Synopsis:
A successful middle-aged architect (John Cassavetes) breaks up with his actress wife (Gena Rowlands) and travels to Greece with his 13-year-old daughter Miranda (Molly Ringwald). When Rowlands and her gangster boyfriend (Vittorio Gassman) come after Miranda, Cassavettes flees to a remote Greek island with his daughter and his free-spirited new girlfriend, Aretha (Susan Sarandon).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming-of-Age
• Deserted Island
• Greece
• Mid-Life Crisis
• Paul Mazursky Films
• Paul Stewart Films
• Shakespeare
• Susan Sarandon Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary points out, Paul Mazursky’s unusual adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest (or, more accurately, its prequel) has “sophisticated dialogue”, “terrific ensemble” acting, and “some genuinely poignant two- and three-character scenes”. While Cassavetes’ character is irredeemably annoying, Sarandon is as winsome as always, and Ringwald is highly believable as young Miranda. Unfortunately, the story — which shifts back-and-forth both chronologically and geographically — is hard to follow, and there are far too many “long, self-conscious stretches”. It’s an interesting experiment, but ultimately not an entirely successful one.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Susan Sarandon, eminently watchable as always
  
• Molly Ringwald in a self-possessed film debut
  
• Gorgeous scenery of Greece
  

Must See?
No. This is an interesting modern interpretation of Shakespeare, but not essential viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review
• DVD Talk Review