Niagara, Niagara

Plot synopsis:
Ray and Polly Cutler (Showalter and Peters), on a delayed honeymoon at Niagara Falls, find their reserved cabin occupied by George and Rose Loomis (Cotten and Monroe). Rose tells them that George is asleep and has recently been discharged from an Army mental hospital after his war service in Korea. The Cutlers politely accept another, less desirable cabin, and so the two couples become acquainted.
George and Rose have a troubled marriage. She is younger and very attractive. He is jealous, depressed and irritable. While touring the Falls the following day, Polly sees Rose passionately kissing another man, Patrick, her lover. That evening, the Cutlers witness George's rage. Rose joins an impromptu party and requests that a particular record be played. George storms out of their cabin and breaks the record, suspecting the song has a secret meaning for Rose. Seeing that George has cut his hand with the record, Polly visits his room to apply bandages to his injury. George confides that he was a sheep rancher whose luck turned for the worse after he married Rose, whom he met when she was a barmaid.
What George does not know is that Rose and Patrick are planning to murder him. The next day, Rose lures George into following her to the dark tourist tunnel underneath the Falls, where Patrick is waiting to kill him. To let Rose know that George is dead, Patrick will request the Rainbow Tower Carillon play Rose's special song ("Kiss"; music by Lionel Newman, lyrics by Haven Gillespie, both uncredited). When she hears the tune being played on the carillon bells, Rose concludes George is dead.
In fact, it is George who has killed Patrick, thrown his body into the Falls, and collected Patrick's shoes at the exit instead of his own. This leads the police to believe that George is the victim. The body is retrieved and the police bring Rose to identify George's body. When the cover is lifted from the face and she recognizes the dead man, she collapses and is admitted to hospital.
The motel manager moves the Cutlers' belongings to the Loomises' cabin. George comes to the cabin to kill Rose but finds Polly there instead. She wakes and sees him before he runs away. She tells the police, who launch a dragnet.
During the Cutlers' second visit to the Falls, George finds Polly alone for a moment. Trying to escape, she slips, but he saves her from falling over the edge into the waterfall torrent. He explains to her that he killed Patrick in self-defense and pleadingly begs, "Please ... let me stay dead." Polly leaves without answering. Later that day, she tells the police detective that she believes George is alive. George has the carillon play "Kiss" again to panic Rose.
She flees the hospital, intending to return to the U.S. Finding George waiting at the border for her, she runs and tries to hide in the carillon bell tower. George catches her and strangles her beneath the bells, which remain silent. Remorsefully he says, "I loved you, Rose. You know that."
The Cutlers go fishing with friends in a launch on a section of the Niagara River above the Falls. When the launch moors in Chippawa, Ontario, for gasoline and other supplies, George steals the boat, with Polly still on board. The police set out in pursuit. The boat runs out of gas and drifts towards the Falls. As they near the edge, George scuttles the boat to slow it down and manages to get Polly onto a large rock before he goes over the Falls to his death. Polly is rescued from the rock by a United States Coast Guard Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopter.

Tags: tragedy, violence, murder

Review:
Like many others, I watched this movie on one of the indie movie channels on TV, mainly intrigued by the opening sequence (the shots of the characters shoplifting reminded me of the Breakfast Club for some reason--I think it was the trenchcoat and hi-tops) and unusual description.
But I was truly shocked, and touched, by this film.At first, the two characters seemed so strange, it was like they were trying TOO hard to be bizarre.
But as the film progressed, their behavior took a backseat to the story that emerged--simply that of a star-crossed love, and the difficulty of being different in a society that has no place for you.In a story that seems most familiar, the two go from one locale to another, seeking medicine, and comfort, but are turned away.
Marcy's disorder provides intentional comic relief at times, proving that sometimes laughing at the situation you're in is the only way to keep from going mad.I will rent and watch again..
Henry Thomas, and Robin Tunny, are a couple of the most underrated performers in the business.
This movie is a perfect example of how boundless their abilities are.Acting out the lives of folks who could be referred to as a bit odd seems to be their speciality, and if these characters ain't odd, I'm at a loss to find anyone who is.The story is funny, romantic, dramatic, complicated, and tragic.
I hated the ending, but if I hadn't, I wouldn't have loved the story as a whole.
Why can't there be more films like this?.
