Introduction to the Story of City Guy

Introduction to the Story of City Guy | Appreciation | Reflection

199 1 color film 120 minutes

American Castle Rolling Stone Entertainment Company/Nelson Entertainment jointly produced.

Director: Ron Underwood Screenwriter: Lowell Ganz Barbaro Mandel Photography: Dean Semler Main Actors: billy crystal (Mickey) daniel stern (Phil) Bruno Cobb (Ed) Jack Palance (Corey) helen slater (Bonnie).

abstract

Paprona, Spain. Sunny day. Cattle rampaged through the narrow and winding streets. The boys ran ahead. The Spanish band played warm music. This is the annual "Bull Running Festival". Three middle-aged Americans were sandwiched between fanatical Spaniards and ran with the crowd. They are Mickey Robbins, Ed Freello and Phil Bouchester. These three partners who played together since childhood came to Spain to have fun, bent on catching the dying youth.

Unfortunately, a rampaging bull smashed Mickey's penis with its horn. In the hospital, Mickey pulled a long face and kept * * *. He decided it was time to end it. He told Ed that he would rather have a safer holiday now. So, the three men flew back to their hometown in New Jersey in disappointment.

A year later, the situation of the three partners seems to be worse. Phil runs a supermarket for his father-in-law, and his overbearing father-in-law and overbearing wife Alina make him suffer greatly. Alina left angrily after learning that Mickey and Nancy, the salesgirl, were having an affair at his birthday party. Ed, a sporting goods seller, recently married a young, sexy and beautiful underwear model, but he was worried about how long her loyalty would last. Mickey's situation seems to be worse. He works in the advertising department of new york Radio Station, and the director of the station refuses to recognize his qualifications, which makes him miserable. But because of cowardice, he didn't dare to resign, so he had to submit to humiliation and live a ghost life of "blowing his nose and asking the director". His wife Barbara warned him that the real misfortune was that their marriage was in crisis. Mickey feels that he is getting worse and worse, and life is no longer fun. In order to get out of trouble, Mickey, Ed and Phil agreed to leave home for a holiday and take part in horse riding and grazing activities for two weeks. When he left, Mickey's wife blessed him: "Go ahead and go home with a smile!" " "

New Mexico. The other five city residents who volunteered to take part in horse riding and grazing activities were black father-son dentists Ben and Steve from Long Island, ice cream makers Ira and Salowitz, and long island architect Bonnie who just broke up with her boyfriend. They are also willing to be real cowboys and drive cattle from New Mexico to Colorado. These city people came to Clay Si Tong's farm. They learned to ride horses, throw hoop cows and drive cows, and then began a 200-mile trek to Colorado. Jeff, a professional cattle driver who set out with the team, and his associates were hostile to Bonnie. Mickey is brave enough to protect Bonnie, but there is nothing he can do. It was the tough old cowboy Cory who subdued them. In Mickey's mind, Corey is a cowboy worthy of worship.

At first things went well. Mickey, Phil and Ed are like real cowboys, herding cattle together. Three friends talked and laughed all the way, hoping for "the most charming * * * in the whole universe". One night, however, when Mickey was using a portable coffee grinder, the harsh noise scared away the cows. Angry Curry deliberately asked Mickey to help him drive away the scattered livestock. Mickey had to bite the bullet and follow Cory after the cow.

At night, the vast grassland is silent. Lonely Mickey took out his harmonica and played the beautiful tune Rolling tumbleweeds. At first, Corey wouldn't let him play, but Mickey's stubbornness made the old cowboy very fond of him and hummed to the music. The next day, on the way to drive cattle, Mickey heard Curry's wisdom of life: recognize one thing and stick to it. Cory said to him, "people in the city suffer from trifles." When you come, you are a city person. When you go back, you will become a cowboy! "

At this time, they found a pregnant cow. Mickey delivered a calf and named it Norman so as to nurse it. Corey was forced to shoot the cow to end its pain. Life and death happen at the same time, which is really a magical experience for Mickey. Through a short time with Cory, Mickey learned that Cory, a tough guy with rough appearance, is humorous and optimistic, and seems to never get old. However. Corey suddenly died of a heart attack. When he died, he leaned against the mound and stared at the cattle. People buried him by the side of the road, and a temporary cross was erected on the grave. What he said the day before yesterday came true: "We are an endangered species". The sad Mickey said, "Corey, I will never forget you." You live by your own rules, simple, sincere and brave. I am glad that we met briefly. The chef nicknamed "Cookie" made a eulogy: "Lord, we will give it to you. Don't annoy him. "

After Corey died, Jeff and his partner took the lead. One day, the cook got drunk, ruined the carriage and food, and broke his leg. Ben and his son volunteered to send the wounded to nearby villages and towns. That night, two leading cowboys were drinking and making trouble, threatening to kill Norman the calf. Mickey got a heavy blow on the chin because he stopped them. Ed and Phil struggled to unload their guns, subdued two troublemakers and rescued Norman and Mickey. After the conflict, Jeff and his accomplices simply left these city people and left. Urban residents will face real challenges.

In a storm, the city people drove the cattle across the rushing river and reached the other side safely. Suddenly, Mickey found Norman's calf washed away by the rapids. He immediately grabbed the reins, quickly waved the lasso over his head, threw it over Norman's head, then jumped into the rapids and swam to Norman. Exhausted Mickey finally pushed Norman into shallow water, but he collapsed on the shore. ..... These city residents have withstood the test and come to Colorado.

