The Frisco Kid

We watched this movie recently at home on one of the movie channels on Comcast.  At times it was very funny but I'm not really sure that the movie was a comedy.  This Robert Aldrich Western features Gene Wilder as a Polish Jewish rabbi (Avram Belinski) who is true to his religion.  For example, he refuses to ride his horse on the Sabbath much to the chagrin of his bank robber companion (Harrison Ford), Tommy Lillard, who can't seem to abandon him. 

The rabbi arrives in Philadelphia and is dogged in his determination to reach San Francisco, despite being cheated, robbed, humiliated, captured by Indians, nearly frozen and more.  One of the most humorous scenes is his brief alignment with some Amish people whom he mistakes as Jewish.  Tommy robs a bank much to Avram's surprise and the rabbi refuses to use the money and ends up sending his "portion" back. 

Despite its droll humor, the movie shows a great respect for the Jewish religion (I feel) and you can't help but root for Avram and feel his devastation when he is forced to defend his friend and kill or be killed. 

All through the movie I smiled a great deal and wanted to laugh but I kept catching myself shaking my head at the gentle truths being portrayed.

This is a great movie!

Zookeeper

I should have shared this review sooner.  We saw the movie a few weeks ago and enjoyed it.  In some ways it is mindless fun.  I think that the hero (Griffin Keyes) would have been a babbling idiot for many days when the animals started talking to him.  Instead, he quickly accepts their unique ability and even allows the animals to teach him some things about dating rituals.  He does care for the animals and is a good zookeeper though the movie occasionally seems to suggest that his job as a zookeeper is not as classy as other vocations.  While pursuing Stephanie (a real "cougar") he discovers that he really loves Kate and his gorilla friend, Bernie, helps him get to her before she accepts a job in Africa.  The movie's not going to win ay awards but it does have its moments of fun and humor.  It's worth watching.