Reviews (34)

A Matthau Gem... Shall We Say "Diamond?"
The great Walter Matthau (all saggy jowls) plays Buttermaker, an ex-pitcher turned pool cleaner who tools around all day on his jobs in a chop-top station wagon with a cooler of beer in the backseat. A local businessman talks (with money) Buttermaker into coaching a youth-league team of castaways. Seems this is one community that takes its youth league baseball seriously. A little too seriously.

What follows is the familiar plot of a bunch of underdog kids coming together as the "Team Nobody Believed In" and contending for the championship against a team that represents everything that's wrong when parents spoil simple pleasures for their children (the Yankees, coached by Vic Morrow, in a neatly-observed performance). Look, I don't know if "Bears" even did it first, but this movie certainly does it best, and without the labored sentimentality of its progeny.

"Bears" never turns cartoonish. It captures just the right atmosphere- slanting, late afternoon sunlight during the games, the bikes parked behind the dugouts, the post-game chants. The kids, led by Tatum O'Neal and Jackie Earle Haley all perform well, and each has a sharply defined personality. Even Morrow, as Buttermaker's antagonist, isn't portrayed as bad or evil- just a guy with misplaced priorities that make him act like a jerk.

But Matthau makes this movie, conning kids into making martinis for him and cleaning pools while he regales them with increasingly drunken stories of his baseball glory days... until he passes out on the mound in a litter of beer cans. Matthau plays Buttermaker as a modern day loser who discovers (eventually) he still has a better nature.

Bright, smart and funny, "The Bad News Bears" is a joy to watch, full of quick-witted exchanges and even heartbreak. If you've seen one too many "Mighty Ducks" flicks, do yourself a favor and watch this one. It goes down as smooth as one of Buttermaker's ice cold ones on a hot afternoon.

And look for that kid who played Eddie in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" as Morrow's son and the Yankees' star pitcher. He has a ballpark epiphany that's true and heartbreaking. Just another aspect of this marvelous little movie.

Good News for the Bad News Bears
A great movie that hits it mark..unfortunately sprung two terrible sequels. THE BAD NEWS BEARS is a social commentary about when kids are taken out of the sandlot (which is more fun when kids are left to play among themselves) and organized by adults to play little league baseball and the result is chaos. Walter Matthau in one of his signature roles as coach Buttermaker (he even reprised the role in a parody of the film on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, in the now classic and hilarious BAD NEWS BEES sketch). Matthau is hilarious as the drunken, ex-big league ballplayer/pool cleaner hired by one of the parents to coach a bunch of losers in a competetive and elite Los Angeles little league organization. The kids are innocent, but honestly brutal in their depiction. Standout performances from Jackie Earl Haley (BREAKING AWAY)as Kelly Leak, the motorcycle riding punk who is also a great athlete, Chris Barnes as tough little Tanner Boyle (who supposedly takes on the whole seventh grade when he is humilated in the embarrassing first game loss), and of course Tatum O'Neal as the tough girl pitcher whose curve ball breaks 2 feet. All this works on a level of a family movie, but some situations are adult oriented. Watch the film on network television and it is butchered beyond recognition. On DVD and cable, it it way better because you see why some of the situations occur. One example is the scene when pitcher Joey Turner (Brandon Cruz -tv's COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER) throws at the head of batter Engelberg (Gary Lee Cavagnaro) and you'll know why. Actor Vic Morrow continues his string of bad guy roles even in this film as Coach Roy Turner and even the Yankees (a metaphor for elitistism) is used as a name of one of the teams as the arch rival of the Bears. Overall, entertaining and authentic with great casting.

Dear Luper
Dear Luper Ronsogni makes me sick, he cant even pitch nobody thinks we can win, ps I saw a good movie the other night, youd like it. Your friend, tanner boyle

I Loved This Movie!
I remember my mother taking me to see The Bad News Bears when it was playing in movie theaters, I was about 10 1/2 years old and I loved the movie and thought it was a lot of fun to watch and I thought that the cast was great, Tatum O'Neal, Walter Matthau, Vic Morrow, Jackie Earle Haley, etc and when HBO started showing The Bad News Bears I watched it to many times to count. I see some reviewers have complained about bad language but honestly I have heard much worse langague in movies that are being made these days and I still have to highly recommend The Bad News Bears.

Classic, realistic, non-syrupy story of Little League
Don't listen to other reviewers who impose today's political correctness on a movie that came out in 1976. My parents took me to see this film when it came out (I was nine) and it was a good film. It has lessons about winning, losing and sportsmanship. It touches upon characters we all know: the winning coach (played wonderfully by the late Vic Morrow) who values winning above all else - even his own son. A realistic film from the 1970s, reflecting divorced parents, precocious kids, bullies, all of it is in here. Above all, it is a positive statement about self-respect and accomplishment. While Matthau's ways of coaching would probably be protested today (i.e., giving the kids beer after the final game of the season) it was seen as true to his character and one of the funny touches. Some of the material is mature but it may spark some positive conversations in a family. It isn't watered down, squeaky-clean family fare that people expect today, but it does have a good message and is fun. Excellent performances by a great cast, realistic baseball playing (sometimes painful) and great moments. A classic 1970s film that is often overlooked. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Things started going downhill for Eddie Murphy around the time of this 1986 clunker, in which the comic actor plays a social worker predicted to be the savior of a kidnapped child, who has special powers to heal the Earth. Dennis Feldman's script and director Michael Ritchie (The Candidate), a once-thoughtful satirist, stumble over every link in a chain of fantasy-fueled sequences. Murphy phones it in, and Charles Dance (Pascali's Island) looks foolish in retrospect. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The Bald Magical Child
Perhaps the success of GHOSTBUSTERS was the inspiration for THE GOLDEN CHILD to mix comedy and horror fantasy. GHOSTBUSTERS had all the elements in perfect sync and THE GOLDEN CHILD is very uneven. Many of reviewers and moviegoers reaction to the movie was basically, to paraphrase many quotes, "Eddie Murphy was great and funny...but the story and plot was stupid!" It was reported that Eddie Murphy hated the out-of-country location shoots and it shows. His character, Chandler Jarrell is the reluctant hero who is a social worker and part time finder of missing children. Chandler is chosen (by divine providence) to find and save a magical child from kidnappers who are in the league with evil. There is an uncomfortable fantasy-supernatural, dream sequence that makes no sense in the context of the story. Also, in the final leg of the film, the stop-motion animated effects of a bat-winged demon and an actual "dragon lady" seems to be out of place and unexpected. The film takes its subject too seriously with Eddie Murphy winking at the audience. With his character's disbelief of the whole absurdity of the situation, maybe it was a tough sell for the audiences. Overall, a movie that showcases the early brilliance of Eddie Murphy but his comedy does not gel wit the rest of the film.

Hmmm
What an odd movie. Its a fantasy children's movie that thinks its a fantasy comedy. Murphy is completely lost at sea in this flick. As if he isn't entirely aware of what's going on or is trying to push the movie in a direction it just won't go in. His character and the movie seem to exist separately of each other. He plays his usual silly harmless likable guy and the rest of the movie is earnest kiddie sci-fi action.

