Paul-Anderson Movie Reviews

The main story isn't all that important: the Cold War, the death of a Pope, his replacement with a Russian, and all this covered by an American reporter. What is striking about this film is its high-quality acting, and the various relationships and chemistries that become vivid as a result. Of particular interest is the deep friendship between the newly elected, completely natural, simple, and disarmingly candid Russian Pontif Kiril Lakota (Anthony Quinn) and his philosophically and scientifically minded secretary Father David Telemond (Oskar Werner). Telemond desperately wants to publish his unorthodox views, of great beauty and depth, developed over many years of intense study and under the threat of impending death due to illness; his Pontif is torn between his friendship for Telemond and the decision of the Council to silence Telemond. Meanwhile, we see the great Leo McKern as the main interrogator of Telemond, and Vittorio de Sica as a fellow cardinal who knows enough about the world and the Church to become a complacent, humorous, yet wistful clerical bourgeois waiting to see who will become the next Pope. Laurence Olivier is the Russian premier trying to adjust to the situation that a Russian exile as Pope poses. We see a great deal of the Vatican interior, the election ceremony, the grandeur of rite and religion, the intricate Vatican politics.

So far so good. The only thing that manages to upset the delicate balance of this film is the awkward presence of David Janssen as the American reporter following the papal election. His acting is mediocre at best, and I find myself fast-forwarding whenever his unfortunate person appears on the screen.

Other than this flaw, this is a film worth seeing, mainly because of the excellent portrayals by Werner, Quinn, McKern, and de Sica.

Really interesting movie about the papacy, inner Vatican turmoil, philosophical aspects of Christianity, and maintaining your principles in a morally complex, often violent world. That might sound off-putting, but it's anchored by exceptionally strong, moving performances by the late Anthony Quinn, Leo Mckern, Oskar Werner, and others. Kind of old-school Hollywood, with bittersweet rewards--it's pleasing in the manner of 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' or 'Ben Hur.' It looks and acts like a movie made in the late 60's, but that's a definite plus in my view. Leonard Maltin's review is unnecessarily harsh--he must have been having a bad day. Or sore at the pope or something. Don't let it deter you from enjoying a very colorful, well-acted, thoughtful and old-fashioned movie.

This epic film has a few bumpy moments, but overall, it's vastly entertaining, with its fascinating cast, interesting premise, excellent cinematography and art direction.
Anthony Quinn is fabulous as the Russian Pope. It's a powerful portrayal, and not the type of role one would normally associate with him. Oskar Werner, in a part based on Teilhard de Chardin, is absolutely superb.

Other notable performances come from Laurence Olivier (as the Soviet Premier), John Gielgud (former Pope), Leo McKern and Vittorio de Sica (Cardinals), and Arnoldo Foa (the Pope's valet).
The part of a journalist (David Janssen), is used as a narrator, to move the plot along, and explain certain Vatican procedures, like how a new Pope is elected. I only wish less time had been spent on his petty romantic problems...the film feels more like an "Airport" movie while these scenes are taking place.

This is a sprawling 60's Hollywood treatment of Morris West's best seller, and I think it succeeds. It's thought-provoking, good for several viewings, and Quinn and Werner are riveting.

