Trumbo

Bryan Cranston's performance as the eloquent, erudite, brave screenwriter, fighting the fifties Hollywood blacklisting of writers, actors and directors, is pure gold. The movie traces his ten year struggle for freedom of expression as provided for in the U. S. First amendment after serving a term in prison for "contempt of Congress." Cranston presents Trumbo warts and all. Although he was a huge supporter of workers rights, he lived a very privileged lifestyle. One of his methods of working was naked in the bathtub with his typewriter sitting on a makeshift desk while puffing on his ever present cigarette holder and swilling copious amounts of whiskey. This scene is reminiscent of Waldo Lydecker's style of working; in the great suspense thriller Laura. The movie looks great because there is ample attention to period detail including cars, clothes, hairstyles. The cinematography is peerless. There are some interesting supporting roles including John Goodman as a B grade schlockmeister producer, David James Elliot as a foaming at the mouth right winger and Helen Mirren as the poisonous gossip columnist (she's the sort of woman that should cause people to race to the exits, in real life!) Dianne Lane is quietly effective as the loyal wife. The only drawback, for me, was that some of the script was somewhat simplistic in its creation of characters that were more caricatures than anything else (eg., John Wayne, Hedda Hopper.) Bryan Cranston's style did descend into ham and cheese. But if he was a ham at times he certainly was a succulent one and the performance deserves Oscar consideration.