Eddie Murphy shines
When this movie first came out, from what the critics had to say, and the trailors for it, I was not that impressed with the idea of spending money to see it. I was truly surprised when I finally did see it. It is not a visually enhanced movie, but you see a side of Eddie Murphy that is surprising and refreshing, his character is fairly polite, not too much on the 4 letter word band wagon, and actually shows compassion. I would say that he shows these same qualities in the Dr. Dolittle movies, but really... talking animals??? It is a heart warming story, protection of a childs life... see it and judge for yourself. I think you will be surprised and want to add this one to your collection!

for its time
for its time it was a great movie but it was just so cheesy compared to now it sucked.. lol so idk if u can watch the movie realizing they didnt have all the stuff then they do now it was a okay movie

Golden Balls
This film made a lot of money on its release, and i was not surprised: there was action comedy, and Charles Dance not pronouncing his "j"'s coupled with some special effects circa 1978. what more could it need?

And yet...for some reason, after watching this film, i felt somehow unfulfilled. Perhaps it was not explaining who the real bad guy was(i'm sorry, Forces Of Evil is not enough for me). Maybe it was the low low grade action. Maybe it was just the Forces of Evil surrounding me, but the truth is, i just couldn't bring myself to be able to like this film.

It is however not all bad, This is Eddie Murphy on vintage "Trading Places" style form, which is always worth the laugh, and there is one dream sequence which is so surreal its...well, surreal.

Despite this however, my suggestion would be to watch it on TV rather than buy it. it just aint worth the nuggets. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Amother Excellent Chevy Chase Movie!
This, to me, is by far much funnier than the first Fletch movie. Irwin Fletcher, investigative reporter, is back in the sequel to the original film, 'Fletch'. This time, he's quitting his job as a distant relative has died and left him a mansion. He arrives to find he's in the middle of murder plots and dodging bullets.

Chase dons lots of disguises in this film, as he did in the first, but these disguises are more numerous, and funnier than before. There is some adult humor, as is the norm with Chevy Chase movies, but not a lot of it. This is a must have for Chase fans, or comedy fans in general.

More Fletch but Less Script.
This is a fun movie if you a)love Fletch; b) love Chevy Chase; and c) use the dull moments to use the restroom and replenish your snacks. Fletch fans will love the new characters that reporter Irwin F. Fletcher creates for his new setting. The basic story line is interesting and the cast features a ton of talent and well known actors. However, it moves a little slow and doesn't grab your attention like the original.

On what seems like as stroke of luck, Fletch ends up inheriting a mansion in Louisiana and quits his job to settle in. Things don't turn out as expected and Fletch turns to his investigative reporter tactics to get to the bottom of it.

Put it this way, if you've seen Fletch and can recite every line of the movie (like me and a half dozen of my closest friends), you will want to see this one, too. You will probably like it after having seen it a few times. But if you're new to Fletch or Chevy Chase, stick with the first Fletch movie, the first Vacation movie, the first Caddyshack movie (notice a trend here?), Three Amigos!, Spies Like Us, Funny Farm, The Groove Tube, Foul Play and reruns of Saturday Night Live from the 70s

A fun sitcom

Director: Michael Ritchie
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: May 4, 1999

Cast:

Chevy Chase ... Irwin 'Fletch' Fletcher
Hal Holbrook ... Ham Johnson
Julianne Phillips ... Becky Culpepper
R. Lee Ermey ... Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
Richard Libertini ... Frank
Randall 'Tex' Cobb ... Ben Dover
Cleavon Little ... Calculus
George Wyner ... Gillet
Patricia Kalember ... Amanda Ray Ross
Geoffrey Lewis ... KKK Leader
Richard Belzer ... Phil
Phil Hartman ... Bly Manager
Titos Vandis ... Uncle Kakakis
Don Hood ... Tom Barbour
Dennis Burkley ... Joe Jack
Noelle Beck ... Betty Dilworth
William Traylor ... Mr. Underhill
Barney D. Arceneaux ... Party Guest
Roy Babich ... Klansman
Mary Battilana ... Bly Assistant
Don Brockett ... Sheriff
Walter Charles ... Tony
Robert M. Dawson ... Tour Guide
Darren Dublin ... Ancient Copy Boy
R. Bruce Elliott ... Info Technician
Patrick Farrelly ... O'Reilly
Grace Gaynor ... Mrs. Underhill
Richmond Harrison ... T'boo Ted
Catherine Hearne ... Lyda Perl
Charlie Holliday ... Security Guard
Christian Kauffmann ... Bruce
Matthew Kimbrough ... Bly Guard
Johnny Kline ... Usher
Clarence M. Landry ... Damon Feather
Marcella Lowery ... Selma
Jordan Lund ... Deputy Sheriff
Tom McCleister ... Klansman #2
Patricia G. McConnell ... Deputy's Wife
Dick McGarvin ... Announcer
Keith Mills ... Church Elder
Michael P. Moran ... Morgue Attendant
Louis M. Rapaport ... Walter Bob Buggem
Constance Shulman ... Cindy Mae
Robert Silver ... Kakakis Brother
Ebbe Roe Smith ... Jim Bob
R. David Smith ... Gordon Joe
John Wylie ... Accountant

Amusing film about an attempt by nefarious forces to buy ancestral land bequeathed to Fletch (Chevy Chase) by his late aunt. Chase is his usual hilarious self. The plot is a bit confused, but becomes clear as the story develops. The background scenery of the old south, with its ivy covered mansions, Spanish moss covered trees and swamp is reminiscent of Georgia around the Okefenokee swamp, but without the alligators and cottonmouth moccasins (although reference is made to the latter.)

This is a fun film to spend an evening with. Some allusions to sexual miscopnduct in a jailhouse scene by Chase and Tex Cobb (Ben Dover), but nothing too raunchy. It will pass for an over 13 auduence, I think.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance

and other books

... And A Franchise Dies
An absolutely horribly film that should never have been made, FLETCH LIVES tries to capitalize on the comic genius of the masterful Chevy Chase ... but this story about little more than cookie-cutter real estate scams ends up being written on paper that would've better served the bottom lining of a bird cage. Even Chase's talents can't lift this dull bomb out of the stink pile.

With all of the other options available from Fletch creator Gregory McDonald, how could this have happened to what could've been one of the greatest comedy franchises in cinema history?

Be afraid. Be very afraid. Then, be aghast.

Hilarious Movie
Director Michael Ritchie and Chevy Chase team up once again for FLETCH LIVES, with Chase reprising the role of Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, newspaper journalist and master of disguise. When his recently deceased aunt bequeaths her decrepit manor to him, Fletch travels down south to rural Louisiana. Initially, things go well, especially when he hooks up with a flirtatious southern belle. But when he wakes up the morning after, he's shocked to find that she has been murdered. In order to catch the killers and clear himself, the intrepid, chameleon-like Fletch must infiltrate the congregation of Jimmy Lee Farnsworth (R. Lee Ermey), a greedy local preacher who wants to gain control of Fletch's land in order to build a Bible-themed amusement park. Written by Leon Capetanos, FLETCH LIVES crackles with the same blend of rapid-fire dialogue and visual jokes as the original, making it a solid sequel that works on its own terms. By thrusting the big city character into a shady small Southern community, Chase is given an entirely new field on which to play. It's this contrast--especially between himself and R. Lee Ermey--that provides the film with its loudest laughs. ... Read more

Description

In PRIME CUT, a Chicago mob enforcer (Marvin) is sent to Kansas City to settle a debt with a man called Mary Ann (Hackman) who sells women as sex slaves ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Grade A
They don't make 'em wilder than this.

"Prime Cut" is essentially the ancient fairy tale about the ogres preying on innocent maidens until the knight comes to town updated to a rural Kansas mob-war milieu. The chief ogre here is Mary Ann (not "Mother") a Great Plains gang leader played by Gene Hackman with the relish of a man who knows he may never see a role quite like this one again. His shaven-headed brother Weenie (Gregory Walcott) does things like run rival mobsters through meat-grinders and attack limos with pitchforks. The representative maiden is played by Sissy Spacek, back when she looked cute rather than merely odd. Lee Marvin plays the knight, flourishing a submachine gun while wearing a pricey 70s-style silver-gray suit.

