The Scent of a Woman is the kind of film that many would think belongs to a bygone era. While it is frank and contemporary without sugar coating it illustrates the value of character over glitz and how small acts can have long lasting consequences.
The film pits two characters who are diametrical opposites. Al Pacino plays the world weary retired Army Lt. Colonel who through a stupid accident looses his sight and his way of life. Chris Donnelly is a young prep school kid on a scholarship whose way of life may be coming to an end owing to the acts of richer kids at the exclusive prep school who pull a stupid stunt.
The blind Lt. Colonel needs an escort so that he can go to NYC and have a rip roaring time before he makes a fateful decision. The poor preppy needs to earn a few bucks to travel and is in desperate need of some advice on how to get through his crisis at school.
The interplay between the two characters is mind boggling. It is more riveting than the best Grisham novel.
Both characters are asked to make life and death decisions that call for them to reach deep into their inner core. The right decision is unhappily the tougher decision to make.
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Two terrific scenes that are not to be missed. The first is in the New York ballroom where the blind Lt. Colonel teaches the actress Miss Anwar to dance the tango. It is so smooth and dramatic that even a couch potato is tempted to reach for the Yellow Pages in search of dance lessons. The second and most profound is the speech that Al Pacino makes in defense of Chris Donnelly at the prep school disciplinary hearing. It has to go down as one of the great orations of all times.
The Scent of a Woman is very satisfying on many levels. The character development is superb, dialogue terrific, glamorous locations and a story line that requires the characters to show themselves to be the people they really are. The film has a lot of funny lines and great drama.
(ZZ from IMDB)
Film Review
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Scent of a Woman
Directed by Martin Brest
Universal Studios Home Video 01/93 DVD/VHS Feature Film
R – language
Frank Slade is a reclusive retired Army colonel who lost his sight in an accident. He’s a clever but bitter man, enslaved to booze and abrasive criticism of those who come into contact with him. Nearby at a posh New England prep school, scholarship student Charlie Simms fears expulsion if he doesn’t identify some classmates he saw playing a nasty prank on the headmaster. The self-destructive vet and the mild-mannered student are thrown together when Charlie takes a job looking after Frank during Thanksgiving vacation.
In a surprise move, Frank takes the boy to New York City for what he calls “a last tour of the battlefield.” The cynical old warrior intends to commit suicide after a weekend of exquisite, high-class living. Despite his depression, Frank still has a way with women. Charlie learns a quick lesson in sexual politics as he watches this blind man pick up a beautiful woman at a fancy restaurant and teach her the tango in front of a group of astonished observers. Before the weekend is over, Charlie steers Frank clear of fulfilling his death wish, and the colonel returns the favor by helping him make the right ethical decision at school.
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Bo Goldman’s bold and vibrant screenplay gives Scent of A Woman its emotional clout as a memorable drama about youthful initiation into adulthood. Al Pacino delivers a knockout performance as a wise wizard who over the course of one wild weekend opens the eyes of a decent lad to the soulful and urgent dimensions of life and death in an imperfect world.
Directed by
Martin Brest
Writing credits (WGA)
Giovanni Arpino (novel)
Bo Goldman (screenplay)
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Genre: Drama (more)
Tagline: Col. Frank Slade has a very special plan for the weekend. It involves travel, women, good food, fine wine, the tango, chauffeured limousines and a loaded forty-five. And he’s bringing Charlie along for the ride.
Plot Outline:Frank is a retired Lt Col in the US army. He’s blind and impossible to get along with. Charlie is at school and is looking forward to going to university; to help pay for a trip home for Christmas, he agrees to look after Frank over thanksgiving. Frank’s niece says this will be easy money, but she didn’t reckon on Frank spending his thanksgiving in New York.
Scent of a Woman
Review by James Berardinelli
Scent of a Woman is about Charles Simms (Chris O’Donnell), a Boston prep school senior, and the Thanksgiving weekend he spends working as the aide and companion of Lt. Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), an embittered, lonely, blind veteran. The job, which begins as an onerous task performed principally for money, becomes a tour of self-discovery when Slade decides to make an unexpected visit to New York City. There, amidst all the holiday hoopla, the lieutenant’s actions force Charlie into making an emotionally painful – and potentially physically dangerous – decision.
There are certain actors that, when they appear in a film, are almost invariably indicators that the production is of high quality. They are an elite few, with names like Nicholson, Hoffman, Hackman, and Pacino. Considering some of the roles that Al Pacino has played during his celebrated career (in The Godfather trilogy, for example), it would be hyperbole to say that he gives the “performance of a lifetime” in Scent of a Woman…or would it? For two hours, he brings Frank Slade to life in a way that few others in Hollywood could. As portrayed by Pacino, there’s far more to this man that a rancorous outlook on life and a couple of hearty “hoo-ha”s.
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Chris O’Donnell, a fresh-but-not-unknown face, is solid, if somewhat obscured in the more experienced man’s shadow. Although the role of Charlie is understated by O’Donnell, he nevertheless manages to fashion a rapport with the audience. This is necessary for the film to succeed, since it’s through his eyes that the story unfolds.
