Serial (1980)

Serial (1980)

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“You-ness. Me-ness. Us-ness. We-ness.”

Synopsis:
A Marin County husband (Martin Mull) and wife (Tuesday Weld) struggle to keep their marriage and family together in the midst of New Age temptations.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Christopher Lee Films
  • Counterculture
  • Marital Problems
  • Sally Kellerman Films
  • Satire
  • Tuesday Weld Films

Review:
I’ll admit to a fondness for this silly but frequently giggle-inducing satire about California’s post-hippie culture in the late 1970s (based on a novel by newspaper columnist Cyra McFadden), which mercilessly skewers some of the era’s more far-out fads and phenomenons — from teenagers joining Moonie cults, to psychobabbling pseudo-therapists, to “free love” in its many forms — all within the very particular socio-cultural milieu of upper-middle-class, primarily white Marin County. While the motley ensemble of characters (including Christopher Lee as a closeted gay weekend motorcyclist!) never emerge as more than simply iconic representations, they’re not really meant to: Martin Mull’s put-upon lawyer-husband-father is simply a representation of a “sane” reaction to the crazed-out world he finds himself and his family immersed in.

Not all the vignettes are equally humorous, but many are inspired — particularly those involving Sally Kellerman as a happily spaced-out mom whose son (Anthony Battaglia) is in continual psychotherapy with a coke-sniffing shyster therapist (Peter Bonerz); who asks her African-American maid (Ann Weldon) to shuck her uniform in order to look like an acquaintance rather than an employee; and who thinks nothing about engaging in casual serial marriage as a hobby. I wouldn’t call Serial a must-see comedy for all film fanatics, but it remains a personal wacky favorite.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Numerous humorous vignettes


Must See?
No, but it’s definitely recommended — and a personal “must see”.

Links:

Old Boyfriends (1979)

Old Boyfriends (1979)

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“You can’t just pick these things up again like a book you never finished.”

Synopsis:
A troubled psychologist (Talia Shire) hoping to understand herself better takes a road trip to reconnect with three of her former beaus — including a college boyfriend (Richard Jordan), a high school flame (John Belushi), and a childhood sweetheart.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Character Studies
  • John Belushi Films
  • Paul Schrader Films
  • Road Trip

Review:
The premise of this succinctly titled character study is compelling: who hasn’t fantasized at some point about revisiting one’s former lovers, and reassessing, in hindsight, what went wrong? Unfortunately, director Joan Tewkesbury — best known for writing Robert Altman’s Nashville (1975) and Thieves Like Us (1974) — fails to turn this intriguing narrative framework into a convincing drama. At the heart of the problem lies Shire’s performance, which is uneven and unfocused; sadly, we never grow to care about her character. Part of the issue also lies in Paul and Leonard Schrader’s screenplay: after an initial voice-over giving a cursory explanation of what Shire’s setting out to do and why, we’re plunged into her road trip without an opportunity to feel any investment in her or her dilemma. The surprisingly lame dialogue doesn’t help matters any either (Shire says to her womanizing ex-boyfriend Belushi — who now runs a formal wear company — “I always knew you’d get into women’s clothes – but this is ridiculous!” Ha.) Meanwhile, David Shire’s sumptuous but overused film score seems to belong to another movie entirely. Richard Jordan (playing Shire’s sympathetic almost-fiance from her college days) provides the film’s sole redeeming element, though his role is regrettably small, and his character’s actions don’t really ring all that true.

Note: Fans of John Belushi will certainly be interested to see his brief appearance here as a mega-louse; he acquits himself reasonably well.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Richard Jordan as Diane’s college flame

Must See?
No; feel free to skip this one.

Links:

Birds, The (1963)

Birds, The (1963)

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“It’s the end of the world.”

Synopsis:
A socialite (Tippi Hedren) pursues a lawyer (Rod Taylor) to his hometown of Bodega Bay, where birds are suddenly beginning to act hostile towards humans.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Hitchcock Films
  • Horror Films
  • Jessica Tandy Films
  • Killer Animals<
  • Rod Taylor Films
  • Small Town America
  • Tippi Hedren Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary notes that while this loose adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s short story “disappointed most everyone when it was released”, it’s now “justifiably regarded as one of Hitchcock’s true gems, an exciting, complex picture that is technically dazzling [and] extremely well written” — not to mention “ideal for viewers who enjoy digging for themes”. Indeed, given that none of the characters in the film “has an explanation for what is happening”, it’s possible to project numerous theories and metaphors onto the story: perhaps, as Peary writes, the film is attempting to portray a version of “Judgment Day”, or “perhaps the birds have just decided to reclaim their world from the intruding human species, who had proved to be cruel landlords”.