Perhaps it is the fact that I have seen too many "commercial" movies released in conjunction with a line of action figures, fast food merchandise, and pop music laden soundtracks that I was so drawn into Niagra Niagra.
While other films leave you in awe of Dolby/THX theatrical sound, or CGI special effects, Niagra Niagra leaves you with something the commercial releases have lacked for years...a thought.
How rare is it that we can see a well acted, directed, and written film that leaves us asking questions about ourselves and not heading out to a fast food chain for the toys of the week?Niagra Niagra follows two castaways from society that take to the road together in hopes of finding their way to Niagra Falls, Ontario.
As a young woman tormented by Tourettes syndrome finds no sympathy save that of her fellow castaway.
Together they find more than a road to take them to Canada, and find a way to tell us how understanding and empathy appear to be on the endangered species list.
Winding along ribbons of asphalt together, we find a lot of ourselves and others in these castaways and ultimately a great reflection of that endangerment of human understanding driven home through a pair of incredible performances that are not to be missed.Niagra Niagra is an incredible film which is a MUST see, and don't worry about being "sold" the latest line of merchandise.
All you need to do is enjoy the film as it is, the enjoyment and message will come naturally..
The film explores a couple of rejects, one rich with psychological problems, and the other poor with a messed up home, who go on a quest.
Kind of the antithesis of 'It Happened One Night', the characters (main and supporting) are all tortured in their unique ways..
Stunning and heartbreaking, Robin Tunney is fantastic.
Niagara, Niagara is a stunning and heartbreaking story about the two outsiders Seth and Marcy.
Robin Tunney gives a fantastic performance as Marcy suffering from Tourette's Sydrome, getting sicker and sicker as the movie progresses.
This movie is not very optimistic and it's very hard emotional, but at the same time very romantic.
Great performances, especially by Michael Park.
There are many things to admire about this film, but the thing that got me above all others was the part of an eccentric recluse, the sort of role that Hollywood loves & romanticizes but which here is absolutely convincing & unlike any character I've encounterd in film or in life.
One Of The Best Love Stories.
Id never heard of this movie but the description sounded remotely interesting.
I went in with low expectations and now I must say this is one of the best love stories ever in film.
Robin Tunney does an excellent job portraying a person with tourettes.
The relationship between the two and just the slightest details in the film are so acurate and believable.
I usually hate "romance" and love films but this movie truly touched me.
I so recommend this movie to anyone with the ability of vision..
Not only is this a very interesting exploration of Tourette's and how we react to people in our lives, it has some of the most well-filmed views of a bleak northern winter landscape.
A crazy film you can believe.
I tuned in to this movie because there was nothing else to watch.
I was immediately sucked in by the characters.Robin Tunney is nothing less than spectacular in this film.
She pulls it off fantastically.We know early on this film is going to end tragically, but you cannot take your eyes off of it.
The characters do stupid things, but unlike most Hollywood movies where people do stupid things because the plot demands it, these people do stupid things because the are not right in the head - and the things they do are completely consistent with their characters.This is just a great example of film making IMHO.
I like movies about quirky people.
It's definitely not one to watch if you want to walk off smiling.
This movie is unpredictable and intense.
And after you see the ending, if you're not deeply disturbed, you really should check yourself for a pulse.The acting was phenomenal.
Marcy, with her rather extreme case of tourette's, shifts from quirky-cute to utterly terrifying, sometimes appearing so out-of-control that she looks like the undead.
The focus of the movie definitely does not fall nearly as much on him as it does on Marcy, though he happens to be the one that gains the most momentum as a blossoming character.It's a classic love story with some unconventional twists, and it's also my favorite love story next to "True Romance." There are two bad reviews for it up here, but one of the people who gave such a review didn't have his facts straight and admitted to not seeing the whole film, while the other was just looking for some Hollywood thrills without the deep characters (and perhaps was a little thrown off by the apparent shallowness of the plot, seeing as the end goal revolves around stealing a black bobbi head from a toy store).
The point is that this movie is not for those who want to see something "normal" or "lighthearted".
This movie is truly worth seeing - Robin Tunney excels and Henry Thomas proves that he's one of those rarities, the child 'actor' who grows up to become a real actor.
The characters are perfectly drawn, and in the wrong hands because of their depth, they could have been unconvincing - but all the actors are simply astounding.
