Customer Reviews

A Storm in Summer [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A genuinely heartfelt drama about 2 seemingly diverse characters whose crossing paths show them their differences while bringing to light tragic similarities that bind them in a deep friendship that spans generations.

Love Peter Falk movies starting after I watched in and Alan Arkin in "The In-laws." Have purchased the complete series of Columbo to watch this fine actor.

Perfect for all ages it makes a positive statement about communication between generations and races. Well performed and entertaining.

This is a heartwarming (albeit slow-paced) movie about an aging and crabby Jewish deli owner, Abel Shaddick (Peter Falk), who lives in Fairview, N.Y. It is 1969, and Abel's delicatessen is slowly being run into the ground. Abel just can't summon much enthusiasm for life - he's a long-time widower, and his only son was killed in WW II at 19. Broken-hearted and lonely Abel spends his days berating his (very few) customers, and nagging his good-for-nothing Lothario nephew Stanley (Andrew McCarthy in a small role). Things change when Stanley on a spontaneous whim, sponsors a young African-American boy from Harlem to come down and stay with him for two weeks. Predictably enough, he doesn't live up to his commitment, and abandons the young boy. Herman (played by Aaron Meeks) makes his way to Abel's deli, and initially the two can't abide each other, but soon enough a unique bond forms between the two, forged in part through their mutual loneliness and shared pain.

The story moves at a very leisurely pace, but it really is a heartfelt drama. Natassja Kinski plays a young woman of means who runs the program Herman is in, and though her role is minor, she does bring grace and beauty to her role. The highlight here is Peter Falk's portrayal of the lonely old Jewish man, and his brand of sarcasm and Jewish humor is fun to watch, as is his interactions with Herman. Worth watching for Peter Falk's performance, who delivers some funny lines, such as " Herman, our enemies are multiplying. In the nighttime it is the Hell's Angels, and in the daytime, it's society matrons!"

By a fool-play of a fate, in the USA-1969 seventy year old Jew-shop-owner is accidentally made hosting a nine-year old Afro-American boy visiting this place as a summer exchange charity program participant.

Their relations and bond present a significant picture of then American civic affairs and testify to a long way an American society made since Vietnam era to nowadays.

Very nice performing and generally funny stuff.

This movie is heart-warming and truly beautiful. ALL actors in this movie are more than excellent. All actors are masters... thanks to them this movie is a masterpiece, from the bginning to the end. Peter Falk is great as usual. He deserves an oscar... Nastassja Kinski is gorgeous, a great actress!