Movie review of Joe Gould's Secret

(Reviewer gives it a B+)<br><br>There was a time when profiles in "The New Yorker" were epic in scope. Joseph Mitchell's bookend pieces on New York Bohemian Joe Gould, published in 1942 and 1964, fill

Monday, April 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Reviewer gives it a B+)

There was a time when profiles in "The New Yorker" were epic in scope. Joseph Mitchell's bookend pieces on New York Bohemian Joe Gould, published in 1942 and 1964, fill a trade paperback of 186 pages. And thanks to Stanley Tucci, they now fill a moving, subtly philosophical feature film.

"Joe Gould's Secret" is about the relationship between a writer and his subject, and where that relationship might begin and end. The writer, Mr. Mitchell, was a generous, Southern-bred observer of human nature and one of the finest journalists we've seen. The subject, Mr. Gould, was a mercurial New York street character described by Mr. Mitchell as "an odd and penniless and unemployable little man who came to the city in 1916 and ducked and dodged and held on as hard as he could for over thirty-five years."

In telling their tale, Mr. Tucci, who directed and stars as Mr. Mitchell, conjures a highly romantic New York of the 1940s that tingles with vitality despite some dirt under the nails. He takes us to the bars, Bowery, boho parties and flophouses that Mr. Gould called home, and to the old "New Yorker" offices of Harold Ross (played with deadpan efficiency by Patrick Tovatt). In shaping "Joe Gould's" New York, production designer Andrew Jackness and crew have created a nostalgic, palpably pre-conglomerate feel of a cultural empire long gone.

Ian Holm charges and rants into the soul of Mr. Gould, disturbed and disheveled but for the most part anything but antisocial. Charming the tourists one moment, pulling his hair and squawking the next, the Shakesperean actor gets at the manic highs and lonely lows of a man whose brilliance is often hard to distinguish from his madness. He provides a sharp contrast to Mr. Tucci's genteel Mr. Mitchell, who goes home every night to his wife (Hope Davis), kids and relative peace of mind.

Mr. Gould's titular secret is the status of his "Oral History of Our Time," a collection of stories and overheard conversations culled from the masses. Supposedly 9 million words long, the oral history intrigues Mr. Mitchell enough that he's compelled to write at length about its author - even though the work itself is mysteriously spread out in obscure locations.

This relationship between two disparate thinkers lies at the heart of the film. Mr. Mitchell is fascinated by his new acquaintance, sympathetic and even helpful to his plight. But he's a writer, and he has other stories to get to. Mr. Gould, fueled by ego gratification even as he eschews all elements of bourgeoise lifestyle, looks with the eyes of a stubborn, hungry baby upon the man he calls his "biographer." In following the ebb and flow of their partnership, "Joe Gould's Secret" raises quietly provocative questions about what happens when people are seen as subject matter first, human beings second.

"Joe Gould's Secret" may feel slight to some; its substance is gradually teased out as the central relationship unfolds. Big moments are scarce. But they're not necessary here. This is a thoughtful film about the pleasures and perils of odd companionships and what we can learn from each other's experiences.