None of which goes anywhere near far enough in relaying the serious strangeness of the thing. For that you need scenes like the one introducing Mary Ann tucking into a plate of beef guts ("I like 'em!"). Or the young gangster eagerly introducing boss Marvin to his mother. Or the shootout in a field of enormous sunflowers. Or Lee's visit to ex-mistress Clarabelle (I swear I'm not making up these names) who lives on a houseboat that looks as if it was designed by Christo collaborating with Heidi Fleiss. And I could go on.

Ritchie later made a number of innocuous comedies and Robert Redford vehicles of the "Downhill Racer" variety. But just once (the very late "Alleged Cheerleader-Murdering Texas Mom" being a partial exception), he got out of the cage and ran wild, and "Prime Cut" is the result. Compare it to Tarantino if you must, but if he or any of the other bravos has ever matched this, I haven't heard about it. "Prime Cut" is sui generis. They don't make 'em like this any more for the very simple reason that they never did in the first place. That's our loss.

...and oh yeah, I'll have mine well done.

Is this what they mean by"grindhouse cinema"?
An entertaining but oddball choice for its two stars (Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman) and for its director (Michael Ritchie). Hackman and Marvin play Kansas City and Chicago gangsters, respectively, who go face-to-face for control of the Midwest syndicate. Hackman's truly vile enterprise features a slaughterhouse that doubles as a handy body disposal service for his slain rivals and (literally) a stable of young women who are kidnapped from orphanages and then raised to be auctioned off as sex slaves when they reach womanhood (how did Russ Meyer miss this one?) The film is so over the top that I have to believe director Ritchie was going for an ultra-violent black comedy(does "Pulp Fiction" seem so original now?) Marvin plays the role of the city boy in the country with his patented stoic cool. Not a lot of plot development involved, but the film is notable for some interesting set-pieces like a memorable thresher machine chase and the opening slaughterhouse sequence, which is sure to put you off eating sausage for quite a while. "Prime Cut" also introduced audiences to Sissy Spacek, who gives much more depth to her character than you would expect. The film is quite an anamoly for its director, who went on to give us more low-key satires like "Smile", "Downhill Racer" and "The Candidate". I think a lot of movie buffs would rejoice if this one were re-issued in widescreen on DVD (the heartland backdrops are well-utilized) and it would certainly be an easy sell with the Tarantino crowd. Revel in the sleaze!

modern classic
Lee Marvin is on top form in this fantastic film from director Michael Ritchie.Sissy Spacek gives an affecting performance asone of the girls trapped in Gene Hackman's white slave trade ring.Some fantastic location photography in America's mid west makes this an unusual addition to the modern gangster film.
It's a shame the video uses a cropped image as this superb film would really benefit from a proper widescreen transfer.

A Family Favorite
As a teenager of the 70's, my family used to attend movies together and we would often go to the latest John Wayne movie.Well, one double feature later we were watching Prime Cut.We were captured by the grittiness and good ol' boy syndrome of this film.The first part caused my family to give up hot dogs for about 10 years!!!!The action was so fascinating, for that time period, that you found yourself running across that wheat field with Marvin & Sissy.And Violet's nickels, the part they always cut out of TV showings.I know they tried to put out a series after the film, with Lawrence Luckinbill (Mr. Lucy Arnez)as the lead character, but it never really caught on.But we loved it then and we love it now.Hope you will too.

Lee Marvin Is Prime Cut When it comes to Action
A ENJOYABLE FILM DONE WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ACTION AND COMEDY.Lee Marvin one of the all time greats plays a chicago hitman who is hired to take down an old nemesis from kansas city, who has been invovled in theslave trading business. This film even by today's standards can still beconsidered a delight to see. the old time dixie music and the farmlandscenery is a throwback to what life was like a long time ago.Gene Hackmanplays "mary ann" the one who tries to compete in the slaveindusty. another standout was this was Sissy Spacek's film debut. As forlee marvin Hollywood lost an icon when he passed away. There will never beanother Lee Marvin as far as i'm concerned. And when you see this film orany other of his films you'll see why. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having opened off-Broadway in 1960 and still going strong, The Fantasticks would seem a natural for the movies. Or would it? The musical's charm hangs on a particular kind of intimate magic incubated exclusively in live theater. This didn't stop the chiefs of rudderless United Artists from bankrolling a film version in 1995, closely scripted from the play by original authors Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. With the movie finished, the studio deduced there was no mass audience for the old-fashioned, stage-struck musical, and promptly set it on the shelf for five years.

A slimmer version of the film was briefly released to theaters in 2000, after being cut by Francis Coppola (with the approval of director Michael Ritchie). The cutting, sometimes within songs, seems capricious--if the movie was destined to be a flop either way, why not let it play out at full length? All of this ought to set off alarm bells... and yet, it turns out there's a bit of theatrical pixie dust left in the old thing after all. Ritchie and topnotch cinematographer Fred Murphy shoot many of the songs beautifully, setting them in the film's postcard-Midwest magic hour (best seen on the widescreen DVD). The genial tone, though admittedly precious, makes for a pleasant ride. It's a movie preadolescent girls can watch with their grandmothers without embarrassment on either side. Playing the archetypal boy and girl are former New Kid on the Block Joe McIntyre and Mr. Holland's Opus songbird Jean Louisa Kelly; he fits the part of an amiable doofus very well, while Kelly has the breathless dreaminess of youth and an intriguing undercurrent of restlessness. Their feuding fathers are the able Joel Grey and Brad Sullivan, and Jonathan Morris looks every inch the carnival maestro who gives these simple folk a glimpse at their dreams. Curiously, the show's signature song ("Try to Remember") is given only an abbreviated airing at the end. And how dare they cut "Plant a Radish"? --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (53)

An enchanting little film
I am one of the few people in the world who have never actually seen the stage play of "The Fantasticks". I loved this movie. This is a marvelous, magical, spellbinding story. I felt the casting was well done. Jean Louise Kelly makes an adorable Louisa while Joe McIntyre made a sweetly innocent Matt. Joel Grey was not in this movie near enough, but he pulls off a stellar performance with what he has to work with. I thought the dance segment with Jean Louise Kelly was especially touching. El Gallo portrayed by Jonathon Morris put the magical spin on this whole story. I loved El Gallo having this witty yet sexy side to him in addition to being the mystical and wise mastermind bringing these two naive teenagers together.

The extra scenes available on the DVD are terrific. If you watch the "directors comments" you can understand why a few of them were cut. Be sure and watch "It isn't easy to die". This should have been left in. Teller and Barnard Hughes are hilarious, as are Jonathon Morris' reactions to them.

The set design and surrounding scenery are breathtaking. This is a very surreal yet enchanting movie, making it easy to slip in and out of the singing segments. I only wish a soundtrack had been made. It would make a great addition to the other two that are available.

Beautifully done. Beautifully acted.

