major cities.

Director/writer Barry Levinson (Rain Man; Bugsy; Diner; Good Morning, Vietnam; Avalon; Wag The Dog) is at the absolute top of his form here and several Oscar nominations are sure to follow. In particular, the original screenplay is masterful. The cast is simply perfect and all are worth special mentions (I won’t!). Newcomers Ben Foster (as Ben Kurtzman), Justin Chambers (as Trey), & Rebekah Johnson (as Sylvia) are memorable. Adrian Brody (as Van Kurtzman) and Orlando Jones (as Little Melvin) are outstanding also. Narrated by younger brother Ben, Liberty Heights is set in Baltimore in 1954. The period atmosphere is richly captured without becoming a distraction. While the primary family is Jewish and made up of two brothers (Ben & Van), the father (Joe Mantegna), the mother (Bebe Neuwirth) plus the paternal grandmother (Frania Rubinek), the situations areuniversal.

The United States was in a period of social change in the mid-fifties and this is a story that shows how those changes affected the Jews, the Gentiles and the Blacks, as the various groups began to interact in new ways. It is told with warmth and humor. While all technical components are superb, the camera of Australian-born, Asian-based lenser Chris Doyle, and the editing of Stu Linder, couldn’t be better. While the film is filled with characters and overlaid story threads, there is no confusion as the tapestry forms and each character is vivid. The score is a blend of 50s popular records and an original score by Andrea Morricone (daughter of composer Ennio Morricone), and it is wonderful.

Especially effective is the use of the music over the end credits and shouldn’t be missed. Outstanding also are the Burlesque sequences and the recreation of a James Brown concert. In closing, Ben points out that “a lot of images fade. If I knew things would no longer be, I would have tried to remember better.”

This film has helped me refreshed my memories of my life in the 50s and I’m grateful for that. I am also grateful for a new film to add to my list of personal favorites.

Wayne Case works in the film industry in Hollywood, and still can’t help himself — he loves the movies!

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