Henry & Verlin

((CANADIAN))

An Original Motion Picture Co./Act of God Prods. presentation. Produced by John Board. Executive producer, Simon Board. Directed, written by Gary Ledbetter , based on Ken Ledbetter's stories.

Henry ... Gary Farmer
Verlin ... Keegan Macintosh
Minnie ... Nancy Beatty
Ferris ... Robert Joy
Agnes ... Joan Orenstein
Lovejoy ... Eric Peterson
Mabel ... Margot Kidder
Doc Fisher ...David Cronenberg

Sensitive handling of touchy issues and superb acting elevate "Henry & Verlin ," a compassionate story of the unusual friendship between a childlike uncle and his equally problematic nephew, a notch or two above the level of sentimental American TV movie melodramas. Though predictable, film's inspirational human values, preaching for greater tolerance and acceptance, should make it accessible to audiences beyond Canadian borders.

Set in rural Ontario during the Great Depression, tale revolves around Verlin (Keegan Macintosh) a 9-year-old boy who doesn't talk. Annoyed by his inability to communicate, Verlin's mother, Minnie (Nancy Beatty), takes the boy to a doctor (self-effacingly played by David Cronenberg), all the while accusing her husband, Ferris (Robert Joy), of passivity and indifference. Things change when Ferris' brother Henry (Gary Farmer) befriends Verlin and pulls him away from his overly protective family. In pic's best sequences, Henry teaches Verlin the small pleasures of life, like rolling cigarettes, stealing chickens and running in the open fields.

Together, they visit Mabel (Margot Kidder), a retired, physically disabled prostitute who lives on the outskirts of town. Soon the three form the kind of intimate bond that exists among social outcasts, much to the resentment of the small town's reactionary forces.

Adapting his father's stories to the screen, writer/director Gary Ledbetter piles up a large number of melodramatic events and obstacles, such as Henry accidentally setting a barn on fire or being beaten by town thugs, to prevent the two misfits from developing their unique attachment.

Pic's emotional convulsions are decisively structured and, happily, only a few scenes have the tear-jerking desperation associated with the genre.

The big, childlike Henry, who bears a resemblance to Lenny in Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," is superbly embodied by Farmer, who's particularly effective at conveying the innocent naivete of such a man. The strong chemistry between Farmer and Macintosh, who plays Verlin in a natural manner, promotes the story's likability.

Kidder gives one of her more impressive performances in a flashy role that's extremely well-written. As the parents, Joy and Beatty are stuck with the plot's unconvincing portion, which they carry modestly and credibly.

Handsome tech credits compensate for film's predictability and overly broad brush strokes. Paul van der Linden's crisp lensing and Lillian Sarafinchan's imaginative design are lush and evocative, especially in the big nature scenes that contribute to the feel of a specific time and place. Mark Korven's rousing score also helps.

Camera (color), Paul van der Linden; editor, Miume Jan Eramo; music, Mark Korven; production design, Lillian Sarafinchan; costume design, Nancy McHugh; sound, Eramo; associate producer, Jean Stawarz; casting, Dorothy Gardner. Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival, Sept. 11, 1994. Running time: 87 MIN.

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