Charming, but flawed adaptation of a classic
The Fantasticks has a unique place in theatre history, being one of the most performed pieces, both in professional and amateur circuits. The simplicity of the story and orchestrations mask the truly philosophical nature of this piece. The challenge of bringing such a unique work to film, then, is to maintain the originals innocence and simplicity while expanding it to the level that can fill a screen. Michael Ritchie, helped along by the the original writer, has managed to do just that, making a piece that is expansive and beautiful, yet siginificantly more simplified that the original. This process was more evolutionary, than revolutionary, however, since the film production bears a tremendous similarity to the author's revised version toured the country starring Robert Goulet as El Gallo. For the Fantastiks purist, however, all is not lost, but available for viewing on the Bonus materials of the DVD. As with most films, looking at these "outtakes" shows how the thought process of editing brings about a better film. I will admit, however, that this film is an aquired taste, and those who have a pre-disposition to hating musicals should avoid it at all costs. I also fault the producers, somewhat, at their selection of Brad Sullivan as Hucklebee -- his portrayal is too gruff to be the father of Doe-eyed Matt and stands in too stark a contrast from the tone of the rest of the characters. Despite this small flaw, I find the film enchanting as ever and it helps to keep in mind that love is sweeter when it is earned.

My Nominee for worst movie musical of all time.
A complete and utter stinker. Totally lacking in charm. This show has only one good song: Try to Remember. The other songs are the worst show tunes you will ever hear. The clue should be titles like Plant A Radish and The Rape Song. The cast is dismal. Joe McIntyre has no appeal whatsoever. Where did they dig up this guy? I hope to NEVER see him again. There really isn't a plot: two fathers pretend to have a feud so that their children will get together romantically. The children get together but immediately begin fighting. Something vague happens to them and they wind up together. Huh? Boring! It is sad to see a talented performer like Joel Grey completely wasted in a production this pathetic. The Arizona scenery is kind of nice. Avoid this one like the plague.

P. S. This one deserves NO STARS!

Good, but requires an open mind
My friend and I watched this for no other reason than to get a sense of the play because our high school was doing a production of it. We ended up getting, respectively, Matt and El Gallo and when we had our read through, we saw the many differences between the play and the movie. In many regards, the contrast is very much like "Chicago" where the concept behind a very simplistic show was given a new aspect (in Chicago, the little dream sequences, and in this the carnival bit) in order to make the film work. Similar to "Chicago" (which I enjoyed, but remain a much bigger fan of the stage show), the movie works in a way that is different than what makes the play work. Outside of Joel Grey (I highly recommend listening to his performance of Amos Hart in the revival album of "Chicago" - I never want to hear anyone else sing "Mr. Cellophane"...ok, I did it once, but that's beside the point) who is just outstanding in anything he does and Jonathon Morris who made me want the role of El Gallo a thousand times more than I already had, I was not impressed with the cast. Honestly, I didn't care at all about the Matt or Luisa, and Hucklebee and Henry were majorly underacted. However, I also wasn't too impressed with Queen Latifah or John C. Reilly in "Chicago". I do think that this is a very interesting experience, and I actually recommend it, however one must bear in mind that this is not at all the stage version.

The kind of September, when grass was green...
This film version of the wildly popular musical was very nearly scrapped, but the intervention of Francis Ford Coppola gave it a limited release on the big screen followed by the video release. Is it any good? Well, yes and no.

The plot concerns the machinations of two next door neighbors who pretend to have a feud in the hopes that their children will fall in love (the lure forbidden fruit and all that). They enlist the help of a strange traveling circus to aid them in their plan. The first half of the movie is quite decent and somewhat sweet, and I enjoyed it very much. And then, for some reason, the movie completely derails, gets flat out bizarre (and earns its PG rating) before ending on a weird note.

If you are a die-hard fan of the original musical you will probably hate this movie, because the music has been basically butchered. The performances range from good (Joel Grey) to lame (Joe McIntyre) to inexplicable (Vegas magician Teller). But then there is Jonathan Morris. I've never seen him in anything else, but he has an incredible, mesmerizing presence. The script changes his character completely halfway through the film, which is annoying, but his performance continues to stay with me, especially his gentle rendition of "Try to Remember" (which, despite being the most famous song in the musical, is given about one minute of screen time. Grrr.). He made the movie worth seeing (once) for me, but all others beware.

It's really too bad; there was great potential here but the filmmakers muffed it. Maybe they'll try again someday, but until then you can check out the original Broadway soundtrack to see what all the fuss was about in the first place. I give this film version 2.5 stars, which I rounded down to two. Morris is really the only reason to catch this one.

Movie Grade: C/C- ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Candidate
Robert Redford, in one of his unjustly overlooked films from 1972, stars as a lawyer and the son of the former governor of the state of California in an election year where the senatorial incumbent has no competition. Peter Boyle convinces Redford to run, fully expecting and anticipating to lose, therefore being able to run on a platform of pure integrity to show how out of touch the current senator has become. But suddenly the public realizes that some fresh, younger blood with an idealistic eye might be what they truly want rather than another in a long succession of terms by the same old huckster.

Melvyn Douglas also stars as Redford's father. Even though this film is almost 30 years old, the Oscar-winning screenplay by Jeremy Larner shows just how timeless the same old issues the candidate has to decide where he stands upon (abortion, the environment, health care) actually are. The script really is eye-opening, because it underlines very well the point that even if, say, Jesus Christ were to run for office today, what He would say is not as important as how and when He'd say it. Directed by Michael Ritchie (Smile, The Bad News Bears, Semi-Tough), one of the few American directors who has been able to successfully show the black humor of the strange, fetid underbelly of competition in this society. Blink and you'll miss Natalie Wood at a fund-raiser. Completely climatized to the Seventies, she looks like Donovan's aide-de-camp.

CULT MOVIES 12
12. THE CANDIDATE (drama, 1972) Lawyer Bill McKaye (Robert Redford) heads his own public law firm. He's an idealistic man who comes from a wealthy-political family. Marvin Lucas (Peter Boyle) heads a political committee looking for a 'young, fresh face' to go up against the present Senator of California, Croker Jarmon (an old And experienced war-horse). Lucas believes that McKaye has the potential to upset the Senator in the next elections. Though McKaye he hates the political arena (one of the reasons he drifted from his father, who was once governor), Lucas convinces him, telling him that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Setting up a McKaye committee, Lucas sets out to shape McKaye into a political weapon. His rise (though not meteoric) is nonetheless slowly felt in the polls. Becoming a surprising contender, he thinks about quitting (scared at the thought of winning). Nevertheless, Lucas tells him its too late, since the finish line is close. With the campaign taking a toll on his homelife, his decision is a difficult one.

Critique: Serio-documentary, The Candidate is one of those films that should be shown to students seeking a political career. Its precise depiction of a normal person into a beauracratic tool is almost too real. Director Michael Ritche recreates the sometimes absurd, complicated and superficial world of political inner workings to perfection. Robert Redford is also perfect as a 'wholesome', naïve underdog champion (you can almost feel a JFK-esque aura around him). The film's wonderful parades and interviews further reinforce the sense of a documentary. An excellently written, 'illuminating' experience.

QUOTE: Pete: "I saw something up there tonight. Believe me this is effective. You can do it, you can go all the way. Look, you and I know this is all bull, but the point is they'll believe In it."