In essence, Scent of a Woman is another in a never-ending series of bonding pictures where each person has something unique to offer to the other. If there’s anything special about the film, it’s that on this occasion, the emotional realism of the characters, especially Slade, is heartwrenchingly believable. His relationship with Charlie works because Pacino won’t let it fail.
There are numerous dynamic scenes in Scent of a Woman, along with a surprising amount of comedy. Director/Producer Martin Brest knows how to blend humor with drama to good effect. His mix is nearly flawless, and he manages to do almost (and I emphasize almost) the entire film without resorting to manipulative tricks. Pacino’s tango scene with Gabrielle Anwar is one such magical moment – unfettered, unforced, and highly enjoyable.
Unfortunately, considering how sound the bulk of the picture is, the final moments, with their overt pandering to a Hollywood-style ending, are a severe liability. Certainly, such “triumphs” are fun to watch, but they cheapen Scent of a Woman. Would it have cost the production team that much to inject a little realism into the film’s last reel?
The movie is as long as its storyline demands. It doesn’t seem like two and one-half hours, and less time with these characters would have cheated the audience. Aided by an emotive score from Thomas Newman, the picture has opportunities to soar. Hampered by the script’s limitations, however, Scent of a Woman falls short of being a masterful production
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There are few films that I consider to be truly great. I don’t mean ‘great’ in the pedestrian sense of “that’s great.” I’m talking “true greatness.”
Scent of a Woman has true greatness.
It has everything that a timeless classic should have. Unforgettable characters, superb acting, a script that is profound and moving; heartwarming at times and heartrending at others. Music that accents each moment perfectly and is never obtrusive. Scenes that are so perfectly directed and edited and imbued with such powerful emotions that they leave indelible impressions on the mind and heart.
Scent of a Woman revolves around two main characters: Lieutenant Colonel Frank R. Slade (played by Al Pacino) and prep school student Charlie Simms (played by Chris O’Donnel.)
Take a moment to step into the internal world of Col. Frank Slade. Take a look around. See anything? You won’t, because Col. Slade is blind. His sight was taken from in in a freak accident some five years before.
Col. Slade is a man accustomed to power, to barking orders and taking charge in every situation. Even in his prime, he was impossible to live with. Now, years later, he’s blind, “handicapped”, and living at the behest of others. He has not adjusted gracefully to this setback.
Now meet Charlie Simms. Charlie is an honor student attending Baird prep school. Unlike the other Baird boys, his family is not wealthy, so he’s on financial aid. He’s a quiet, introspective and kindhearted young man. He’s also very intelligent. He needs an easy weekend job to make some extra money. He see’s an ad to housesit a disabled man over the weekend, so he investigates it. The man in need of sitting is Col. Slade, of course.
Charlie’s first encounter with the Colonel is a memorable one, as the Colonel gives him firsthand experience of what a military “dressing down” is like delivered at an extremely loud volume. Charlie is obviously a bit put off by this, but the Colonel’s family and caretakers plead with him, so he takes the job. Little does he realize that Col. Slade has his own plans, and they don’t involve sitting around being baby sat.
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Once his family leaves, Col. Slade bullies Charlie into accompanying him on a flight to New York by sheer force of his personality. Charlie attempts to resist, but he is simply outmanuevered by the wiley Col. Slade. Col Slade explains to Charlie that he going to New York to take “a little tour of pleasures” that he has been denied by his condition. With much persuasion, Charlie finally agrees to go.
Charlie’s first impression of Col. Slade is that he is loud, crude, egotistical and highly antagonistic. But as Charlie helps the Colonel navigate from one first class New York locale to another, he and the Colonel gradually develop a strong mutual respect. Over time, he discovers that the Colonel does have a heart, and can in fact be very charming (especially if there’s a lady around.)
But despite this, Charley has not seen the worst yet. Eventually, he must confront the Colonel’s most deeply hidden fears and outrage concerning his inability to function as he once did. This moment in the movie is *charged* with emotion as both Pacino and O’Donnel deliver riveting performances. In fact, there are so many standout performances in this movie that the Motion Picture Association should slap it with an anti-trust suit 😉
Another thing this film does exceptionally well is balance the characters of Frank Slade and Charlie Simms. Slade is an outspoken, overbearing bully who has grown weary of the world and with his own failures. Charlie is an earnest and kindly young man who believes that all mistakes can be made right. When they first meet, it seems clear that there is a major power imbalance, with Col. Slade brutally running over Charlie’s quiet protestations. But as these two get to know one another better, it becomes clear to both the viewer and to Col. Slade that Charlie possesses great strength, but it is a quieter strength than the Colonels. It is the strength of true integrity and conviction. There are many beautiful scenes where these two men discover profound truths about themselves and each other as a result of their conflicts.
Scent of a Woman is a rare and beautiful movie. It’s a movie about how one man is lost in despair, and how a younger man helps him find his way. There are so many outstanding aspects to this movie that I could go on for pages, but instead I’ll just ask you to watch it. Prepare to be amazed.
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