Cheap Scent of a Woman (Widescreen Edition) (Video) (Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell) (Martin Brest) Price

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Customer Reviews of Scent of a Woman (Widescreen Edition)

Charlie(O' Donnell) takes a job caring for Slade(Pacino), a washed-up, decorated military man who clings to his Jack Daniels, so he can earn enough money to go home for the Christmas Holidays. Along the way, Slade takes the young man through different turns during the Thanksgiving Day weekend in New York City not knowing what the boy will expect. While the unpredictable occurs, Charlie contemplates his fate with his school honor--a conflict of interest with who is your real friends and who are not.

The entire movie wraps around relationships and how strangers can make a difference in a little over 2 hours and 37 minutes. For one weekend, Charlie and Slade discover that they need each other more than they thought, with different circumstances. You'd have to see the movie to know what I'm talking about, especially the finale.

The director, Martin Brest(Beverly Hills Cop and Meet Joe Black), has the knack of bringing out the best in the characters even in unpleasant situations. The soft sides always show in those who don't appear to have it.

If this film had a theme it would be, living is worth living.

One of This Decade's Best Films
I have probably watched "Scent of A Woman" thirty times. I find it one of those movies that becomes hypnotic a few minutes into it. Al Pacino is absolutely outstanding in the role of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, retired from the U.S. Army. Slade, blinded by a drinking/grenade game he was playing with one of his drinking buddies, is now living as an embittered alcoholic with an adult niece, her husband and two little children. He is an arrogant, angry man used to issuing orders and not displaying very much gratitude or affection.

Charlie Simms, played well by Chris O'Donnell, is a scholarship at a nearby prep school in the same town in New Hampshire where Slade lives. Charlie's trying to earn some money over the Thanksgiving weekend so that he can travel home to his parents in Oregon at the Christmas break.He discovers an ad placed by Slade's niece to care for her blind uncle over the Thanksgiving break so that she can travel with her husband and kids to Albany, New York for Thanksgiving with her in-laws.Charlie answers the ad and the adventure quickly develops.

Slade has his own plans for Thanksgiving. A last big blowout in New York City before killing himself.

He is abusive to Charlie at first and acts as if he is one of his military aides. He doesn't let him in on his plans until it's practically time to leave for New York -- while Charlie had been told by Slade's niece that the weekend would be at her home looking after her uncle.

A beautiful bonding begins as Slade and Simms interact and except for his anger and bitterness, it is obvious that Slade is not particularly handicapped by his blindness as he has developed an extra few "senses" which make him seem remarkable.

The journey to New York is a roller coaster of emotion from comic to touching to almost tragic. When Slade finally decides to kill himself, Charlie manages to save the day -- although it's pretty touch and go keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Charlie has problems of his own. He's not particularly self confident and Slade is tremendously intimidating. Charlie's other problems center around an incident at school which places him at a crossroads -- whether he should rat on some kids at school at the headmaster's own brand of intimidation, or face expulsion.

The movie concludes with an impassioned speech by Colonel Slade on Charlie' behalf before a school-wide assembly being held for a disciplinary committee hearing on the incident Charlie has knowledge of.

Simms remains true to himself and proves himself to show new confidence and an outstanding sense of personal integrity.

Slade has also benefited by his own plans gone awry and his opening a window of care for Charlie as another human being. He emerges as a sign of hope to overcome his bitterness, anger and alcoholism.

An absolutely remarkable film!!!

My Two Scents
Actor Al Pacino has amassed quite a stellar career over the years, filled with strong performances, that make him one of the best at what he does. He skills, magnetism, and range put him at the top of my favorites lists. For 1992's Scent Of A Woman he hits another high point, winning an Oscar, and alowing a relative newcomer to earn his acting chops, working with a master.

Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell) is a young scholarship student at an exclusive prep school in New Hampshire who agrees to look after Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a blind retired army officer, to earn extra money over the Thanksgiving break. Frank is an acid tongued and cynical bully who completely suprises Charlie with his plans for their weekend together. He has bought them tickets to New York, booked a suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and rented a limousine, all to take the Big Apple by storm. Before Charlie realizes what he has gotten into, he is accompanying the colonel around Manhattan as they begin their wild and eye-opening adventures that include a fast-paced test drive in a Ferrari and a tango with a beautiful woman (Gabrielle Anwar). Frank's passion is women; he waxes lyrically on their bodies, scent, and sensuality, and gradually Charlie becomes aware of the sentimental romantic buried deep within the lonely man's heart.

Directed by Martin Brest, the film is nearly pitch perfect, with Pacino commanding the screen. Even though, I know Pacino isn't really blind--he plays the disability very well. By the end, I couldn't imagine another actor, playing it as "real" as he did. I thought O'Donnell was also quite impressive holding his own oppossite Pacino. The script from Bo Goldman has drama, humor and is very organic. The only minor problem I had was the film's very end. A bit predictable if you ask me...

The film deserves to have an upgrade to special edition status. The current DVD has little in the way of extras. I wanted more. There's only a few production notes and cast biographies on the disc. Not even the theatrical trailer made the extras. Until a special edition is a reality, the film is still a must see, even in its current form on DVD.