EXCELLENT POLITICAL FLICK
Robert Redford was behind the entertaining political movie "The Candidate" (1972), which goes a long way towards explaining how the game works. This film is really not a liberal one, which is what makes it worthwhile even after 30 years. It is supposed to be based on Edmund "Jerry" Brown, former California Governor Pat Brown's son. Jerry Brown at the time was a youthful Secretary of State who would go one to two terms as Governor. He was a new kind of pol, attractive, a bit of swinger who dated rock star Linda Rohnstadt, and representative of the Golden State image of the 1970s. They called him "Governor Moonbeam".
Redford plays the son of the former Governor of California, played by Melvyn Douglas. The old man is old school all the way, having schmoozed his way up the slippery slope through implied corrupt deals with labor unions and other Democrat special interests. Redford is a young man who played football at Stanford and is now a social issues lawyer of the pro bono variety, helping Mexicans in Central California. Peter Boyle knew him at Stanford and is now a Democrat political consultant who recruits Redford to run for Senator against Crocker Jarman, an entrenched conservative Orange County Republican. Jarman could be Reagan, but he is as much a composite of the traditional Republican: Strong on defense, down on affirmative action and welfare, a real "up by the bootstraps" guy who emerged from the Depression and World War II to make up our "greatest generation."
The film does an about-face on perceptions that, in many cases, turn out to be true. Redford is the rich kid with connections. Jarman beat the Depression like the rest of the U.S., without a social worker.
"How did we do it?" he mocks.
Redford's film wife is played by Karen Carlson, pure eye candy (but what happened to her career I cannot say?). She has ambitions of her own, and pushes him to do it because he has the "power," an undefined sexual charisma of the JFK variety. Redford plays a caricature of himself, handsome but considered an empty suit. His deal is he can say any outrageous thing because he cannot win anyway, and in so doing shows he has the brains. When he creeps up in the polls, the idealism gives way to standard politicking, complete with deals with his old man's crooked labor buddies. He wins, demonstrating the power of looks and TV advertising. In the end he expresses that he is not prepared for the task.

STEVEN TRAVERS

AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

From California Senator to King of Aspen.
Political fantasy in which Robert Redford discovers that mounting a successful campaign for an "important" office -- in this case, a U.S. Senate seat representing California -- requires the candidate to be shallow, media-friendly, etc. The gist of the thing is that he loses his naivety, the poor baby. Give me a break. I suppose the movie succeeds as fantasy, and there are some moments and characters that elicit chuckles during the campaign trail. There's the occasional telling detail that suggests the screenwriters -- who had actually worked for real-life politicians -- have been there and done that. But it must again be stressed that *The Candidate* is mostly fantasy. Indeed, Redford's character is fantasy: he never existed, doesn't exist now, and will not exist in the future. And the screenwriters -- the liars -- KNOW this. Politics is a dirty business that attracts dirty people, like a horse-apple attracts flies. The desire to be a big-time American politician comes with having a sheer, unrelenting hatred of all that is good and decent. The producers and writers of *The Candidate* understood this (even if their liberal, golden-boy Hollywood star did not), and yet they chose to waste our time with a beddy-bye story of a potential hero who ends up corrupted. The TRUTH is that anybody who wants to be a Senator is by definition corrupted already; anybody with any sense knows this.

"The Better Way??!"
"The Candidate" is liberal Hollywood's wet dream of the "realities" of a political campaign.

Robert Redford (looking purposely Kennedyesque) is Bill McKay, a young crusading liberal attorney who's persuaded by political operative Marvin Lucas (Peter Boyle in a terrific performance) to run for the U.S. Senate against conservative Republican icon, Crocker Jarmon (even the name shows what a stacked deck the picture is), played by 50's TV sitcom star, Don Porter.

Handsome and hip McKay is depicted as pro busing, pro welfare and pro choice...while stodgy old Jarmon is shown mouthing tired old conservative attitudes about Americans working hard and picking themselves up by their own bootstraps.

The cast is uniformly excellent, especailly the great Allen Garfield as Mc Kay's media consultant whose shtick is breaking bags of lollipops with a hammer and sucking on the smashed pieces. Redford gives a slyly appealing movie star performance and is especially superb in one scene in which, completely burned out from campaigning, begins to satirize the platitudes his speechwriters have given him ("when the greatest country in the world can't feed the foodless!").

One wonders what kind of movie "The Candidate" would have been if Mc Kay's opponent was as equally young and hip and spoke with the same fervor as McKay without the tired old right wing cliches.

Michael Ritchie directs in docudrama style from a script by Jeremly Larner who suposedly based the material on the Tunney-Murphy campaign in California. ... Read more

Description

As the daughter of a legendary grid iron star, a young woman's greates tdesire is to coach a team of her own. But when the chauvinistic powers-that-be assign her to an inner-city ghetto school, the spirited female has her work cut out for her. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Audacious, brazen, funny, and perhaps the unconscious inspiration for Madonna's shows, Divine Madness makes an absolute spectacle of itself. Bette Midler's raunchy, entertaining persona is on high in this concert film filmed in Pasadena.Midler tells dirty jokes, berates herself and the audience, and most of all belts out (some may say shrieks out) covers of Bruce Springsteen and rock and swing classics.Somewhere between "Everything's Comin' Up Roses" and "Vogue," Midler seems a bridge between eras, that of burlesque, do-anything-to-please-'em showmanship and shocking, pyrotechnic exhibitionism and aloofness.(A hint at just how old this 1980 movie feels, Midler unabashedly makes a reference to Georgie Jessel!) Directed by Michael Ritchie, whose Smile and The Bad New Bears were interesting takes on America, Divine is also a slice of the American experience. It's dirty enough to be fun and clean enough to stay just this side of bawdy. That used to be a fine American tradition.Note: The songs "Shiver Me Timbers" and "Rainbow Sleeve," which appeared in the theatrical release of this picture, are not included in this DVD. That's a shamebecause with Midler, more is more. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Fun, But Not Bette at Her Best
This concert film of Bette Midler, filmed not long after her success in the movie "The Rose", is okay, but definitely lacking. Much of the program is devoted to Midler's attempt to do rock, a phase she thankfully passed through. Her trademark bawdy humor is here, but some of it falls flat or was done better in her original HBO special (not yet available on DVD, sigh). On the plus side, her live versions of "The Rose", "Chapel of Love", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and "Do You Want to Dance" are enjoyable. Picture and sound quality are fair to good.It's a passable, inexpensive disc that will do till Bette's orginal HBO special comes to DVD.

D-I-V-I-N-E Performance! A Must For a Bette Fan!
This is Bette Midler at her best. This DVD shows why she is one of music's greatest Diva's! Combining her classic mixture of Broadway, Rock, Pop, and Comedy, Bette will have you rolling in the aisles with her Sophie Tucker impersonation/jokes, Delores DeLago (the mermaid in a wheelchair) Lounge Act and stand-up comedy - keep in mind it isn't rated G! Her band is great, and her onstage presence is as vibrant, upbeat and show-stopping as ever! Totally a high energy show and a great prelude to the career that we know her for today! The audience is certainly pleased, especially with her numbers from "The Rose" which was just completed when this performance took place. Although Bette was battling the flu during this show, you would NEVER know it. THAT, my friend, is a true star. She is absolutely awesome and her voice is GREAT, although keep in mind that this was filmed in the early 80's before THX digital sound. The sound isn't bad, it's just not surround sound quality. This is a must have for ANY Bette fan! After you see this, you'll understand why she is so D-I-V-I-N-E!

Horribly produced dvd
Why edit a Bette Midler concert? Shiver Me Timbers is probably one of her best songs. And the sound and picture quality is awful. You'd think the DVD release of this concert would have been cleaned up a bit, with Rainbow Sleeve, Shiver Me Timbers and My Mother's Eyes replaced. Ms. Midler should option for the release of the complete unedited "Divine Madness!", her original 1977 HBO concert "The Fabulous Bette Midler Show", "Art or Bust","Diva Las Vegas", and any other concert that may have been recorded but never released. They could all be included in one wonderful Bette Midler concert DVD package. This DVD will be ok for the time being. But much, MUCH more is expected by her fans.