A muddled Fred Astaire musical, which starts out with a brilliant opening sequence wherein Tony Hunter, a thinly-veiled Astaire stand-in, returns to a modern, new, 1950s New York, which has adopted a brash, gritty form of glitz which feels foreign to the debonaire star of 'Thirties film and stage. Broadway has been overrun with garish and pretentiously lofty Big Concept plays, and the good clean fun of Fred and Ginger's era seems hokey and out-of-date. Still, his loyal pals, a successful playwright and librettist, hustle him up some work, which turns out to be with the most pompous of the new theatre elite. Astaire's outsider-looking-in view of Broadway in transition -- the sort of big city symphony that director Vincente Minnelli excelled at -- is fascinating (while Fred's visit to an old Times Square theatre that's been renovated into a penny arcade is amusing in retrospect, considering that the neighborhood soon became overrun with porno parlours...) Teaming Astaire up with Cyd Charisse is a joy to behold as well... Apparently he is quoted as saying she was his favorite dance partner (Ginger Rogers fans, all gasp now...) but you can kinda see what he means... Where the graceful Rogers was a perfect partner to Astaire, the statuesque Charisse is more of counterpoint, an equal presence, if not as intuitive and inventive a dancer. There's a much greater physical charge between them, and it's a very different viewing experience. Anyway, long story short: this film has a great premise, but falls apart when they actually find a barn and start to put on a show. The highbrow producer stages a flop, and Astaire and company decide they can't quit now, so they're just going to put on some good, old-fashioned singing and dancing revue, like folks loved in the old days. That's all very well and fine, but the big old, sockaroony extravaganza that takes up the last quarter of the film simply makes no sense. It's a bizarre Technicolor pastiche of old routines: a hick skit, a terrible old Vaudeville routine (Triplets), and a fun (but overlong) parody of then-contemporary film noir craze, featuring Astaire in the tough-guy role. It just doesn't hang together, which is a pity, since the film ultimately doesn't deliver on its promise to give the "new" theatre its comeuppance... Maybe with a little more delicacy or stronger writing, they would have, but the Really Big Show is kind of half-baked. Stiil, Astaire & Charisse... what's not to like?

Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan and Oscar Levant star in the classic musical THE BAND WAGON, one of the greatest movie musicals ever made.

Focusing on a troup of actors trying to make a musical version of "Faust", THE BAND WAGON centres on the stormy relationship between the two leads - the washed-up hoofer (Astaire) and the prim and proper ballerina (Charisse). The relationship climaxes in the stunning "Dancing In The Dark" sequence, where they test their limits.

Fabray and Levant are endearing as the struggling writers/performers who come up with the impossible musical after the director (Buchanan) gets the wrong idea about the script.

The film also features the classic "Triplets" song with Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan, and the "Girl Hunt" ballet, a spoof of the Mickey Spillane spy stories, danced by Astaire and a dual role by Charisse.

Truly a masterpiece.

This movie begins with a phenomenal if misleading shot. It shows a top hat and cane belonging to former dancing legend Tony Hunter being auctioned, with no takers. Of course, if you see a top hat and cane, you think "Fred Astaire." But despite the implication and reference, Fred Astaire was, at the time this film was being made, still very much the greatest dancer in the movies (with apologies to Gene Kelly). Unlike Tony Hunter, he had never ceased to make "A" pictures. But no one could have played this role with more authority than Astaire.

The plot is simple: washed-out and used-up former dance legend Tony Hunter is returning to Broadway in an attempt to revive his sagging career. That provides the pretext that is needed for a nearly perfect musical. THE BAND WAGON is a magnificent blend of great songs, great music, great dancer numbers, great actors, and great comedy. The cast is perfect. You get not only the greatest song and dance man in movie history but also a magnificent partner in the elegant and leggy Cyd Charise. You get great comic relief with Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray. And you get one of the few musical comedy performers who could rival Fred Astaire for elegance and charm in Jack Buchanan.

The musical numbers are both marvelous and apparently never ending. The film begins with Fred performing "By Myself" and then soon shifts to a thoroughly rousing version of "Shine on My Shoes." Later in the film, two enormously debonair song and dance men (Fred and Jack) perform "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan's." And that doesn't even come close to exhausting the list.

Perhaps the highpoint of the film, however, comes when Tony and Gabrielle, the ballet performer the producers want to partner him with, uncertain that they will be able to dance with each other at all, take a carriage ride through Central Park to try to get to know each other. As they drive, they come upon an outdoor dance floor, with an orchestra playing the haunting Dietz and Schwartz classic "Dancing in the Dark" (which lyricist Dietz intended to be a meditation about the nature of human existence; Schwartz's music matched the mood of the lyrics perfectly). Tony and Gabrielle get out and begin to walk together in rhythm, gradually and tentatively attempting a few dance steps. Eventually, they discover each other's rhythm, and they begin to dance together marvelously and magnificently, matching the mood of the music precisely. It is one of the greatest moments in either Astaire or Charisse's career.

