Scent of a Woman: A riveting story of hope, and redemption from despair

There are few films that I consider to be truly great. I don't mean 'great' in the pedestrian sense of "that's great." I'm talking "true greatness."

Scent of a Woman has true greatness.

It has everything that a timeless classic should have. Unforgettable characters, superb acting, a script that is profound and moving; heartwarming at times and heartrending at others. Music that accents each moment perfectly and is never obtrusive. Scenes that are so perfectly directed and edited and imbued with such powerful emotions that they leave indelible impressions on the mind and heart.

Scent of a Woman revolves around two main characters: Lieutenant Colonel Frank R. Slade (played by Al Pacino) and prep school student Charlie Simms (played by Chris O'Donnel.)

Take a moment to step into the internal world of Col. Frank Slade. Take a look around. See anything? You won't, because Col. Slade is blind. His sight was taken from in in a freak accident some five years before.

Col. Slade is a man accustomed to power, to barking orders and taking charge in every situation. Even in his prime, he was impossible to live with. Now, years later, he's blind, "handicapped", and living at the behest of others. He has not adjusted gracefully to this setback.

Now meet Charlie Simms. Charlie is an honor student attending Baird prep school. Unlike the other Baird boys, his family is not wealthy, so he's on financial aid. He's a quiet, introspective and kindhearted young man. He's also very intelligent. He needs an easy weekend job to make some extra money. He see's an ad to housesit a disabled man over the weekend, so he investigates it. The man in need of sitting is Col. Slade, of course.

Charlie's first encounter with the Colonel is a memorable one, as the Colonel gives him firsthand experience of what a military "dressing down" is like delivered at an extremely loud volume. Charlie is obviously a bit put off by this, but the Colonel's family and caretakers plead with him, so he takes the job. Little does he realize that Col. Slade has his own plans, and they don't involve sitting around being baby sat.

Once his family leaves, Col. Slade bullies Charlie into accompanying him on a flight to New York by sheer force of his personality. Charlie attempts to resist, but he is simply outmanuevered by the wiley Col. Slade. Col Slade explains to Charlie that he going to New York to take "a little tour of pleasures" that he has been denied by his condition. With much persuasion, Charlie finally agrees to go.

Charlie's first impression of Col. Slade is that he is loud, crude, egotistical and highly antagonistic. But as Charlie helps the Colonel navigate from one first class New York locale to another, he and the Colonel gradually develop a strong mutual respect. Over time, he discovers that the Colonel does have a heart, and can in fact be very charming (especially if there's a lady around.)

But despite this, Charley has not seen the worst yet. Eventually, he must confront the Colonel's most deeply hidden fears and outrage concerning his inability to function as he once did. This moment in the movie is *charged* with emotion as both Pacino and O'Donnel deliver riveting performances. In fact, there are so many standout performances in this movie that the Motion Picture Association should slap it with an anti-trust suit ;)

Another thing this film does exceptionally well is balance the characters of Frank Slade and Charlie Simms. Slade is an outspoken, overbearing bully who has grown weary of the world and with his own failures. Charlie is an earnest and kindly young man who believes that all mistakes can be made right. When they first meet, it seems clear that there is a major power imbalance, with Col. Slade brutally running over Charlie's quiet protestations. But as these two get to know one another better, it becomes clear to both the viewer and to Col. Slade that Charlie possesses great strength, but it is a quieter strength than the Colonels. It is the strength of true integrity and conviction. There are many beautiful scenes where these two men discover profound truths about themselves and each other as a result of their conflicts.

Scent of a Woman is a rare and beautiful movie. It's a movie about how one man is lost in despair, and how a younger man helps him find his way. There are so many outstanding aspects to this movie that I could go on for pages, but instead I'll just ask you to watch it. Prepare to be amazed.