The score and music selections fit perfectly, and there is plenty of action to prevent the movie becoming just a character study.
If you want the story, you won't find it in this review, but I will say that the climax will haunt you for a long time..
Seth (Henry Thomas) is an awkward loner taking care of his abusive father in upstate New York.
He meets Marcy (Robin Tunney) in a hardware store.
They crash the car and Walter (Michael Parks) tows them back to his place.Henry Thomas and Robin Tunney make for an appealing oddball couple.
I'm not sure if Robin is overplaying Tourettes.
This is a road trip movie.
There are lots of opportunity but the movie falls a little short..
Robin, Henry, David Bushell and me at the New Beverly Screenings Aug 23 & 24!
Robin, Henry, David Bushell and me at the New Beverly Screenings Aug 23 & 24!
Q&A after the movie!http://thenewbev.com/program/august-23-24-wicked-niagara-niagara/Come see Mike Spiller's cinematography!Hear about Bob and Michael Parks tempestuous relationship!Ask anything you want!.
Q&A after the movie!http://thenewbev.com/program/august-23-24-wicked-niagara-niagara/Come see Mike Spiller's cinematography!Hear about Bob and Michael Parks tempestuous relationship!Ask anything you want!.
Another middle-of-the-road love movie, despite the mental disorder.
This is a little-remembered film from the 90's starring the types of characters from Drugstore Cowboy, Natural Born Killers, and True Romance, except for one has Tourette's syndrome.
Their interest in each other gets them caught up in chaotic scenarios and ultimately puts their relationship in peril, even if one of them has a lot of crazy life stories to tell to future children or something.The characters were sort of bland, Gen-Xer, 90's models of 20-somethings who had niche interests in petty theft and living life outside of the local rules.
Robin Tunney gives a good performance as the Tourette's girl (name forgotten), but Henry Thomas' character, her significant other, was dull and not bright at alla real pain to watch.
The worst part about the film was the missing logic during most of the characters' encounters with people along their journey to Canada.
So many awkward experiences could have been avoided if the guy just explained her mental condition in a calm manner to others.Overall, it's a memorable film, to me, but it gets lost in the shuffle between the aforementioned movies and films like Girl, Interrupted which explore more mentally-challenged characters on a deeper, more logical level.
It feels more middle-of-the-road, which is why I give it a 5 star rating.
How to make a movie on the cheap.
Hire a couple of competent B-listers like Tunney and Thomas,   make them quirky so they'll be interesting - like give them Tourette's and ticks or whatever - then send them on a road trip so there's changing scenery, something which is always kinda-sorta interesting on the cheap, and have them encounter more quirky people and viola!
Amazing movie.
I have watched this movie time and time and time again - each time it makes me laugh, it makes me think, and it makes me cry.
Robin Tuney does an incredible job of portraying Marcy (and I'm kind of glad that Kate Winslet and that other lady turned down her part) its just one of those rolls that you know that no one else could have even compared.Its a beautiful love story of these 2 very different people in crappy situations that team up together.
They stand beside each other no matter what, even if it is in an odd situation and crazy ways.I'll tell you now its not for everyone - out of everyone I've shown it to I'd say the results are 50/50 - but if you like it, you'll love it and want to share it with others!
10 stars all the way!.
Part of this movie was filmed in my hometown in upstate new york, in fact in a brief clip you can see the video store that I rented the movie in (I think they're driving or something).
Friends actually met and spoke with Henry and Robin.
That's where my emotional attachment to this movie ends.
I was bored completely and though I do realize that movies like this must be made I am thankful that watching them is not somehow mandatory but simply a matter of accident by sheer numbers.
We, as Americans, watch so many movies in our lives that some of them are bound to be steaming piles of drek.
The performances of the two main actors are impressive, but the part set in Canada is embarrassing..
That why I had to borrow this movie and view it.
The two main actors put in impressive performances and they are the heart and soul of the movie.
The film-makers made absolutely no attempt to inject any Canadian reality into the section of the movie set in Canada.
Great, entertaining, fun, and emotional movie..
This is one of my favorite movies of all time!
The acting by Robin Tunney was fantastic, especially considering the unique difficulties with playing this role.
I won't divulge many secrets, but she plays the role of a strong girl named Marcy, who is half frustrated and half apathetic/jaded about the serious problems in her life and finds a way to spontaneously escape her surroundings with a new friend played by Henry Thomas, who is reserved in a semi-endearing way and tries to be a peace-keeper during Marcy's outbursts.