This is a must see film for any fan of the movie musical. I have to confess that I am not, by and large, a big fan of the MGM musical. I prefer the kookiness of the older RKO musicals, or even the stylized musicals of Warners or even Fox. MGM musicals were, to me, too often overproduced and dominated by the art directors. This film, however, is a magnificent exception.

A muddled Fred Astaire musical, which starts out with a brilliant opening sequence wherein Tony Hunter, a thinly-veiled Astaire stand-in, returns to a modern, new, 1950s New York, which has adopted a brash, gritty form of glitz which feels foreign to the debonaire star of 'Thirties film and stage. Broadway has been overrun with garish and pretentiously lofty Big Concept plays, and the good clean fun of Fred and Ginger's era seems hokey and out-of-date. Still, his loyal pals, a successful playwright and librettist, hustle him up some work, which turns out to be with the most pompous of the new theatre elite. Astaire's outsider-looking-in view of Broadway in transition -- the sort of big city symphony that director Vincente Minnelli excelled at -- is fascinating (while Fred's visit to an old Times Square theatre that's been renovated into a penny arcade is amusing in retrospect, considering that the neighborhood soon became overrun with porno parlours...) Teaming Astaire up with Cyd Charisse is a joy to behold as well... Apparently he is quoted as saying she was his favorite dance partner (Ginger Rogers fans, all gasp now...) but you can kinda see what he means... Where the graceful Rogers was a perfect partner to Astaire, the statuesque Charisse is more of counterpoint, an equal presence, if not as intuitive and inventive a dancer. There's a much greater physical charge between them, and it's a very different viewing experience. Anyway, long story short: this film has a great premise, but falls apart when they actually find a barn and start to put on a show. The highbrow producer stages a flop, and Astaire and company decide they can't quit now, so they're just going to put on some good, old-fashioned singing and dancing revue, like folks loved in the old days. That's all very well and fine, but the big old, sockaroony extravaganza that takes up the last quarter of the film simply makes no sense. It's a bizarre Technicolor pastiche of old routines: a hick skit, a terrible old Vaudeville routine (Triplets), and a fun (but overlong) parody of then-contemporary film noir craze, featuring Astaire in the tough-guy role. It just doesn't hang together, which is a pity, since the film ultimately doesn't deliver on its promise to give the "new" theatre its comeuppance... Maybe with a little more delicacy or stronger writing, they would have, but the Really Big Show is kind of half-baked. Stiil, Astaire & Charisse... what's not to like?

Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan and Oscar Levant star in the classic musical THE BAND WAGON, one of the greatest movie musicals ever made.

Focusing on a troup of actors trying to make a musical version of "Faust", THE BAND WAGON centres on the stormy relationship between the two leads - the washed-up hoofer (Astaire) and the prim and proper ballerina (Charisse). The relationship climaxes in the stunning "Dancing In The Dark" sequence, where they test their limits.

Fabray and Levant are endearing as the struggling writers/performers who come up with the impossible musical after the director (Buchanan) gets the wrong idea about the script.

The film also features the classic "Triplets" song with Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan, and the "Girl Hunt" ballet, a spoof of the Mickey Spillane spy stories, danced by Astaire and a dual role by Charisse.

Truly a masterpiece.

This movie begins with a phenomenal if misleading shot. It shows a top hat and cane belonging to former dancing legend Tony Hunter being auctioned, with no takers. Of course, if you see a top hat and cane, you think "Fred Astaire." But despite the implication and reference, Fred Astaire was, at the time this film was being made, still very much the greatest dancer in the movies (with apologies to Gene Kelly). Unlike Tony Hunter, he had never ceased to make "A" pictures. But no one could have played this role with more authority than Astaire.

