Reviews

There is disappointingly little of Carol Burnett here. This DVD contains 3 Christmas episodes of the Garry Moore Show and hearkens back to the days of black & white television when the commercial ads were written into the show and white men would tell "midget" jokes or comments of the "take my wife" variety. Bizarrely, Lengendary Entertainment has blurred out and beeped over the product names in the first episode, but not in the rest. The vocals of Mahalia Jackson and Louise O'brien are absolutely worth watching, but much of the rest is rather plodding, including some forgettable dance numbers. There are a few good moments with people like Jonathan Winters and Bob Newhart, but calling this "A Carol Burnett Christmas" is absolutely false advertising.

Remembered as one of the world's greatest matadors, I thought that there might be some clues into this person, or into what might draw someone to the controversial world of the bullring. Instead the story made Manolete out to be a love-sick puppy, somewhat clueless, and focused entirely on dying. (Don't know if this is really a spoiler, since the film begins with his funeral.)

The cinematography is beautiful. The acting itself is good, and Adrian Brody is a scary dead-ringer, so to speak, for the man himself. Penelope Cruz is also good as the passionate temptress. Hollywood, of course, has to focus entirely on the woman's figure, and the turbulent romance, at the exclusion of all else that probably made up what was a fascinating life.

I wouldn't watch it again.