Bridge On the River Kwai

Has a more British movie ever been made? The sheer Britishness of doing a futile task well for the sake of having done it well, even in service of the enemy is not nearly as heroic as the film tries to make it. I was surprised to learn Col. Shears was played by William Holden, since he looks very different in Network and the Wild Bunch. I didn't even realize he was in Sunest Boulvard. Alec Guinness did his usual suffering for a noble cause gig and the movie moved along and an entertaining enough pace. Geoffery Horne is a nice little diversion in the last quarter of the film.

The Wild Bunch

This film has quite a bit of narrative identity crisis. I couldn't quote tell if I was supposed to feel empathy for the "Wild Bunch" for having their own 'moral code' or hate William Holden's character for basically selling out his partner. I also wasn't quite sure why I was supposed to feel bad for Robert Ryan's character for getting caught and sent to jail...for crimes he actually had committed. Lots of shoot outs with slightly dubious physics and extended staged scenes of people laughing together. Was surprised to realize that Pike was played by William Holden--almost didn't recognize him. Definitely a lot worse than his other two entries on the list, The Network and Bridge on the River Kwai.

Network

A really entertaining, witty, and progressive film. As usual, Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall are standout with great support William Holden. It's funny how applicable the message about manipulative media is still so applicable today. The references to the Symbionese Liberation Army and their selling out are pretty cheeky. In a lot of the movies I've watched for this list, I've had to suspend my disbelief, if you will, and remember they were made in 'another era', however this is one that his held up and is still feels relevant.