All the Money in the World * * * *
Well for all his alleged indiscretions, Kevin Spacey certainly did a few people a favour (including us) in regard to this film. By stepping down (read, getting fired) the role was handed to Christopher Plummer, who is not only a far superior actor, but is also a much more appropriate choice for the role of J.Paul Getty. It's a mystery to me as to why Director Ridley Scott didn't choose Plummer in the first place.
But he did get the casting right with Michelle Williams as Getty's daughter in law - Gail Harris. She is about ten years too young for the role, but she is so good, so convincing, that you happily overlook her youthfulness.
I liked Mark Whalberg too. Though I very much doubt that he was quite as glamorous and close to Gail as the film suggests. His actual role was head of security for J.Paul Getty. But he is an interesting dynamic in the story and well played.
Putting aside the casting though, All the Money in the World is a really good story, well told.
In 1973 J. Paul Getty III was a sixteen year old teenage boy living in Rome. His Grandfather was THE J.Paul Getty - oil baron, squillionaire. One night, in the red light district of Rome, the young J.Paul was kidnapped: then the ransom demands started. The kidnappers want 17 million dollars, which is like 90 million in today's value.
The reaction by J.Paul Getty senior shocked the world: "Not paying! No life is worth 17 Million Dollars". And later, "I simply can't afford 17 Million Dollars". Then, my favourite, "Is ransom money tax deductible?" To be fair the ransomers weren't asking J.Paul Getty directly for the money, they were asking Gail - the mother of the kidnapped boy. But she had nothing, so she had to ask the old man. The idiot kidnappers hadn't done their homework and didn't know that after divorcing Getty's son, Gail was estranged from the family and had no money of her own.
I am sure Ridly Scottt has taken many liberties in the telling of this story but what we have is an excellent tense drama. A superb portrait of a rich old man who fills you with admiration of his incredible financial achievements and disgust at his heartlessness, a desperate mother who increases in strength and determination despite the awfulness of her situation, and a teenage boy in a terrifying situation.
It's an inspiring and intriguing film. I found myself wanting to read more of the situation and what became of them in later life. Sure, that revealed a slightly different set of circumstances, but heck, this story is so good and so well told, I'm happy to go with this.
But he did get the casting right with Michelle Williams as Getty's daughter in law - Gail Harris. She is about ten years too young for the role, but she is so good, so convincing, that you happily overlook her youthfulness.
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| Where can I find 17 Million Dollars? Think, think! |
Putting aside the casting though, All the Money in the World is a really good story, well told.
In 1973 J. Paul Getty III was a sixteen year old teenage boy living in Rome. His Grandfather was THE J.Paul Getty - oil baron, squillionaire. One night, in the red light district of Rome, the young J.Paul was kidnapped: then the ransom demands started. The kidnappers want 17 million dollars, which is like 90 million in today's value.
The reaction by J.Paul Getty senior shocked the world: "Not paying! No life is worth 17 Million Dollars". And later, "I simply can't afford 17 Million Dollars". Then, my favourite, "Is ransom money tax deductible?" To be fair the ransomers weren't asking J.Paul Getty directly for the money, they were asking Gail - the mother of the kidnapped boy. But she had nothing, so she had to ask the old man. The idiot kidnappers hadn't done their homework and didn't know that after divorcing Getty's son, Gail was estranged from the family and had no money of her own.
I am sure Ridly Scottt has taken many liberties in the telling of this story but what we have is an excellent tense drama. A superb portrait of a rich old man who fills you with admiration of his incredible financial achievements and disgust at his heartlessness, a desperate mother who increases in strength and determination despite the awfulness of her situation, and a teenage boy in a terrifying situation.
It's an inspiring and intriguing film. I found myself wanting to read more of the situation and what became of them in later life. Sure, that revealed a slightly different set of circumstances, but heck, this story is so good and so well told, I'm happy to go with this.
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