The Divine Miss M at Her Best
The Divine Miss M was Bette Midler's follow up the hugely successful The Rose. Its a concert film from mid 1980 that was part of her Divine Madness tour. The concert truly is a cinematic experience, telling you a story and lifting you up and down. The movie setlist includes Big Noise From Winetka, Paradise, The Rose, Fire Down Below, Stay With Me, My Way, Chapel of Love, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, E Street Shuffle, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and ends with I Shall Be Released. Ofcourse peppered throught the movie is Bette's unmistakable talent and humour with many comic relief moments including her lounge act, Deloris Delogo The Toast of Chicago, a washed up mermaid in a wheel chair, and a few great R rated Sophie Tucker Jokes. The only flaw is the wacked out editing which took away the songs from the original theatrical release, Shiver Me Timbers, and Rainbow Sleeve. Also edited are Mother's Eyes, and Friends from the orignal tour setlist. If you like Bette Midler, then you'll surely experience the intensity and energy of this concert.

Bette..one of THE troopers in the biz!
i was at the taping of this show.bette began the first song andstopped in the middle of it. sheannounced she'd had a horriblecase of bronchitis for the priortwo months that was still withher. she then went off stage andbegan again and didnt stop onceafter that. the only giveawayis that she was nasal(more thanusual)and hoarseish. having seenbette countless times before thisshow i can attest to the factthat she had been better. not relating to her showmanship but tothe material, some of the songchoices and pacing. indeed thebest of bette in concert was captured before and audience in cleveland. this show captures the truest bette. her absolutelyraw talent emanating from herlike sunrays. frankly, i preferher vicki edie(lounger singer) character from which delores delago, the wheelchaired mermaidwas born. this first show is outthere on vhs. very hard to find.hopefully one day it will be rereleased so all can revel in hertalent. she really had no peerback then. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A small-town beauty pageant, and the turmoil it causes in the lives of its participants and sponsors, is the focus of this dark and witty cult comedy from Michael Ritchie (The Bad News Bears, Fletch).Bruce Dern shines in a rare comic lead as the chief judge of the "Young American Miss" contest, and his ability to find humor and pathos in his sad-sack character is well-matched by Barbara Feldon as a glacial former contestant, Geoffrey Lewis as a densely heartless sponsor, and famed choreographer Michael Kidd as (what else) the disillusioned pageant choreographer. Ritchie and writer Jerry Belson split the film's focus between the contestants (among them Annette O'Toole, Melanie Griffith, and Colleen Camp) and the sponsors and judges, and if the plot takes an absurd turn at the climax, Smile is ultimately a rare satire that cares for its characters while skewering their foibles. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Forgotten Gem
"Smile" is one of the most underappreciated comic satires of modern films. This dead-on look at the emptiness of small town existence is priceless. With biting humor and WONDERFUL performances by Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Nicholas Pryor, Joan Prather and Annette O'Toole, "Smile" is a glowing example of brilliant filmmaking. With sharp, insightful direction by Michael Ritchie, "Smile" offers a hilarious look into the lives of townfolks trying to fill an empty void with the staging of a small town beauty pageant. The scene with O'Toole during the "talent" portion of the pageant is classic!

Bruce Dern is fantastic!
Definitely an unsung film. Bruce Dern plays an RV dealer(Big Bob Freelander) who is also a judge in the Miss Teen USA pageant which comes to his town. Brilliant comedy about the whole pageant scene. From the opening credits(over which Nat King Cole sings "Smile") this film has you. Dern's trophy shop working buddy(played perfectly by Nichoals Pryor) is fed up with small town life and wants to bail out. It is he who begins to criticize the pageant and all the other small town social crap. Very funny through and through. Flawless cinematography by the one and only Conrad Hall. Spread the word on this one, it's another dangling classic waiting to find it's spotlight.

'Smile' also has a great soundtrack......
From Ted Farley, compere extraordinaire (and master of the faux pas)
'Smile' also has a great soundtrack. Apart from Nat 'King' Cole singing 'Smile' (by Charles Chaplin) over the titles, the 'Smile' soundtrack includes the Beach Boys 'California Girls', Neal Sedaka's 'You're sixteen, you're beautiful and you're mine ' and others!

Great film
One of the top 5 satires of the last 30 years. Brilliant dialogue from start to finish. I'd consider it the best film Robert Altman never directed, which is the highest praise I can think of.

Why was this classic passed over at awards time?
This is one of the great American films of the 1970s, a time when US writers and directors were prepared to raise questions through metaphor, about 'the state of the nation' (in 1974). At Academy Awards time 'Smile' should have been nominated for direction, screenplay, and acting, and the fact that it was ignored is revealing....Unlike the Hollywood pap of today, there are no CGI effects, easy 'uplifting' messages, 'inspirational' storylines with banal music to stop you thinking ('Seabiscuit' is a an example of the 'feelgood' type of movie to which I am referring). If you like this kind of movie, then the ambiguities of 'Smile' are probably not for you ! For there are no simple messages here....but if you cherish ambiguity, irony, and satire you will love this movie as much as I do. Although it has its darker side, it is no inflated 'Nashville' of 'American Beauty' either, and unlike these movies 'Smile' is generally light and entertaining. 'Smile' is scripted and directed with great precision, skilfully blending documentary elements of a real life beauty pageant and the folks of Santa Rosa, CA who paid to attend as members of the audience, with the fictional narrative. Each character, even minor ones, takes on a symbolic role: the janitor, the MD, the choreographer (the wonderful Michael Kidd), the hospital psychiatrist, the contest MC...and Bruce Dern who is outstanding in this movie.
A satire yes, but by the end, a satire with heart. I have seen this film many times, and am always noticing new details that I missed before, especially in the background action. 'Smile'
is also devilishly entertaining, and, all the contestants are great, especially Joan Prather as 'Miss Antelope Valley', and Melanie Griffith has never been better.....PLEASE MGM, can I buy this soon on DVD ? (my VHS is worn out !) ... Read more

Reviews (10)

robin williams is hilarious in this film
this movie is a genuine treasure to watch. sit back and enjoy one of robin william's best roles. walter matthau and jerry reed round out the cast in a twisting comedy about life, getting fired, and giving society the finger. enjoy

One of my all time favorite Comedies
Robin Williams is masterful as a zany survival nut who is being taken advantage of by a scheming businessman preying on fear that society will break down...Walter Matthau is the perfect straight man/foil for Williams...

Even though this is an older movie it is a theme which is still timeless...Is society getting ready for the "Big Flush" and how do responsible people respond to it?...

Williams and Matthau provide one very funny solution.

FUNNY
This is one that is easily forgotten, but people should rediscover this piece of work. 2 men's lives unexpectedly cross when a diner is robbed. Donald(Williams) Quinelle decides that society is too sick to "survive" and joins a survivalist group in the mountains. Sonny(Matthau) Paluso wants no part of the survivalist mode of living, but in order to save his own life from the armed robber they can both put the finger on he soons joins Quinelle in the survivalist camp. Jerry Reed is the robber and does one heck of a job here. Opening credits use the late Governor Huey Long's "Every Man a King".

The Survivors
funny, funny, sooo funny, can't watch it enough,misplaced
our last copy, gonna get another one...don't forget Jerry
Reeds caustic southern humor also...

Maybe it's just me, but...
I guess when this movie was released back in the eighties, it was much funnier and more interesting. But to me, it's just long and boring.

There's a few jokes scattered here and there that can cause a chuckle, but the rest are mostly just painful. Walter Matthau and Robin Williams stop a robber in a diner, and afterward, Williams's character decides to go to a survivalist camp, where wackiness ensues. That's about it for the plot.