The plot is simple: washed-out and used-up former dance legend Tony Hunter is returning to Broadway in an attempt to revive his sagging career. That provides the pretext that is needed for a nearly perfect musical. THE BAND WAGON is a magnificent blend of great songs, great music, great dancer numbers, great actors, and great comedy. The cast is perfect. You get not only the greatest song and dance man in movie history but also a magnificent partner in the elegant and leggy Cyd Charise. You get great comic relief with Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray. And you get one of the few musical comedy performers who could rival Fred Astaire for elegance and charm in Jack Buchanan.

The musical numbers are both marvelous and apparently never ending. The film begins with Fred performing "By Myself" and then soon shifts to a thoroughly rousing version of "Shine on My Shoes." Later in the film, two enormously debonair song and dance men (Fred and Jack) perform "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan's." And that doesn't even come close to exhausting the list.

Perhaps the highpoint of the film, however, comes when Tony and Gabrielle, the ballet performer the producers want to partner him with, uncertain that they will be able to dance with each other at all, take a carriage ride through Central Park to try to get to know each other. As they drive, they come upon an outdoor dance floor, with an orchestra playing the haunting Dietz and Schwartz classic "Dancing in the Dark" (which lyricist Dietz intended to be a meditation about the nature of human existence; Schwartz's music matched the mood of the lyrics perfectly). Tony and Gabrielle get out and begin to walk together in rhythm, gradually and tentatively attempting a few dance steps. Eventually, they discover each other's rhythm, and they begin to dance together marvelously and magnificently, matching the mood of the music precisely. It is one of the greatest moments in either Astaire or Charisse's career.

This is a must see film for any fan of the movie musical. I have to confess that I am not, by and large, a big fan of the MGM musical. I prefer the kookiness of the older RKO musicals, or even the stylized musicals of Warners or even Fox. MGM musicals were, to me, too often overproduced and dominated by the art directors. This film, however, is a magnificent exception.

Tennesee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is a powerful play and here has been made into a powerful film. Family ties, lies, power, money, death, sexual troubles and even sibling rivalry coalesce as the troubled Pollitt family deals with the terminal illness of its patriarch. Although the gay subtext has been muted to fit 1950's sensitibilities, it's still there, adding resonance to the film. There's a bit of the mannered approach common to movies of the period, which gives the film a more theatrical feel than many movie adaptations of plays. In some ways, "Cat" comes across as an early, Southern version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf."

The acting in this film is superb, if a little over-the-top at times. "Maggie the Cat" is a plum dramatic role, and Elizabeth Taylor more than does it justice. In her hands, Maggie's basic humanity alternates with her greed to eventually define her. Paul Newman likewise turns in an excellent performance as the troubled Brick. Burl Ives steals the show as Big Daddy, the larger-than-life dying patriarch. Jack Carson and Madelaine Sherwood play the elder, less-favored son and his fecund wife, Mae. Mae and her brood are played as wonderfully grotesque charicatures, greatly enhancing the oppressive atmosphere of the film. If you think of Diane Arbus shooting a movie, you'll get an excellent idea of what Mae and her little "no-neck monsters" are like.

Playwright Tennessee Williams' genius and sympathy for the human condition is again evident in this brilliant, though censored, adaptation of the equally brilliant play. Incredibly, the censorship does not hurt the plot, and the acting is so spectacular one hardly notices. The characterization of Maggie, played to perfection by the incredibly beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, as a "cat on a hot tin roof" shows Williams' sympathy for the character, who is much, much more than a "money-grubbing sexpot" as one reviewer put it. She is "Unfulfilled Woman" personified, denied the love she hungers for from her husband, also played brilliantly by Paul Newman, who has turned alcoholic and cold toward her because of his own self-hate and disgust with "mendacity." Her need for love, security, and a future are contrasted with Brother-man and Sister-woman's out-and-out greed and desire for more than they need, like the brood of "no-neck monsters" they put on display "like animals at county fair" to try to win the favor of irascible, dying, and in-denial millionaire Big Daddy (Burl Ives). Big Mama (Judith Anderson) gives a superlative performance as the faithful wife who, like Maggie, is ever trying to coax warmth from her husband. (What's wrong with these men?) And Madeleine Sherwood as Sister-woman is the true perfect cat of this movie and played to feline ferocity. I actually like the ending of the movie better than the play's--and, judging by the palpable chemistry between Newman (who, unlike his play's character, comes off as very heterosexual) and Taylor in the movie, well...judge for yourself whether he preferred it too.

This adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play was nominated for six academy awards in 1959. It stars Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie, rejected over and over by her alcoholic husband, Brick, played by Paul Newman. His father, Big Daddy, played by Burl Ives, has just returned to his Mississippi mansion after exploratory surgery. There's bitter rivalry in the family as they speculate about his death. Jack Carson plays the older son, who, with his pregnant wife, played by Madeline Sherwood and their five obnoxious children are determined to inherit Big Daddy's fortune. But Big Daddy despises him, as he does his own wife of 40 years, Big Mama, played by Judith Anderson.

As this film was originally a play, most of it is sharp and cutting dialogue, every line filled with tension and double meanings. Close-ups reveal the artistry of the actors, all of whom are excellent. I especially liked Burl Ives, whose performance called for a wide range of emotions, showing his vulnerability as well as his strength. And as the characters battled with each other, the story, which I understand was rewritten to fall within the guidelines of 1950s censors, slowly revealed itself. Some critics say this ruined this movie adaptation. I can't comment on that because I though the story was great. Most of the film takes place inside a house and there's almost no physical action. Not necessary. The dialog does it all. And it does it well. Recommended.

I've seen this movie - both on the big screen and on video - and I would highly recommend it! Great story line, funny yet with a serious side, good music.

My qualm is with the DVD - I think corners were cut in manufacturing. While the picture itself is stellar, I've noticed that moving scenes - such as when the dancehall girls are walking fast - are sometimes slightly blurry. Running the disc in slow motion or fast forward also produces blurry frames. Personally, I would have also preferred a letterbox version (only the full frame is on disc).

Also, I was suprised that there were no subtitles - dialogue could be hard to understand/follow at times for non-Caribbean natives.

Still I think this is a wonderful movie - in many ways as good as the classic reggae movie, Harder They Come. Harder had much better music but Dancehall had a better story line and was more fun to watch, and left you feeling happy at the end.

Marcia has problems. She's barely surviving as a Kingston higgler, her 15 year old daughter, Tanya, is fending off avances from lecherous, 40-something year old "Uncle Larry," and she hasn't had a good man in a long, long time.

When a seemingly unrelated incident sets off a tragic chain of events that leaves her good friend Sonny dead and her brother Junior scared for his life, Marcia realizes that she must take matters into her own hands.

Set in the fascinating world of the Kingston ancehall scene (with a side trip into the go-go racket), the movie is truly a girl-power fairytale with a West Indian edge.

Note: If you are not fluent in Jamaican patois, watch this movie with a friend from the islands. Or watch it over and over, until you get it. It is worth it.

Unlike most other depictions of Jamaican life and culture, Dancehall Queen is 100 percent pure and authentic Jamaica. The characters, the dialect, the style, the rhythm and pace of the story are all very real. If you are of Jamaican heritage or just interested in getting some insight watch this movie.

Me really encourage all a una fe watch it.

This is early Woody Allen at his hilarious best. He proves here that, when he wants to, he can go purely for laughs and score big. There are countless verbal and physical gags in this film and they're all brilliant. Beneath all the glorious bits, however, is a sweet love story--not so sweet that it obscures the comedy, however. This movie has ideas so fresh and funny, they'll stay with you forever. I know I'll never forget the first time I saw that gorilla chasing Woody out of a pet shop.