Peary himself asserts his belief “that the film is much like a Christian parable”, in which “the bird attacks serve to force humans to regain their humanness, to bring them closer together, to love one another” — given that each of the leading characters is shown to struggle with issues of trust and abandonment. He fittingly notes that, “when challenged by an alien force”, they “forget the barriers they had set up between themselves and come through for one another”, forming a “human flock” by the film’s disturbing, apocalyptic end.

Thematic concerns aside, The Birds remains one of Hitchcock’s most interesting experiments in horror; its pacing and overall timbre are unlike anything he attempted before or after. As Peary notes, the “film’s highlights are not necessarily the bird attacks” (though they’re terribly disturbing) “but how Hitchcock builds suspense prior to them”; and, unlike in his iconic thriller Psycho (1960), just for instance, no music at all is used to heighten emotions — just expertly sound engineered bird noises. Featuring a debut performance by Tippi Hedren that will “grow on you”:

… The Birds remains a worthy, unique entry in Hitchcock’s vast oeuvre, and is certainly must-see viewing for film fanatics.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fine Technicolor cinematography

  • Excellent use of location shooting in Bodega Bay

  • Many genuinely frightening scenes of terrorizing birds

  • Bernard Herrmann et al.’s eerily effective soundtrack (combining natural bird sounds with electronic sound effects)

Must See?
Yes, as one of Hitchcock’s most terrifying films.

Categories

  • Important Director

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

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Awful Truth, The (1937)

Awful Truth, The (1937)

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“You’ve come back and caught me in the truth — and there’s nothing less logical than the truth.”

Synopsis:
A husband (Cary Grant) and wife (Irene Dunne) seeking a divorce find that they’re actually still in love with one another.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cary Grant Films
  • Divorce
  • Irene Dunne Films
  • Leo McCarey Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Ralph Bellamy Films
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Winning Him/Her Back

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, “there’s nothing special” about the story underlying this beloved screwball comedy about a divorcing socialite couple who are too prideful to admit that they really still love each other — but it remains an enduring treat due to its “terrific” stars (Grant and Dunne) who make “amusing lines sound downright sophisticated”, and who fearlessly employ both improvisation and physical comedy. Indeed, in his Alternate Oscars book, Peary gives both Dunne and Grant awards as best actor and actress of the year, thus duly acknowledging their expert comedic work in the film. In …Oscars, he argues that while Grant’s ghostly character in the same year’s Topper was simply irritating (as is that entire film, truth be told), his “Jerry” in The Awful Truth “remains likable even when deliberately annoying Lucy [Dunne] or the other men in Lucy’s life”. And, while he’s consistently charming, Grant is “never afraid to be the total fool” — as in the classic top hat sequence (surely inspired by director Leo McCarey’s earlier work with Laurel and Hardy), or when he’s “putting on” Dunne’s unsophisticated new love interest (Ralph Bellamy).

As for Dunne, while she’s never been a favorite actress of mine, she is indeed (in Peary’s words) “charming and funny” in this film, as she gamely “[lets] fly with one-liners”, and “has a field day showing there’s fire under her ladylike facade”. Bellamy deserves special note as well for his pitch perfect portrayal of a “dull, mother-dominated” bumpkin; as DVD Savant puts it, “Bellamy deserved an Oscar for the self-effacing thankless performances he provided” in this and His Girl Friday (1940). Watch for plenty of humorous moments sprinkled throughout the otherwise predictable screenplay — including the truly inspired final bedroom scene, featuring the most creative use of a cuckoo clock in a film — ever.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Cary Grant as Jerry Warriner
  • Irene Dunne as Lucy Warriner
  • Ralph Bellamy as Dan Leeson
  • Plenty of hilarious, largely improvised sequences


  • The final “bedroom scene”

Must See?
Yes, as a fine screwball classic.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

His Girl Friday (1940)

His Girl Friday (1940)

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“Walter, you’re wonderful — in a loathsome sort of way.”

