Powerful

Boring

A Disappointing Continuation

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

............................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA and ORLANDO, FL "Movies That Stand the Test of Time" is a list I recently compiled... "Morgan" WON'T be on it! Granted, the basic concept is starkly original, with outstanding performances by both David Warner and Vanessa Redgrave (In her first leading screen role!) There are a few savagely funny lines and bits sprinkled throughout here and there. But on the whole, a lot of the film comes across as anachronistically as the hammer and sickle Morgan insists on drawing or carving everywhere.Also, the constant insertion of Keystone Cop Slapstick bits (Ala "Hard Days Night") gets old really fast, especially since most of them fall flat. And my biggest gripe: I saw this movie 3 times at age 18 and 19, during its theatrical release and I clearly recall footage (1 minute?) where a then VERY HOT Vanessa Redgrave was romping around the bedroom being chased in a state of semi-undress. The scenes managed to be simultaneously humorous and sexy (Very risqué in 1966, but not more than PG by today's standards!) These scenes were about the best in the film and the main reason I rented it. COMPLETELY EDITED OUT! Does anyone else recall them? Ironically, at the beginning, the British Cinema Board announces, "This film is to be viewed only by Adults!" On EXTRAS, watch the Original Trailer and you'll see a couple seconds of snippets of the bedroom romp scene that was edited out of the DVD release! You decide what you want to do with this one! 6* (Being a bit generous?) ....ENJOY//DISFRUTELA?!?!?Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome! KissEnglishPasto@Yahoo.com

Four stars because even though I remember the '60s, I definitely was there. Morgan! was a hot ticket back then, said to be one of the most brilliant wacky satires ever filmed.The reason: stylish and quirky direction, elegant and very fashionable Vanessa Redgrave, energetic David Warner, the exact opposite in looks and behavior of the Hollywood leading man.Unfortunately, that isn't enough to make a decent movie, though millions wanted to believe it was. The alleged humor isn't "over-the-top," it's forced and artificial. There is nothing engaging about the title character: he really is insane and potentially dangerous. His wife's love-hate relationship with him (make that "amusement-hate") is not only inexplicable by reason, it doesn't even contribute to the plot (such as it is). It's just a circumstance that wants to wow you but doesn't. The Trotskyite-Stalinist feud between Morgan and his mom seems like another pointless gimmick, though I suppose making an English Communist the main character near the height of the Cold War was calculated to give the movie some kind of edgy, transgressive feel. Like most everything else here, however, it becomes tedious and annoying after the first fifteen minutes.If you can possibly stay awake, it probably means you're loving it. I doubt there's a middle ground.A few months after the premier of "Morgan" came the American "Lord Love a Duck." It's got some serious flaws too, but if irreverent '60s, pre-hippie, madcap comedy-satire is what you want, I'd try that one. At least part of the time it's crazy fun.

In 1966 when I lived in London I fully expected to see this movie. Many of my friends, especially the girls, were raving about it. Funds diverted to beer, or girls, deprived me of the chance. So it has taken me nearly forty years to actually see it. Thoroughly of the time, and yet it must have seemed so radical even then. I watched it as a chaser to Alfie (Michael Caine) and it was interesting to compare the styles of two icons of British female acting, Redgrave and Asher, in one evening. Both movies dealt with serious and potentially unattractive issues; adultery, abortion, promiscuity and mental illness and injected enough humor into the screenplay to keep ones attention the while. I am prompted to revisit "Up the Junction" and " A Taste of Honey" with Rita Tushingham, another sixties icon.

David Warner is, to my mind, one of the most gifted actors working in films today. He is able to take just about any role in just about any film and invest it with life and interest. In fact, he is the sole reason to ever want to see a great number of films. That said, "Morgan" is a treat because it's one of the few films where Warner gets to play the lead. He doesn't get the girl and he's stark raving mad throughout, but he's still the lead.This film is very much of its time, but it's still quite enjoyable. Morgan's anarchist antics are always unpredictable and sweet in a psychotic kind of way. And considering the main character's obsession with gorillas, it's interesting to see the film now in light of Warner's appearance in Tim Burton's remake of "Planet of the Apes." Must have felt like deja vu to him.Recommended for David Warner fans and people who like their comedies a little off-kilter.