“I sensed there was something I could learn from him that would save my marriage.”
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Synopsis:
A milquetoast (Jeff Bridges) married to the supremely spoiled daughter (Belinda Bauer) of an arrogant millionaire (Ned Beatty) is inspired by an aggressively virile man (David Allen Brooks) he sees at a party, and seeks help from a prostitute (Bianca Jagger) in gaining confidence to take on a new identity and carry out a heist at his father-in-law’s business.
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- Black Comedy
- Character Arc
- Heists
- Jeff Bridges Films
- Mistaken or Hidden Identities
- Ned Beatty Films
Review:
This obscure black comedy — written by Larry Cohen, and directed by William Richert, best known for helming the assassination paranoia flick Winter Kills (1979) — is a surreal ride through a rather simplistic premise, one that seems better suited for a short comedy sketch than a full-length feature. Nothing much happens here other than a man of questionable taste and morals seeking revenge on a raging narcissist; it’s all meant to be madcap and satirical, but falls pretty flat. I’m puzzled why Peary lists this title in GFTFF; it’s only recommended for diehard Bridges fans.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
- Jeff Bridges as Harry/Mac
Must See?
No. Listed as a Sleeper and a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.
Links:
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One thought on “American Success Company, The (1980)”
First viewing. Not must-see.
A mess – at least the cut version that I saw. IMDb lists a version of ‘TASC’ that runs about 15 minutes longer – apparently this is a film with a troubled history: re-edited, re-titled, etc.
But sometimes, even if a film has been cut, you can still tell from what remains that the work is intriguing – or it may even seem just about complete anyway. Or at least coherent…which isn’t the case here.
This is just crap.