Gideon is an unusual film. Not because the plot material is that unusual (and, in a sense it is) but because it is a film that is character driven! My gosh, that's really unusual in these days of car chases, brutal murders, sexual peek-a-boos, etc. This is a film about PEOPLE! Just ordinary people doing ordinary things, except they are OLD (gee, another taboo that film makers seem to ignore -- people do get old -- it's a part of living). The fact they are old drives the story concerning a relative "youngster" named Gideon who comes to live with them in their retirement home. The simple approach that Gideon takes gives these people new hope. They no longer count the days till they die, Gideon awakens in them the joy of living again.
The cast (look at it, and see a whole lot of famous old stars) is absolutely wonderful, each doing an Oscar winning performance (but they'll not get the award because this film is too simple -- no "bang for the buck.") They will all make you laugh and they will make you cry and they will make you care about the character they protray. That's the secret of this straight-forward little film. You will REALLY CARE what happens to all these people. You will know them before Gideon transforms them, and afterward, and each will come out of their encounter with Gideon a better person than they were before they met him. I just wish that they would put this film on a DVD so I could add it to my collection. But, it is so obscure it's not even offered on video. What a shame -- it is a classic film in the grand tradition! If you haven't seen it, try somehow to see it -- but that's gonna be tough because it's just not available anywhere.
The cast (look at it, and see a whole lot of famous old stars) is absolutely wonderful, each doing an Oscar winning performance (but they'll not get the award because this film is too simple -- no "bang for the buck.") They will all make you laugh and they will make you cry and they will make you care about the character they protray. That's the secret of this straight-forward little film. You will REALLY CARE what happens to all these people. You will know them before Gideon transforms them, and afterward, and each will come out of their encounter with Gideon a better person than they were before they met him. I just wish that they would put this film on a DVD so I could add it to my collection. But, it is so obscure it's not even offered on video. What a shame -- it is a classic film in the grand tradition! If you haven't seen it, try somehow to see it -- but that's gonna be tough because it's just not available anywhere.