News of the World

By: Anton Massopust III

“I’m taking her home,”

– Captain Kidd

Tom Hanks stars in the new Western, “News of the World.” Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) is a former Confederate Infantryman who travels from town to town in the Old West in 1870. During reconstruction after the Civil War Kidd delivers the news of the world. He reads the local and other newspapers from all over the world to people in many different ways as modern newscasters do today. People come to listen to Kidd who are too busy to read newspapers. They pay a dime if they want to sit and listen. In his travels, he runs into a young German girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel) who was captured by the American Indians and was being taken back to an aunt and uncle on a farm. Johanna’s escorts were ambushed, and she was all alone. Captain Kidd takes her first to Union authorities in hopes of reuniting her with her family, but the authorities stated either wait for the agent or find her family yourself. Kidd decides that the best thing to do is to take to her home to her family. Along the way, the two run into outlaws who want to use the girl for prostitution, but Kidd shoots his way out of it. They also run into a greedy Buffalo Baron, dust storms, and hardship.

This is an old-fashioned western movie. I love Tom Hanks. Captain Kidd is a very complicated character who has to deal with a lot of conflict. It is very similar to today’s strife. The more things change, the more they stay the same, even after the Civil War. There was lots of violence, unrest, disease, and uncertainty. Helena Zengel is very talented and also has to play a very complicated character. Johanna can only speak the Kiowa language and being shy and awkward she was perfect in the role.

The cinematography is beautiful with plains in the backdrop. The chemistry between the Hanks and Zengel is spot-on. I really love that the movie wasn’t too long or too complicated – just an old-fashioned story with two lost souls that eventually find each other. Watch on-demand. It is ready to stream right now. Enjoy!