Williams does a good job acting-wise, and I don't blame him for this [cruddy] movie. I consider him a great actor on many levels, and this was just an unfortunate role for him to play. Matthau, too, does a good job, but just got stuck with a bad movie. Everybody else [stinks]. Especially the actresses, who all speak with a really dumb-sounding voice (You know that light-headed kind of "Ooh... am I awake now?" kind of voice?) and say stupid things.

But, hey, some people like "The Survivors," and others like "Clerks." Which one fits you? ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A real feel-good movie
"The Scout" is one of those movies that leaves you with a warm feeling in your soul after the video has been turned off. It is the story of a man who finds a friend and triumphs over his fears.
Al Percolo is a New York Yankees scout who is experiencing the worst luck of his life. When his boss sends him to Mexico on a grudge trip, Al discovers "the greatest ballplayer that ever lived": Steve Nebraska. Al manages to land a deal with Steve, but is fired while telling his boss about his great find. When the pair returns to the United States, Steve is promptly snapped up with a $55 million bid from the Yankees. Despite all his success, Steve's world is anything but the fairytale it appears to be. Steve has dangerous idiosyncrasies and an abusive past, which are uncovered as time goes on.
Brendan Fraser plays the part of the slightly eccentric, slightly insecure Steve Nebraska with astounding depth. Albert Brooks is perfect as the cheeky, unyielding scout.
However, Dianne Wiest is much too abrasive as Steve's psychologist, Doctor Aaron. She cannot decide who her character is. One minute she is speaking gently to Al, the next she is glaring and snapping at him. I'm afraid this psychologist might need a psychologist herself!
Despite the heavy subject material, the movie has its light moments. There are several comedic occasions provided by Steve's singing, and I must say, these points alone are reason enough to see the movie. Of course, there is also the inevitable victory, which makes everything beforehand worth it.
What is really refreshing about this movie is how clean it is. There are less than ten profanities in the entire film, and they are the only objectionable content.
"The Scout" is simply a fine piece of work, and a wonderful trip to take from everyday life.

Its hard to believe this was actually made...
Just so there is no mistake, this is THE worst movie I have ever seen. I have seen a lot of movies. I saw this when it came out. And still, 7 years later it holds this prestigious position. I have to spoil a few parts of this film to make my point. Don't read on if you want to be "surprised" by it.

Lets start with the things that we know about the characters in the film by the end.
Albert Brooks is a washed up Baseball scout until he finds Brendan Fraser. He is really desperate to find his "King Kong" to bring back and show the world. Because of this he plays the mildly pathetic role of the pushy mentor. That's pretty much it for this textbook one dimensional character.
Diane Wiest is the psychiatrist that is introduced to help out Brendan Fraser's character since he has a few "issues". She cares for his well being, well, because she's a doctor. Oh and a woman, so of course she's motherly. Whatever. That's pretty much it for this ( also ) textbook one dimensional character. I think she has about 10 minutes of screen time. I think Steinbrenner had about 10 too.
There is a list of other curious characters that awkwardly stumble in and out of this story but I won't mention them here to save time.
Now lets get to Fraser's character. The things we know ( by the end of the film ) are that he is an inhuman pitcher. He knocks the catchers over with his awesome power. He hits every ball out of the park. He loves baseball. We figure out that he has abandonment issues mostly from the hints dropped early on. He avoids questions about his parents, he freaks out at the airport in New York when he loses sight of Brooks and begs "don't leave me alone again" or something equally obvious. And then of course because Diane Weist tells us this is so an hour into the movie. "He has abandonment issues" I think is her line. "REALLY?" was mine. She also informs us ( and Brooks ) that he had an abusive father with the deeply moving and poetic line "I think he had an abusive father".
Ok now to my biggest problem with the film. The questions that are NEVER answered about Fraser's character.
1. Brooks finds him in Mexico. We never find out why he is living there.
2. His parents are gone. We never find out where or why. No of course we never meet them. That would be to obvious.
3. He hates questions. He freaks out right from the start "I don't like all these questions, I don't like answering questions". We never find out why.
4. Woman walk by him and give him their phone number without ever meeting him. We don't know why. I guess cause he is cute. But this character point is never used again. With the exception of a woman that works for the Yankees who wants to take him home. No nothing ever comes of this. Well maybe it is so that Brooks can deliver the responsible social commentary "You know you need to use protection?". Kill me know.
5. Before he gets signed he says that he has no problem playing in front of people, big crowds or not. When he signs with the Yankees, he freaks out when asked if he is going to pitch this season. "Oh... I .... I don't know about that" he states. WHY?. You never find out. I guess its the abandonment issues. Whatever.
6. And now my favorite character trait. Oh god I love this one. He's really good at doing laundry. That's right. He knows all there is to know about doing laundry.
Laundry my friends.
You know this because he tells you so in one scene. How does he know so much? you ask. That's right, you never find out. Amazing.

This movie actually sucks the quality out of all other movies. It is the movie that I gage all other movies by. In that respect I suggest you see it too. Every thing you see after will at least be better than this one.

A final note, just so you know I'm not the only one that thought this movie stunk. This movie was actually made in 1988 and shelved by Fox. It only saw the light of day because of the baseball strike in 1994 to try to recoup loses.

One of the best movies I've ever seen
I like everything about this movie. It's got comedy, it's got drama, and it's something you can watch with your girlfriend's family without getting embarrassed. I love baseball movies and this is one of my favorites. A lot of celebrity cameos, too: Steinbrenner, Saberhagen, Keith Hernandez, Ozzie Smith and singer Tony Bennett. A good movie for any underdog with major league dreams.

The Scout
Albert Brooks fans will not be disappointed with this one. The irony of it all, which is the classic style of Brooks, is told in a story about a baseball scout (Brooks) down on his luck and banished to Mexico where he finds the ultimate free agent Steve Nebraska (Frasier). One catch - Nebraska isn't all there upstairs. Brooks goes all out to make the impossible possible and learns a greater lessen in the end that the best interest of others isn't served when our own interests are involved. Witty, funny and touching. Classic Brooks!

I would not call this a comedy
Brendan Fraser is great in this movie, but I would not call it a comedy. It is a drama with some funny lines. I don't think a young man seriously disturbed by an abusive background is funny. However, I enjoyed the movie and would watch it again. Tender & touching ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A ironic fairytale
Mara Wilson is back from playing her chartacters in Mrs. Doubtfire and has turned into a fairy godmother believer! When, ironicly she gets a boy fairy godmother (played by Martin Short). She needs a wish, her dad has been wanting to be in a show all his life and he has had an audition! All his daughter needs to do now is wish, wish, wish on it and maybe maybe it will come true. Are you a believer? I actually bought this video and I was kind of disappointed in some bits. I still watch it regulary though, it is a funny and fun flick to watch.

Make a wish!
'A Simple Wish' is a cute, fun family film. It's about a young girl named Annabel (Mara Wilson) who wishes for a fairy godmother. Her brother thinks there are no such things as fairygodmothers. Well, Annabel's wish comes half true. Instead of getting a fairygodmother, she gets a fairygodfather, instead! Anyway, soon they meet an evil fairygodmother who they try to destroy. It's very fun and really cute. I saw it on TV and it was very good. All the actors in this film give great performances, and the script is pretty good, too. I definitely recommend this film for families everywhere!