Though I usually enjoy Woody Allen's more recent work, I'm one of many filmgoers whose heart still belongs to his earlier, anything-for-a-laugh, anarchistic comedies like Bananans, Sleeper, and this one. Take the Money And Run was Woody Allen's first real film to direct himself and it remains one of his funniest. Disguised as a documentary, this 1969 film tells the hilarious story of Virgil Starkweather, the world's most inept (if stupidly optomistic) thief. Like most of Woody Allen's early films, everything is played almost solely for the laughs it might provide and nearly forty years later, it all holds up very well. Lots of hilarious stuff in here (at times, this film is the funniest Mel Brooks film that Mel Brooks never made) but my personal favorite bits would have to include: Virgil's parents who disguise their indentities by wearing Groucho Marx glasses but will be familiar to anyone whose seen any of Allen's films, Virgil's attempt to rob a bank is foiled when none of the clerks can read his bad handwriting, another robbery goes wrong when a rival gang decides to rob the same bank at the same time, Virgil's attempt to escape from prison by making a fake gun out of soap is ruined when it starts to rain, the sight of Woody Allen on a southern chain gang (and being punished by being locked in the hole with an insurance salesman), and especially the scene where a man Virgil attempts to mug turns out to be not only a childhood school friend but an undercover cop as well. Directing with a wild-anything-goes-spirit, Woody Allen gives one of his first (and best) "born loser" performances as Virgil. Amongst all the madness, the film also presents a bizarrely sweet love story between Virgil and his wife, who is well-played by the lovely (and the sadly no longer with us) Janet Margolin. Always underappreciated, Margolin was one of those forgotten, at times almost painfully vulnerable actresses that one can't help but fall in love with everytime she appears on screen. Though overshadowed by the later Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow, Janet Margolin was Woody Allen's first unlikely love interest (in both film and briefly real life) and they have a strong chemistry together that adds much heart to a wild film. Take the Money and Run remains hilarious and will be enjoyed by both fans of Woody Allen and classic film comedy.

This film introduced a film generation to Woody Allen as film maker. A parody of a documentary about a bumblingcrook, its a loosely pieced together series of bits. Some miss the mark, but many are flat out hysterical. Woody robbing the bank (with the teller unable to correctly read his robbery note) and Woody on a chain gang are highlights.

OK, this is the one everyone mixes up with "Cat on A Hot Tin Roof." It's the Tennessee Williams movie that was really based on William Faulkner, but still FEELS like Tennessee Williams. It's the one where the Burl Ives role was played by Orson Welles. But the Paul Newman part is still played by Paul Newman--which no doubt is one reason for the confusion.

It's hard to imagine in 2001 how revolutionary the (now) demure references Joanne Woodward makes to her decidedly repressed sexuality must have seemed in 1958. And Lee Remick flouncing around in her slip and falling languidly into Tony Franciosa's eager arms must have seemed pretty racy at the time. (Of course, Lee and Tony had perfected the act in the previous year's "Face In the Crowd.") All of this seems pretty tepid nowadays. More's the pity, I guess.

As a time capsule, the movie's priceless. Dramatically, though, the pacing could have been lots better. This was only director Martin Ritt's third theatrical effort. Although he is known for getting good performances out of his actors, the script here lets him and the cast down. Dramatic scenes (Jody's attempted murder of his overbearing father; the attempted lynching of Ben Quick by the enraged townsmen) seem rushed and are ultimately more ludicrous than moving. Potentially affecting, the movie is more often frustrating.

But as potboilers of the era go, "Long Hot Summer" remains a must see. The chemistry between Woodward and Newman is evident in this, their first film together. Remick continues her Southern belle shtick begun in "Face in the Crowd" (and that she'd revisit again in another Faulkner-based epic, "Sanctuary") in a way surprisingly winsome for a gal from Quincy, Mass. Orson Welles hams it up gloriously as "Big Daddy," I mean, "Will Varner." Fans of 50s and 60s American cinema will definitely want to take this one in. Whether you want to BUY it or not depends on just how big a fan you are.

