Scent of a woman’s story is based upon a blind, annoyed and miserable army man’s (retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade) last journey, in the end of which he plans to end his life. A last rendezvous with life’s luxuries, spending his savings before he departs this world. Fortunately, a young Baird school student is appointed by Frank’s daughter to accompany and take care of him for the weekend.
The beauty of this film is that its story is fairly simple and does not include many of the factors that make up an average 20th century Hollywood film. It does not contain many twists and climaxes, besides the fact that in the nearly end the Lieutenant is convinced by his young guardian to not take his own life. The two main characters who are truly quite diverse personalities in this film embark through a very amusing journey to become men who respect and value each other in the end. The main conflict in this film is the fight between ethics and immorality. An ethical dilemma faced by a young man becoming a adult, in the practical world. A world that does not reward principles and values instead ridicules and bullies people who take the path of honesty and integrity. As the narrative unfolds, Frank actions and his plans start to have an effect on Charles. Who is unintentionally involved in Franks plans while he has his own predicaments to look after. As the story, the dialogues and the characters of this film are very genuine and powerful. Such a script is rarely seen in the film world, as genuine as Scent of a woman, till a film named Pursuit of Happyness (starring Will Smith) came along. Films such as Scent of a woman inflict pathos in the harts of the viewer, as they are very realistic. One would not be much surprised if this story was based on a true story. If a movie goer fancies films that are simple yet so powerful, because of the way it was made, the way a certain actor portrayed the character, the dialogues and all the factors that make up a good film, which after viewing you take a sigh and say that was a good film, then Scent of a woman is a must see.
Another reason for which this particular film is preferred is the acting and how the main character, retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, is so in depth and the way he develops and learns from his young guardian. Frank even helps his younger confidant out in the end by confronting the headmaster in the court and defending Charles’ integrity and loyalty, for not selling his friends out for a better future. Al Pacino delivers every scene in this film with such intensity that it allures the viewer to stay glued to the screen and not even miss one scene, with motif phrases like “Hoo-Haa!” The character of Frank is a complicated one, a character that inherits many complications. As he is blind, haunted by his past, a retired army man, perverted, vulgar, and offensive and moving at the same time. A character such as this would be very hard for any actor to conceive, but Al Pacino, being a character actor himself aced it and in my opinion that was the reason for this films success, as it was a strongly character based film. This film is to Al Pacino’s fans, what Pulp Fiction is to Quentin Tarentino’s fans or what Ace Ventura: Pet detective is to Jim Carrey’s fans. Therefore, one must watch Scent of a woman to admire the great acting abilities of one of the greatest Hollywood actors of all time’s best ever performance according to the Oscars and many of his fans.
Many of the films that are released of genres such as comedy, horror, action and so on, are films that are viewed and then forgotten. Indicating that these films are just so that the viewer is entertained for the screening time and then goes back home with nothing, no sense of achievement. Films that are close to our culture, close to our being and our neighbors, indulge us in them, such suspension of disbelief and expositions about the character we get attached to are rather different. Such films can be viewed time after time, so that the film lover can appreciate them, feel what we felt when he saw them first; that first look, that first laugh or tear or any other emotion we felt during the screening. Scent of a woman is such a film, viewing after which, one goes back home with a thought. One example of this is the character building Frank Slade, who is portrayed as an average asshole of our society at start, but later on reveals to be a devastated soul who had principles and values at a time. That life had broken him down, and had made him the asshole he was now. However, he gains conscience and regrets his doings in the end of the story and helps Charles battle for the right and wins once, at least. Therefore, this film can be viewed for it is one of the best character building stories of all time. A media product that is not bound to time, a film like this only comes once in a blue moon. A timeless film any generations of any country can see and appreciate. With phrases and dialogues that spark such intense emotions from the viewer, every actors and screen play writers try to attain.
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Scent of a woman is a classic for many reasons and should be viewed by every film student or admirer of any generation to experience what talented film making and this art is about.
AUTHOR NAME: FAHAD SHAH (KARACHI)
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