Synopsis:
A newspaper editor (Cary Grant) tries anything and everything to win back his ex-wife (Rosalind Russell) from her new fiance (Ralph Bellamy).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Career-versus-Marriage
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Feminism and Women’s Issues
  • Howard Hawks Films
  • John Qualen Films
  • Journalists
  • Love Triangle
  • Play Adapation
  • Political Corruption
  • Ralph Bellamy Films
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Rosalind Russell Films
  • Strong Females
  • Winning Him/Her Back

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary is appropriately impressed by this “brilliantly acted, frantically paced screwball comedy”, which reworks “[Ben] Hecht and [Charles] MacArthur’s famous newspaper play, The Front Page” by recasting the lead character of Hildy Johnson as a woman. As Peary notes, the film (expertly directed by Howard Hawks) “is famous for chaotic, overlapping dialogue”, which is both wickedly funny and pointedly satirical — indeed, you’ll need to watch the film at least a few times to begin to catch all the nuances of its rapidfire, densely packed script. As DVD Savant puts it, “His Girl Friday is not a picture to see if one has a slight headache” — you’ll keep feeling, rightly so, like you’ve missed something.

Indeed, His Girl Friday covers a plethora of narrative bases: not only is it arguably the most famous “newspaper drama” in cinematic existence (it makes journalism look like the most exciting profession EVER), but it relates a satisfyingly humorous love triangle (poor Bellamy never stands a chance), as well as a deeply cynical tale of political corruption. Perhaps most notably, however, His Girl Friday showcases the very real conflict many women feel when faced with the prospect of career-versus-marriage. Hildy “thinks she wants a home, as all women are supposed to”, and assertively tells her fellow newsmen that she wants to “be a woman, not a news-getting machine… [to] have babies and take care of them, give ’em cod liver oil and watch their teeth grow” (!!!). Yet she’s clearly still addicted to the rush of the newsroom — and, in this particular social universe, she must make a choice. Peary astutely argues, however, that the “film is not so much about the traditional battle of the sexes as it is about sexual differentiation”; he notes that “when characters put their guards down, they take on characteristics of the opposite sex”, with “the tough-talking male reporters [becoming] as gossipy as a women’s bridge group”, and Hildy happily “exchanging insults with Walter”.

Adding to the success of this tautly scripted, directed, and edited film are standout performances by both Grant and Russell, who are at the top of their game, and perfectly matched for each other. Grant — who reminds me more than ever here of George Clooney — is “exceptional, particularly doing physical comedy”; it’s enjoyable to watch him in a “rare” role as “the aggressor in a relationship, rather than a befuddled suitor”. Meanwhile, Russell “is dynamic… [and] unabashed as [a] cunning, bawdy, aggressive, cigarette-smoking, unladylike female”. As Peary notes, “it’s a shame she wasn’t offered such parts more often”; interestingly, however, Russell was far from Hawks’ first choice for the role — he wanted Carole Lombard. Be sure to check out all of TCM’s online articles for more juicy behind-the-scenes trivia about this fabled film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson; Peary deservedly names her Best Actress of the Year in his Alternate Oscars
  • Cary Grant as Walter Burns (nominated by Peary as Best Actor of the Year)
  • Ralph Bellamy as Bruce
  • Charles Lederer’s brilliantly rapidfire script
  • Priceless dialogue:

    “Take Hitler and stick him on the funny page.”

Must See?
Absolutely — numerous times. Nominated as one of the Best Pictures of the Year in Peary’s Alternate Oscars.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic
  • Important Director

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

Swarm, The (1978)

Swarm, The (1978)

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“Oh, my God — bees, bees, millions of bees!”

Synopsis:
A renowned entomologist (Michael Caine) clashes with a military general (Richard Widmark) over how to deal with an attack by killer bees.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Ben Johnson Films
  • Cameron Mitchell Films
  • Disaster Flicks
  • Fred MacMurray Films
  • Henry Fonda Films
  • Jose Ferrer Films
  • Katharine Ross Films
  • Killer Animals
  • Lee Grant Films
  • Michael Caine Films
  • Olivia de Havilland Films
  • Richard Chamberlain Films
  • Richard Widmark Films
  • Scientists

Review:
Helmed by famed “Master of Disaster” Irwin Allen (producer of The Poseiden Adventure and The Towering Inferno), The Swarm is an astonishingly boring mess of trite dialogue, ridiculous scenarios, and embarrassing performances by a host of big-name, Oscar-winning actors who should have known better than to attach themselves to this project. Those who argue that Michael Caine is incapable of giving a bad performance, for instance, need look no further than his role here as the film’s Hero, Dr. Crane. Meanwhile, he’s matched by Katherine Ross’s outrageously wooden performance as the requisite Beautiful Female Doctor who conveniently serves as Crane’s Love Interest; she possesses not a shred of conviction in this role. Aging screen legends Olivia De Havilland, Fred McMurray, and Ben Johnson try gamely, but ultimately embarrass themselves in an utterly gratuitous “romantic triangle” subplot.

