A Time of Destiny (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| A Time of Destiny | |
|---|---|
 Video Cover |
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| Directed by | Gregory Nava |
| Produced by | Executive Producers: Shep Gordon Carolyn Pfeiffer Producer: Anna Thomas |
| Written by | Gregory Nava Anna Thomas |
| Starring | William Hurt Timothy Hutton Melissa Leo |
| Music by | Music Score: Ennio Morricone Featured Music: Giuseppe Verdi |
| Cinematography | James Glennon |
| Editing by | Betsy Blankett Milicevic |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 22, 1988 |
| Running time | 118 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English Basque |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
A Time of Destiny is an American 1988 film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas.[1]
The motion picture was executive produced by Shep Gordon and Carolyn Pfeiffer. It features original music by the legendary Ennio Morricone.
A Time of Destiny, set during World War II in Italy and San Diego, tells of two friends who become enemies during the war.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Martin (William Hurt) and Jack (Timothy Hutton) are very good soldier friends during World War II.
While their friendship grows they do not realize they are brothers-in-law. Martin eventually learns that Jack is married to his sister Josie (Melissa Leo).
When Jack and Josie elope, Jorge (Francisco Rabal), her Basque immigrant father, tracks them down and abducts his daughter in order to dominate her with his "old-world" notions of marriage. However, when Jorge Larraneta drowns in a lake after an auto accident, Martin (the black-sheep of the family) returns home and learns of his father's death. He vows revenge after he learns his buddy Jack has become his sworn enemy.
Martin gets himself assigned to Jack's infantry platoon in Italy in order to seek vengeance.
[edit] Exhibition
Tagline: War turns boys to men... and men to savages in a time when the rule of law is forgotten.
The film was released in a limited basis on April 22, 1988. The box office opening weekend was $509,397 (216 screens).
Box office sales were disappointing. Total sales for the domestic run were $1,212,487 and in its widest release the film was shown in 220 screens. The film closed on June 23, 1988.[2][3]
[edit] Filming locations
Filming locations included: Istria Peninsula, Croatia; País Vasco, Spain; and San Diego, California.
[edit] Critical reception
Film citics gave the film mixed reviews. Roger Ebert writing for the Chicago Sun-Times liked the film but questioned the complex screenplay. Yet, Ebert was appreciative of the acting. He said, "You see what I mean when I call the movie operatic. It glories in brooding vengeance, fatal flaws of character, coincidence and deep morality. Its plot is so labyrinthine that it constitutes the movie's major weakness; can we follow this convoluted emotional journey? Its passions are so large that they are a challenge to actors trained in a realistic tradition, but Hurt, who has the most difficult passages, rises to the occasion with one of the strangest and most effective performances he has given."[4]
Vincent Canby was not so kind to the filmmakers, nor the actors. He writes in a film review for The New York Times, "The movie includes some big, unimpressive battle scenes, a number of orangey sunsets, a lot of comic-strip dialogue ('I'm going to get revenge!' 'He's dead - he'll never forgive me now') and one memorable moment in which the silhouette of a gentle, southern California mountain range fades into the silhouette of a man lying on his death bed. The performances are not good."[5]
And The Washington Post was just as tough on Nava and Thomas. Film critic Rita Kempley said, "Hurt's role as a vengeful psycho churns up this laughable purple potboiler, but even the perennial Oscar nominee can't save it from itself."[6]
[edit] Cast and ratings
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Finland: | K-16 |
| Iceland: | 12 |
| Sweden: | 15 |
| United States: | PG-13 |
- William Hurt as Martin Larraneta
- Timothy Hutton as Jack
- Melissa Leo as Josie Larraneta
- Francisco Rabal as Jorge Larraneta
- Concha Hidalgo as Sebastiana
- Stockard Channing as Margaret
- Megan Follows as Irene
- Frederick Coffin as Ed
- Peter Palmer as Policeman
- Kelly Pacheco as Young Josie
[edit] Soundtrack
An original motion picture soundtrack was released on September 19, 1988 by Virgin Records.
The CD, which has eighteen tracks, features original music composed for the film by Ennio Morricone. The recording includes orchestral sounds and several selections of Edda Dell'Orso's vocals.[7]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ A Time of Destiny at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ The Numbers box office data.
- ^ Box Office Mojo box office data.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun-Times, film review, April 22, 1988.
- ^ Canby, Vincent. The New York Times, film review, April 22, 1988.
- ^ Kemplley, Rita. The Washington Post, film review, April 22, 1988.
- ^ Amazon.com web site.
