Product: Shiloh [VHS] (1997)
Rating: 2.0
For Verisimilitude or Acting Ability, Look Elsewhere
This is the type of movie that has me shaking my head and wondering why time, effort and money are invested in such projects while much worthier cinema ideas are left to die 'a'borning'.Roger Ebert gave this movie three and a half out of four stars. Although a fan of Ebert's movie reviews in general, I will say that his review of this movie is a good example of why it may be said of his reviews, "When they are good they are very, very good. But when they are bad they're just terrible."The child lead, Blake Heron is not accomplished enough for casting in anything more ambitious or sophisticated than a school play and the adults who attempt to support him is this travesty of an attempt at a rite of passage film must have been hanging their heads in embarrassment between takes.Even the old veteran of such notable efforts as "In the Heat of the Night" and "The Pawnbroker", Rod Steiger is cast as a supportive adult trying to help the young boy (Heron) gain the insight and commitment required to get an abused Beagle pup he has become attached to away from an "old boy" trapper/poacher. Perhaps Ebert felt some obligation to pay tribute (with a positive review) to any film in which a minor luminary like Steiger might appear but I can't help feeling that his primary responsibility should to the movie going, purchasing and renting public that reads his reviews looking for guidance in making decisions about investing their time and money.Be advised: this is a stinker and a waste of your time.