A Simply Magical Movie
This movie was out about a year before my parents finally bought it for me. I simply wanted it because I thought the cover was cool. But when I watched it, I loved it, and I made all my friends watch it when they came over.
The story is about Annabel, played by Mara Wilson, the girl from "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Matilda." While she is reading a version of "Cinderella" one night, she wishes that she could have a fairy godmother. And she gets one. Except her fairy godmother isn't what she had in mind, because she is actually a man named Murray, played by the hilarious Martin Short.
Murray promises to grant Annabel one wish, and she selflessly decides that she wants her father, a widower, to land the main role in a musical play. But it isn't that 'simple.'
For one thing, Murray has never been a fairy godmother before, and he has a mentionable amount of difficulty with his magic wand. For instance, he accidently takes Annabel to Nebraska and changes a rough-looking man into a gigantic rabbi.
The second thing standing in the way of a granted wish is Claudia, the fairy-godmother-turned-evil-witch played by Kathleen Turner. The witch and her hilarious sidekick are bent on destoying the existence of any other magic than Claudia's to ensure that nothing stands in her way when she decides to carry out some rather evil plans.
The movie is extremely funny, and has lots of great special effects. It is almost impossible to smile as you watch Murray screw up on everything he attempts to do and Annabel bicker with her older brother and her reactions to Murray's awfully-cast spells. So great is the presence of comedy, wittiness, and evil in Kathleen Turner's character that you look forward to the scenes she's in. And so you end up laughing through the movie, marveling at the spell-casting scenes, and silently cheering as the movie proves yet again that good conquers evil. AND throw in an interesting cameo from Terri Garr, one of the supporting actresses in "Tootsie," and you have every bit of a five-star fantasy that's perfect for the whole family.

2 thumbs up!!!!!
This is a really great family movie. I recommend it for anyone to watch. It is really cute and the music is really great throughout the film. I just wish that they would make a soundtrack of the whole songs. I would certainly buy that. It is a must see.

Good
This movie was just good, but why would Martin Short be playing a fairy godmother; he should play a Fairy Godfather. So, I give it 4 1/2 stars, because wouldn't a person not breathe in metal. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

"I'm afraid I'm goona have to pull rank on you here..."
Fletch is my personal favorite comedy and without a doubt, one of the funniest movies ever made. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast as Irwin Fletcher, a wise cracking newspaper reporter working undercover on a beach to expose a drug running operation. At the same time, he is mistaken for a junkie by shady millionare Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) who asks Fletch to murder him. Fletch agrees but launches an investigation into finding out why this man wants to be killed. This isn't lowbrow humor, it's quick witted and very fast. Fletch requires a few viewings before one is able to grab all the jokes, but it's well worth it. I've seen this movie about 30 times and each and every time I watch, it remains as funny as the first time I saw it. If you've liked Chevy Chase in Caddyshack or National Lampoon's Vacation, than you'll love him here. The dialogue is witty and extremely quotable. Chase's Fletch often disguises himself as he investigates the two mysteries, his cheap disguises and alias' (Ted Nugent, Don Corleone, Dr. Rosenpenis) are hysterical, Chase is a master of deadpan wisecracks, this movie is a perfect showcase for his talent.Aside from the brilliance of Fletch as a comedy, Fletch functions perfectly as a well made mystery movie. I disagree with one reviewer who praised the movie as a comedy but said it wasn't a very good movie. Fletch is a very good movie and aside from Chevy Chase, there are many other reasons for the success of this classic. Screenwriter Andrew Bergman has written one of the trickiest scripts in Hollywood history, it manages to be flat out hilarious, and captivating in the same light. Whenever I watch this film with a new viewer, they are always surprised as to how much the storyline grabbed them. Another plus with this movie is Harold Faltermeyer's superb synthesizer score. It's similar to his earlier Beverly Hills Cop score, maybe even better, it helps set the tone of this movie perfectly. Last but not least, we have the direction, all under the sure hand of Michael Ritchie. He keeps things moving and maintains a comedic tone which occasionally borders on seriousness to help the story progress. Balancing tones isn't easy, in this film it's done so well, it's hardly even noticable.Fletch is all around, an excellent film, but before everything else, it's a VERY funny film. A true cult classic. For audiences whom have seen Beverly Hills Cop, think along those lines, I always thought it would be amusing to see what would happen if Chase's Fletch met with Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley of the Cop films. If you've seen those than you have a good idea of what to expect with Fletch, a film loaded with belly laughs as long as you're willing to pick up on them.

My Favorite Comedy of ALL TIME!!!
GET THIS MOVIE!!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! Chevy Chase made a few bad movies when he got started but this ISN'T one of them. As an undercover investigative reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher looks into the local drug traffic, only to get caught up in insurance fraud, police corruption, embezzlement and another man's suit.

He's Baba au Rum - Holistic Teamster, Magic "Fletch" Christian - Los Angeles Lakers, Ted Nugent - Beach Bum, Igor Stravinsky - Real Estate Developer, Harry S. Truman - Insurance Agent, G. Gordon Liddy - Ajax Supervisor, and a host of of others.

Look for Larry "Flash" Jenkins ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), Joe Don Baker, Tim Matheson, and the beautiful Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. Plus Geena Davis, George Wendt ("Cheers"), Richard Libertini ("The In-Laws") and Tony Longo ("Eraser"). M. Emmett Wash is the rubber-gloved doctor who examines his patients VERY thoroughly. And there's William Sanderson of TV's "Newhart". And finally Burton Gilliam of "Blazing Saddles". Whew!!!

Chase's one-liners and trickery are so subtle that it probably confounds most professional movie critics. They're always tuned to either the person he's playing or the role he's fulfilling. The autopsy scene is not to be forgotten, but you may have to turn up the volume for the full effect (sorry about that!).

Learn the one-liners here and you'll have an automatic response for most everday situations. Excellent soundtrack as well.

The F in Fletch is also for Funny
Chevy Chase stars as I.M Fletcher in the 1985 screen adaptation of Gregory McDonald's mystery series Fletch. Fletch is an undercover journalist investigating drug trafficking and the L.A.P.D, when he's approached by a stranger who asks to be killed for money. As the movie progresses, Fletch discovers that there's a connection between the man and the drugs, and the entire ordeal is very funny.

The film relies entirely on the comedic styles of Chevy Chase, as it's he that brings the sarcastic and witty Fletch to life. Through out the film, Fletch incorporates a variety of poor disguises and often introduces himself as different people, such as when he's a drug addict named Ted Nugent. Another highlight is when Fletch fanaticizes about himself playing professional basketball while wearing a giant Afro-wig.

The synthesizer sound track is not as memorable as Beverly Hills Cop's, "Axel F", but it complements the film nicely. Cinematography and directing are usually not aspects focused on in comedies, but in Fletch the two are as high quality as the writing. Fletch is rated PG and relies on clever humor and sight gags rather than raunchy jokes, which makes the comedy smart and inoffensive, unlike recent comedies such as National Lampoons' Van Wilder.

The most important aspect of comedy is the jokes, and the ones in Fletch are great, but its Chase's delivery that makes them fantastic. Whether its Fletch's one-liners, such as distracting a Doberman Pincher with, "Look, defenseless babies!" or instances such as when he claims to be real estate developer Harry S. Truman, the whole movie is outstanding. From start to finish, Chase delivers a performance that's sure to bring a smile to one's face and fill the room with laughter.

2 Paws Up!!!
I watched this with my master today, and boy did he laugh a lot. I like when he laughs because that means he is happy and then he pets me more. The movie had a lot of action, and a lot of humor too! I was a little scared of the Doberman guarding the realtor's office. Those dogs mean business, let me tell you!!! They could easily tear a dog like me in half, so I keep my distance. But yeah, great movie!!!

Retch
The movie is just plain bad, not horrendously so. Chevy Chase has less tal