New york Kennedy Airport. The three partners pretended to come back: Phil called a taxi, opened the car door and kindly invited Bonnie to get on the bus ... The female model drove to pick up Ed. When Barbara and two children greeted Mickey, they found a cute calf in his suitcase ... friends met and went to the North Pole to experience the taste of dog sledding next year. Mickey kissed Barbara and told her that he wouldn't quit, but he would do better-he went home smiling.

Distinguish and appreciate

Contemporary Hollywood movies are still the embodiment of mainstream American ideology and values, and still maintain the lasting factors of American film tradition. The film "City Guy" is a new proof.

Mickey, Phil and Ed experienced the baptism of the storm, overcame the mental crisis of middle-aged people, gained psychological balance, returned home, prepared to re-examine family life with new ideas, rekindled their confidence in life, and embarked on a new life journey-didn't the happy ending of the film once again show the traditional optimism of American movies? This is the mainstream ideology in America. Even Hemingway, who was active in the literary world as a representative of the "lost generation" in the early days, said: "Life is doomed to be invincible." Hollywood's creed is "Don't upset the audience" and "Don't divide your audience". Traditional Hollywood movies always play an optimistic melody. Contemporary American movies rarely indulge in the pleasure of "enjoying" pain and sadness, and rarely appear pessimistic and sentimental. After all, new Hollywood movies are very different from European modernist movies. American filmmakers have no intention of feeling sorry for themselves, tasting pain, disdaining to incite sadness and giving up on themselves; The withering of love, moral pressure and the burden of life can only cause temporary sadness, embarrassment and fatigue; Heroes never despair. The spiritual will and personality will to overcome difficulties and crises are still the last feelings left by the audience after watching mainstream American movies. The movie "City Guy" is no exception. Director Underwood stressed that the film will be "positive".

Since the mid-1970s, "neo-conservatism" has been popular as the mainstream ideology in the United States, advocating the harmony between man and nature. A number of movies showing love, affection, friendship, affection and interpersonal communication have come out one after another, such as Pretty Woman, Kramer vs Kramer, Father, The Outsider, Magnolia Steel, Driving for Miss Dai, and so on. The film City Guy shows "eternal human values" from one aspect of life. This is a movie about male friendship. Three friends walking together is a symbol of social harmony. When they understand the value of life and return to China to reunite with their families, the theme of gender harmony is self-evident: how Americans who are exhausted by the "gender war" hope that "harmony" will return! The director said: "This film is essentially about interpersonal relationships." In fact, the cow is also an important role in the film, and Norman the calf is the core metaphor. The calf was born, saved, and finally brought back to new york by Mickey and accepted as a member of the family. This film fully embodies the harmony between man and nature.

Corey, a tough and dignified old cowboy, is a symbol of American optimism and the pursuit of harmony. He is the spokesman for the film writer to promote the mainstream ideology in the United States. Old Cory is like a big pine tree standing upright. His legendary stories and philosophical language inspire people to love life and respect nature. He walked towards eternity in the majestic and quiet nature. ...

The film "City Guy" proves that the traditional power is still strong even in the era of contemporary Hollywood film culture reconstruction through adventure stories, ups and downs of legendary structure, famous stars familiar to the audience and humorous dialogue. Dramatic plot, fantastic legend, attractive stars and humorous dialogue are the four elements and "winning magic weapon" of mainstream American film creation. "City Guy" uses them incisively and vividly. The scenery of western pastures from New Mexico to Colorado, the rushing river and the flood drained by turbid waves also add charming colors to the film. Billy crystal, who plays Mickey, and Bruno Cobb, who plays Ed, both became famous movie stars because of the movie When Harry Met Sally. Daniel stern, who plays Phil, is Woody Allen's partner, Jack Palence, who plays Curley, is the best "hero" in contemporary American westerns, and helen slater, who plays Bonnie, is a famous "superwoman".

In a word, the film "City Guy" follows the procedure of Hollywood classic movies in thought and expression.

However, as said in the past, there are also forces (strength, change, classics, constancy). There can be no unchangeable culture in the world, and it is impossible for the times to change without changing the old look. After all, the film "City Guy" opened a new horizon to express the real life of the United States-the yuppie life crisis, and made a clear answer: material abundance is not the ultimate pursuit of life, and the communication between man and nature can change man's spiritual world. This film conforms to the general trend that contemporary American films are close to reality. Another feature of Hollywood new films embodied in movies is "genre fusion": the elements of westerns, comedies and adventure films are combined to form a "non-pure genre film". The mountains and rivers in the west are no longer the battlefields of whites and Indians, but the "base camp" for urban residents who leave the noisy city to experience life. But spectacular scenery, fierce cowboys, running cows, galloping horses and other elements of the western film are permeated in the film; The city guy who makes a fool of himself in a strange new environment adds a lot of jokes to the film, making the comedy style run through; Chasing cows, trekking in the wind and rain, and saving calves in the rapids are three paragraphs, which are hearty and full of thrilling scenes, making full use of the programmatic nature of adventure films. While following the tradition of American film form, the film breaks through the old mode of genre films, absorbs rich expressive elements and realizes the fusion of genres.