‘Terminal’ touches the heart

VAN NOVAK

A Steven Spielberg-Tom Hanks collaboration brings together what are

arguably America’s favorite director and actor. These two personify

the essence of “A-list” Hollywood and Spielberg has directed Hanks in

two of his better roles, “Saving Private Ryan” and “Catch Me If You

Can.” Despite the instant notoriety and buzz these two bring to a

project, their latest joint effort “The Terminal” turns out to be a

lovely, sweet and surprisingly unassuming film.

Hanks stars as Viktor Navorski, a tourist from the fictional

Eastern European country of Krakozia, who has just arrived for a

brief stay in New York. Although the purpose of his visit is unknown,

Viktor insists in very halting English that he must go to 161

Lexington Ave., the Manhattan Ramada Inn. Viktor’s visit has

something to do with the Planter’s Peanuts tin he takes with him

everywhere, the contents and significance of which is not revealed

until later.

Unbeknownst to Viktor, while he was in the air, a military coup

occurred in Krakozia and the new government is not recognized by the

United States. Accordingly, Viktor’s visa is revoked and his return

airline ticket and passport are confiscated. He is informed by the

no-nonsense supervisor of customs Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) that he

cannot leave the International Arrivals Lounge. Under house arrest of

sorts, Viktor is given meal vouchers he promptly loses and a

15-minute telephone calling card he does not know how to use.

The film basically tells of Viktor’s remarkable ability to survive

a ridiculous situation not of his own making. Dixon, a man who always

enforces the rules, has some sympathy for Viktor and even attempts to

look the other way while he wanders off or commits some infraction

that will allow him to become the responsibility of another

government agency. Unfortunately for Dixon, Viktor is too smart to be

tricked and too decent to break the rules himself.

When I first saw a trailer for “The Terminal,” I was a bit

concerned whether such a quintessentially American actor as Hanks

could carry a starring role as an Eastern European. As Hanks has

shown time and time again, however, he is capable of completely

inhabiting nearly any type of character and one soon accepts Viktor

as an old friend from a distant land. Everyone who comes into contact

with Viktor is immediately drawn to him and he receives abundant

assistance from the most unlikely sources.

Stanley Tucci is himself an accomplished actor and plays the

potentially unsympathetic role of Frank Dixon with the perfect

balance of rigidity and humanity. Seemingly uncomfortable with the

rule book, Dixon nonetheless becomes its primary enforcer.

Other supporting roles worthy of note are Catherine Zeta-Jones,

who plays the beautiful but sadly pathetic flight attendant Amelia.

Recognizing Viktor for the good man he is, she is nonetheless

repeatedly drawn back to her hopeless romance with a married man.

Barry Shabaka Henley plays Dixon’s airport security enforcer who is

torn between duty and his sympathy for Viktor’s plight. Chi McBride,

Diego Luna, and the hilarious Kumar Pallanatucci play various airport

workers that turn out to be Viktor’s main allies.

Of special note is the amazing set designed by Alex McDowell.

Built in a an airplane hanger big enough to hold two 747s, the set

contains all of the levels, escalators, retail shops, food courts,

security lines and passenger gates one sees at any international

airport. In a sense, this physical recreation is a throwback to an

era before computer generated effects. This remarkable set gives the

film a sense of realism that could not be achieved any other way.

I sincerely hope “The Terminal” has legs, and continues to

steadily generate box office revenue over the remainder of the

summer. In this field of juvenile comedies and special effects

extravaganzas, a touching and well-acted film such as this deserves

recognition and success.

* VAN NOVACK, 50, is the director of institutional research at Cal

State Long Beach and lives in Huntington Beach with his wife

Elizabeth.