December 9, 2004
MarkBernstein.org
 

The Terminal

In 1938, The Terminal would have ended with the stewardess marrying Viktor Navorski who would become an American citizen and be welcomed to the free world.

In 1962, The Terminal would have ended with all the airport workers conspiring against management to escort Victor Navorsky to the nightclub of his father's dreams. Or maybe they'd have moved the nightclub into Idlewild.

In 2005, there would be no movie; Victor Navorsky would have been thrown in a Federal Prison for a few years and then sent home to Krakozia, where he'd become a leader in anti-American politics.

But, for the present, it's charming.