Faring only marginally better are Richard Widmark as the Crusty General (Caine’s central nemesis):

and Henry Fonda as a Renowned Scientist who may or may not be able to develop an antidote to the killer bees’ venom.

Other big names (Lee Grant as The Newscaster, Patty Duke as The Pregnant Woman in Distress, etc.) have such inconsequential roles that they’re barely worth mentioning.

Fortunately, The Swarm is just bad enough to provide some unintentional chuckles throughout its otherwise unendurable running time. Allen’s use of slow-motion at critical attack times — the initial Idyllic Picnic Scene, for instance, or the Schoolyard Deluge — is good for a few laughs, as is Widmark’s consistent labeling of the bees as “Africans”, which provides a jaw-droppingly offensive commentary throughout the film: “By tomorrow there will be no more Africans — at least not in the Houston sector.” Much less amusing is Allen’s deathly slow pacing, which effectively nullifies any potential for terror the film may have possessed.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Unintentionally campy performances and dialogue


  • A few mildly freaky scenes of “killer bees” (though they’re too little, too late)

Must See?
No, unless you’re curious. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

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“I’m just like a piece of meat that keeps on living.”

Synopsis:
A WWI veteran (Timothy Bottoms) without limbs, face, or ears finds renewed hope when a kind nurse (Diane Varsi) attempts to communicate with him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Donald Sutherland Films
  • Flashback Films
  • Jason Robards Films
  • Living Nightmare
  • Veterans
  • World War One

Response to Peary’s Review:
In his review of Dalton Trumbo’s adaptation of his own 1939 novel, Peary provides some interesting historical context, noting that while the “film won several awards at Cannes,” it “died at the box office in the U.S.”, given that “those viewers who found it as devastating as the novel and became emotionally attached to it were far outnumbered by those who found it morbid and pretentious” (c.f. New York Times reviewer Roger Greenspun’s opinion that it’s “a mess of cliched, imprecise sentimentalizing and fantasizing … [and] a stultifyingly bad movie.”) Peary goes on to conjecture that perhaps audiences in 1971 weren’t interested in anti-war films that didn’t deal specifically with Vietnam, and notes that “today, when so many films glorify war, Trumbo’s pacificism can better be appreciated”.

Indeed, as a fan of the novel, I believe Trumbo does a remarkably effective job translating his seemingly unfilmable first-person narrative into a frightening cautionary tale. By interspersing color flashbacks and fantasy sequences into his real-time b&w horror story of doughboy Joe Bonham — who became a “basket case… as the result of an explosion” on the final day of WWI, but retains full consciousness — Trumbo avoids miring the film in relentless gloom. Particularly intriguing are those fantasy sequences in which Bonham chats with an “ineffectual” Jesus Christ (Donald Sutherland), who agrees that his case is pretty hopeless. (Apparently these scenes were inspired by Luis Bunuel, Trumbo’s first choice to direct the film.) The movie’s final moments are truly chilling — be forewarned.

Note: This would make a compelling double bill (for viewers up to the emotional challenge) with Julian Schnabel’s similarly themed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Memorable imagery
  • Donald Sutherland as Jesus
  • An undeniably bleak and powerful narrative

Must See?
Yes, as a powerful anti-war film.

Categories

  • Good Show

Links:

Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973)

Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973)

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“They’re dropping like flies, Agar — they’re dropping like flies.”

Synopsis:
An FBI agent (William Smith) enlists the help of a beautiful scientist (Victoria Vetri) while investigating a rash of mysterious deaths in a small California town.

Genres:

  • Femmes Fatales
  • Horror
  • Insects
  • Scientists

Response to Peary’s Review:
This B-level serio-comic horror flick about a government agent (William Smith) sent to investigate “the deaths of several male scientists at [a] California institute conducting radiation experimentation” — all of whom “die from coronaries while having sexual intercourse” — is, as Peary notes, not quite as campy or “as much fun as its reputation would have you believe”. Nicholas Meyer’s script — while meant to be “tongue in cheek” — is taken far too seriously, instead merely providing a platform for exploiting female nudity (including a disturbingly gratuitous near-rape scene), and tapping into men’s fears about the destructive powers of sex. However, the film is somewhat redeemed by its utterly ludicrous premise, its eerie low-budget “special effects” (dark contacts transform the Bee Girls’ eyes into freaky black pits), a catchy score by Charles Bernstein, and “a memorably bizarre sequence in which thousands of bees encase a nude woman in a cocoon” as she transforms into a Bee Girl. Ew!

