Well made? Yes. Beautifully shot? Sure. Gorgeous cast? You betcha. Hokey, tear-jerking schmaltz? Admittedly so, but who gives a damn when you can see Eddie Albert in his pre-Green Acres days? Sure, it isn’t the most manly film you could ever watch, but Commando can’t claim to have been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, directed by William Wyler or have Gregory Peck as its lead. Frankly there’s something for everyone in this flick, and not just the ladies, although it’s rare to find a woman who doesn’t love this movie. What can be more escapist than watching a beautiful princess sneak away for a anonymous romp in 1953 Rome, only to fall for a handsome reporter whose profit-minded intentions weaken under the weight of her charms? Did we mention Eddie Albert’s in it? Catch it at Durham’s Carolina Theatre Tuesday, before your own holiday begins. See “Special Showings” for details.