Paul Newman plays another one of his cocky, dangerous characters in this story of a drifter who moves into a small Mississippi town dominated by fatcat Orson Welles. Welles' own son, Anthony Franciosa is weak, and he likes Newman and wants to match him up with his staid daughter Joanne Woodward, but she's not interested ... or at least not at first. Newman's high wattage star charisma is on display here as the man who manages to get out of tight spots and can spot an opportunity when it is presented. Woodward is very good as the young woman who needs to let go and allow herself to live. Welles dominates every scene he is in, with his characteristic bluster and dramatics a good fit for this character. Lee Remick, as Franciosa's wife, and Angela Lansbury, as Welles longtime girlfriend, are both sadly underused. The script has got some great bits of dialogue, and the main characters are allowed to develop quite well. But the ending seems rushed, and the full dramatic potential of the town's confrontation with Newman and Welles is not allowed to play out enough. The movie does evoke a Southern atmosphere, and this chance to see Newman and Woodward in their primes shouldn't be missed.

Pay no attention to the reviewer from New York that disliked this film. It was shot and came out before Cat on a Hot Tin Roof did, so it was not trying to capitalize on Cat's much deserved success.

Newman also won best actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his riveting, sexy portrayal of Ben Quick in Summer, even though the American Film Academy would soon snub him the first of seven out of eight times for his role of Brick in Cat.

Ben Quick is an early Newman con man characterization, long before his well-loved role of Henry Gondorf in The Sting came along to enchant the world some 25 years later.

As for the pairing of Paul & Joanne...she was excellently cast in the role of a smart, young southern lady struggling to break free from her dominant father and stifling family history. Orson Welles is excellent as the domineering old brute of a dad. Anthony Franciosa, Lee Remick & Angela Lansbury all turn in wonderful performances as southern folk fighting the stifling heat and Welles' blustery personality at the same time.

Paul & Joanne are lovely together...knowing that they married a few months after making the film adds to it's allure. The last big scene between the two of them on the front porch is glorious chemistry to behold, not to mention her evening visit to the family store that Newman is "tending", in order to work his way into getting a share Welles' wealth.

This is a subtle, intelligent romance and I agree with the reviewer who particularly appreciated the snappy dialogue. It holds up, even if the times have changed.

Enjoy!

The lives and loves of a group of friends - mostly gay, some straight - are placed under the microscope in writer-director P.J. Castellaneta's LA-based production, "Relax...It's Just Sex" (1997), a dialogue-heavy comedy-drama which unfolds like a theatre-piece and is largely energized by a top-notch cast of formerly B-list players, deservedly elevated to lead status. Adopting several points-of-view throughout, the movie opens on unlucky-in-love Mitchell Anderson (one-time regular on TV's 'Doogie Howser, M.D.') and his friendship with sharp-tongued Jennifer Tilly ("Bound", "Bride of Chucky", etc.) who's desperate to have a baby with her reluctant boyfriend (Timothy Paul Perez), whose brother (Eddie Garcia) has just been diagnosed with HIV. Garcia's illness brings the core group of characters together, including Cynda Williams and Serena Scott Thomas (Kristin's sister) as long-term lovers whose relationship is on the slide ("We haven't had good sex since Martina won Wimbledon!"), and Anderson's would-be boyfriend (T.C. Carson), an artist and radical thinker whose contentious views on the AIDS crisis allows Castellaneta to engage in a controversial debate about the relationship between HIV and AIDS and the effectiveness of current medical remedies; some viewers may want to hear more of these theories, while others will likely applaud Tilly when she advises Carson to: "Shut the [bleep] up!" It's lively stuff, and the characters are likeable and engaging. But the group's complacency is irrevocably shattered by a horrific encounter with gay-bashers midway through the movie, an event which concludes in a wholly unexpected (but no less sickening) manner, and which causes the entire group to re-evaluate their priorities and expectations, leading to a bittersweet conclusion.

