The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 17, Ed. 1, Friday, October 30, 1981 Page: 3 of 23
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Meryl Streep fails
to save two plots
in 'French Lieut.'
intermission
a
Linde Thompson
I waited with eager anticipation to see "The
French Lieutenant's Woman" mostly because
it stars Meryl Streep an actress touted as one of
the best in the business. Nevertheless the
movie was a disappointment.
To put it bluntly "The French Lieutenant's
Woman" is a snore for the average film-goer.
Notice I qualify that statement with the word
"average." The more sophisticated viewer may
be thrilled with the cinematography the
subtlety and the artfulness of the film. But for
those of us who go to the movies to be en-
tertained well we're out of luck.
"The French Lieutenant's Woman" rated R
is actually a film within a film: the tale of a
Victorian love affair as portrayed by con-
temporary actors experiencing a love affair of
their own.
Adapted from the book by John Fowles the
film restructures the novel somewhat to
achieve this plot juxtaposition. The viewer is
first introduced to Sarah and Charles each
loners of a sort in Victorian England. Charles is
a brooding scientist recently engaged to the
spoiled daughter of a wealthy business man.
Sarah is a woman of ill repute because of her
association with a wandering Frenchman.
No sooner has the viewer become acquainted
with their situation than without warning the
scene changes to the affair of Mike and Anna
the 20th century actors who are portraying
Sarah and Charles in a film. Although these era
changes become more frequent as the stories
develop they are done with such craft and ease
to be intriguing rather than distracting.
This technique and the abilities of the actors
are the best parts of the movie. Streep is very
accomplished as the mysterious Sarah a victim
of what Victorians called "obscure melan-
cholia." She manages equally well the
character of Anna a glib American actress.
English actor Jeremy Irons portrays
CharlesMike and brings the metamorphosis of
both characters across quite convincingly.
Unfortunately the plots of both stories are
weak. The Victorian tale is slow-moving and the
contemporary love affair is underdeveloped.
While grueling detail is given to the Victorian
love affair the characters of actors Mike and
Anna are never filled out and the viewer is left
not really caring about them.
An interesting point of the film seems to be
the irony between the two stories. Victorian
mores forbade even the suggestion of passion
between men and women and hence brought
on the problems of Sarah and Charles. Con-
versely Mike and Anna's relationship began
openly w ith sex for the sake of something to do.
The question is: which couple will emerge
whole from its relationship?
Unfortunately discovering the answer is not
worth the wait.
Jesus: much more than a slogan
A few years back the word "Jesus" became a
sort of slogan. Young people and others at a
time when cynical ideas and even a spirit of
rebellion against authority and traditional
mores became rampant began to say "Jesus
yes! The church no!" They seemed to see
something good in Jesus but they wanted to
throw off other concepts that were associated.
A Jesus cult was formed and several young
people were drawn into it. Some lived in
communes which according to reputation
engaged in communal living without restraints.
People in the "Death of God" movement that
was in vogue during the same period were
saying that God is dead in some sense or other
but all of them wanted to accept Jesus in a
significant role. Somewhat strange when we
think of the historical association of the two.
What do we mean when we acknowledge
Jesus? Is he no more than a flag to respect
without any particular content? Is the term
"Jesus" just a rallying cry or a slogan about
which we can become emotional but which has
no special meaning beyond that?
Who or what is Jesus? What is the precise
content of the idea we are communicating when
we say "Jesus?" The content of the word is
what makes it important. Jesus has a specific
meaning. The word has precise content if it is
to have any meaning at all.
Jesus said "Who do men say that I the Son of
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foundations
Dr. J.D. Thomas
Man am?" The answer to this question is the
most important response any human can make
in this life. On it hangs our destiny. The ancient
Gnostics said he was divine but not human.
Modern liberals say he is a high-grade human
but is not God's divine son. Bitter battles were
fought in the fourth century A.D. over the
nature of the person of Christ.
Jesus whom we serve and worship is the
Word (Greek logos) who became flesh. The
Word was with God and the Word was God
(John 1:1).
He is a person who was the fleshly son of
Mary (but not Joseph) and the divine son of
God ! People who become Christians believe and
confess that he is the son of God and is their
Lord (lawgiver) and Savior.
Unless all of this content is in our use of the
word "Jesus" we are lacking in our response.
He is the Christ the son of the living God !
Jesus is Lord my Redeemer
How he loves me how I love him.
Most officers on top of things
To the Editor:
During the past several weeks I have read
several articles degrading the ACU campus
police. The term "campus police" seems to have
become synonymous with "big joke." But after
reading these belittling articles I find it rather
difficult to accept the fact that the ACU security
force is a totally incompetent organization.
I am more inclined to believe that only one or
two officers have been responsible for bringing
an incredibly bad reputation to our security
force.
It just doesn't seem fair that the reputation of
several fine officers should suffer on account of
a couple of guys who joined the force to see how
much fun they could have or what big studs
they could be.
The veterans on the squad certainly seem to
be competent enough to handle most situations.
Veterans Robert Taylor and Gary Adams have
undergone extensive police training and possess
ample skills as well as the qualifications
needed to work for most city police forces.
Rookie officers Dean Shirey Tim Jones and
Rob Dorko are now preparing for their up-
coming training at the West Texas Police
Academy next semester.
For the most part these guys stay pretty
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much on top of things (they stopped several of
our raids quite effectively). Also someone
constantly patrols Sherrod Apartments at night
in case our mad rapist should ever return.
Personally I'm convinced that the majority of
the ACU cops do what is expected of them and
take a serious attitude toward their jobs. It
really upsets me to see the faults of a few in-
capable rookies exploited while the services our
police offer are never mentioned.
So why are these incompetent officers still
with security? It seems that if someone could do
some weeding out of guys who do their job for
the wrong reasons the ACU security depart-
ment could focus on protecting other peoples'
lives and property and enforcing school rules
the only thing security is even here for.
As veteran officer Robert Taylor once told
me "If you're out there to become popular
make a lot of friends and have a good time
you're in the wrong business.
David Burton
Sophomore Odessa
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 17, Ed. 1, Friday, October 30, 1981, newspaper, October 30, 1981; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99602/m1/3/?q=central+place+railroads: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.