I couldn't give the movie 10 starts as it's slightly over the top with the emotional guidance attempted by Bob Gosse, almost in a Spielberg-ish kind of way, but 9 stars in accurate..
Very Good Movie.
Niagra Niagra was certainly not the best movie I have seen.
However., I cannot describe the way the movie made me feel while watching it and how I felt as it ended and also how I feel about it now.
Very few movies have such an effect on me.
This movie had me in not the best mood.
I guess because the lives these two persons led were so empty in so many ways.
They had many problems to deal with and I guess needed to get away from what could not have been a happy life.
It was sad as it was so well acted and I guess we have all most likely seen someone in some situation that may in some way resemble the situation these folks were in.
I felt bad but could not stop watching the movie.
Only good actors can make me feel so much about a movie that I would not like if just anyone played the parts.
These two did a great job to the point you just did not see the acting.
I am very impressed and want to buy the movie when it is available on DVD.
It left me feeling a little like Leaving Los Vegas did.
Not a great movie but well worth an hour or two on the right day.
an interesting movie for someone who can think.
This is a great movie for people who like to think.
If you would rather watch something like terminator 3 on the otherhand don't waste your time because this movie would be way over your head.
If you like the movies made by phillip seymour hoffman, then give this a chance.
It has actors who are not mainstream which adds to the realism of the characters they portray.
Anyone with children who have special needs must see this movie..
Marcy and Seth's Search for the Black Bobbi Head.
An excellent film with sublime acting.
I never liked Robin Tunney until I saw this film - I became an instant fan.
Tunney and Henry Thomas have perfect chemistry together.
Henry is a muffin and a fine actor (the only interesting thing in Gangs of New York).
Michael Parks is great and the soundtrack is amazing.
A truly tragic love story.
My favorite film and one of my favorite soundtracks..
Interesting if unspectacular movie about a young couple who flee their hometown to go to Canada.
Interesting if unspectacular movie about a young couple who flee their hometown to go to Canada to find a toy that the local store doesn't carry.
The roadtrip gets crazy when Marcy, played by Robin Tunney, runs out of her prescription drugs.
Some of what follows borders on the unbelievable, however, the evenly paced plot and decent acting make it easy to ignore the imperfections of Niagara, Niagara..
Complex, true acting and an incredibly simple yet inventive story..
The acting in this film is inspiring.
Henry Thomas tells an entire story with his eyes.
Robin Tunney emulates Tourettes Syndrome so realistically it's scary.
The actor who plays Walter is so endearing and real.
These talents blow me away.The story follows Seth (Thomas) and Marcy (Tunney), a young couple who find within each other the ability to be themselves.
Theirs is no simple love story, however.
They experience a lifetime of memories in the few weeks that it takes them to drive from New York to Toronto, Canada.I don't know, I don't want to give anything away.
I merely wanted to comment on the fact that Henry Thomas and Robin Tunney are remarkable young talents with an incredible future and career ahead of them.
Through their performances, I learn so much about the craft of acting and the minutia that makes films like this so important.Rent it, if you can find it.
It's a folky's dream with Patti Griffin, Martin Sexton, Lucinda Williams, The Cowboy Junkies, and a bevy of new artists too.I just love this film and hope that you will too..
In praise of Robin Tunney.
Because it's late and i'm running short on vocabulary, i will describe this film as "beautiful and heartbreaking," begging the forgiveness of those who cringe at such cliches.
Robin Tunney does an amazing job portraying a young woman in the clutches of tourette's syndrome - her character was absolutely sincere and convincing, and i will follow her career wherever it goes because of this film..
This is a good movie if you're looking for a tale of love.
The whole story revolves around the couple robbing a drug store to get meds for her Tourette's Syndrome.
It's not like the meds for Tourette's Syndrome are heroin or cocaine.
Still if you can overlook this plot error it's an excellent movie about love.
I caught this movie late one night and gave it a chance because of the 2 actors in it.
I mean who doesn't appreciate Henry Thomas in a movie post-ET?
To be truthful i didn't even watch the whole thing but thought it intriguing that they were searching for a black Barbie head...BUT the oddest thing of all...
How can anyone get over this, and allow themselves to actually like this movie???