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Campy but effective low-budget visuals

  • The trippy “transformation” scene
  • Charles Bernstein’s score

Must See?
No, but you may be curious to check it out.

Links:

Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985)

Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985)

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“You’ve got no business being on the road, kid.”

Synopsis:
During the Depression, a motherless teen (Meredith Salenger) embarks on a journey to find her father (Ray Wise), who has gone to Seattle for a logging job.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Coming-of-Age
  • Depression Era
  • Pets
  • Road Trip
  • Search
  • Verna Bloom Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
The opening line to Peary’s review of this live-action Disney feature is both intriguing and compelling: “Forget about art films for one night and gather the family for this enjoyable adventure movie”, he writes. Peary contends that while “nothing we see [in the film] is particularly surprising”, it’s nonetheless “well directed”, “intelligently scripted”, and “extremely well cast”, with Salenger’s “natural, very appealing delivery” making her plucky protagonist “easy to root for”. Peary’s assessment rings mostly true: despite being predictable and contrived at times — Natty’s relationship with a pet wolf, for instance, seems merely like an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of Never Cry Wolf (1983) — we quickly learn to care for Salenger’s Natty, and wish her luck as she struggles to reach her beloved dad (nicely played by Ray Wise).

In addition, older kids and teens will benefit from seeing a depiction of life during the Depression that accurately portrays the extreme hardships suffered by employees (the film is pro-union) and their families, who were very often torn apart as Natty and her father are. And, just as I was starting to wonder if Disney wasn’t perhaps sugar-coating the dangers of an attractive teen like Natty traveling on her own across the country, she’s propositioned by an unsavory middle-aged driver, and must flee for safety. Indeed, …Natty Gann really isn’t suitable for younger kids, so be forewarned.

Note: Those looking forward to seeing John Cusack in an early role (he plays Natty’s nominal love interest) should note that he’s not given much screen time; he shows up near the beginning, then disappears until the final half hour of the film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Meredith Salenger as Natty
  • Fine location cinematography
  • An effective depiction of Depression-era economic hardships

Must See?
No, but it’s a worthy family film.

Links:

Other Side of the Mountain, The (1975)

Other Side of the Mountain, The (1975)

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“I think the hardest time is waking up in the morning — those moments before I remember who I am, and think instead about who I was.”

Synopsis:
An Olympic hopeful (Marilyn Hassett) becomes paralyzed in a skiing accident, and struggles to create a meaningful new life for herself.

Genres:

  • Beau Bridges Films
  • Biopics
  • Disabilities
  • Flashback Films
  • Romance

Review:
This flashback biopic about real-life skier Jill Kinmont’s tragic, paralyzing accident — and her subsequent romance with a fellow skier (Beau Bridges) who refuses to let her feel sorry for herself — is essentially a glorified disease-of-the-week TV movie, featuring slightly higher quality performances and made with a bit more care. Fortunately, Hassett is an appealing lead (we can’t help rooting for her), and both her post-accident recovery and her tenuous relationship with Bridges (a reckless but oddly seductive daredevil):

… are handled sensitively. Yet knowing Kinmont’s fate ahead of time dampens the lengthy, snow-filled exposition of the film, as teenage Hassett engages in run after run:

… and we’re kept cringing on the edge of our seats as we wonder which one will finally lead to The Accident. Plus, the surprisingly bleak ending is a bit of a downer, after how invested we’ve become in Kinmont’s post-accident happiness.

With all that said, the film provides an interesting sociological perspective on the lack of basic human rights afforded to disabled Americans before the American Civil Rights Act of 1964; we learn that because of being in a wheelchair, Kinmont wasn’t able to secure a job as a teacher in the majority of schools across the country, and had to fight to find a school that would accept her before she could be granted a teaching license. Given that she went on to become a well-known educator in her hometown of Bishop, California (with a school named after her), this remains a fascinating bit of educational history.

Watch for fine supporting performances by Nan Martin and William Bryant as Kinmont’s concerned parents:

… and Dabney Coleman (!) as her skiing coach.

Note: I haven’t see the follow-up film (the not-very-creatively named OSOTM, Part 2), but apparently it continues where this one leaves off, starring Hassett and several of her co-stars once again.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Marilyn Hassett as Jill
  • Jill’s struggle to regain the use of her limbs

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look if you’re in the mood for this kind of soaper. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

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