Opening with a tongue-in-cheek introduction which pokes fun at straight viewers for their well-known aversion to gay themes in mainstream entertainment, the movie - which won the Audience Award at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 1998 - segues immediately into a joyous sex session between Anderson and a curiously uncredited super-hunk, which sets the tone for much of what follows. Overall, the movie offers a sweet but superficial examination of the gulf between sex and love, and demonstrates how a broad range of 'divided' communities - men/women, gay/straight, black/white - experience the same problems as every other community, without distinction. Tilly dominates proceedings as an earth-mother figure whose love for her friends is matched only by her devotion to the man in her life, while Anderson makes a startlingly convincing transition from down-on-his-luck loser to born-again militant after life deals him a particularly unpleasant blow. Other cast members are superb - including Lori Petty (the eponymous "Tank Girl") and Joe Dallesandro-lookalike Billy Wirth (a model-turned-actor who recently branched out into directing) - and there are hilarious cameos from veterans Susan Tyrrell and Seymour Cassel (horrified that their erstwhile lesbian daughter [Scott Thomas] has suddenly taken up with a...a MAN!!) and Paul Winfield as an outrageous seen-it-all-before queen who takes Anderson under his wing during a moment of crisis. The film derives most of its strength from the quality of the performances and dialogue, and while the production is clearly more technically polished than Castellaneta's previous micro-budgeted offering ("Together Alone" [1991]), it's marred by Lon Magdich's slightly ragged-looking cinematography, possibly due to the director's use of cheap film stock.

Or perhaps it's due to the generally poor quality of A-Pix's region-free DVD, which is letterboxed at 1.85:1 and suffers from bland colors, lack of detail, and a handful of marks and blemishes scattered throughout the print. The remastered 5.0 Dolby soundtrack is better, but the dialogue-heavy narrative doesn't provide many opportunities for elaborate audio effects. Identified on the cover as a 'director's cut', the movie runs 109m 58s and is supplemented by trailers and outtakes, though there are no English captions or subtitles. The closing credits - grey against black! - are almost impossible to decipher on smaller screens.

When I began watching Relax... It's just sex!, I expected the same useless, witty tripe that is constantly being peddled to homosexuals. You know the type: Something where everyone is happy, except a single scene of discrimination, (which you can't even take seriously because the characters are so shallow), and then everyone learns a lesson. This, however, was not what I found. The scene of discrimination is filled with characters you do care about, and it doesn't pull any punches. The characters arn't a group of homosexual and heterosexual martyrs, they are well rounded and fierce. In addition, this movie is one of the most realisticly romantic I've ever watched. I've been watching "straight" romantic comedies for years, and have never experienced a scene as heartfelt as the embrace between the lesbian couple at the end. A must see for all those who love and are loved.

Admittedly, the title of this movie caught my attention first. I figured it would be either something stupidly amusing, or ridiculously fictional. I was pleasantly proven wrong. Through the course of the movie I found myself hurting for Vincey, yet with a strange sense of justification in what he did. I cried for Tara, first for losing Gus, then for losing .. well, I won't ruin it for you. I was crying happy-tears for Serena and Robin. Never liked Megan anyway. Buzz just grew on you; you couldn't help it. Javi is like the little brother you wish you had.

This movie is one of the best times I've ever had watching TV. It covered every emotion know to humanity, but fluidly, while still being incredibly believable. It showed the positive, wonderful parts of homosexuality, yet didn't make it seem like one big party. The relationships were real, and heartfelt, but the arguments weren't exagerated or overdone. I relate very closely to Tara, the "fag hag," so by the end of the movie I found myself yearning for more information on what happened to all the wonderful characters that I grew to know and love. This is definately a movie that will quickly be purchased, but that will not-so-quickly be replaced. A true gem for anyone who has friends ...

The lives and loves of a group of friends - mostly gay, some straight - are placed under the microscope in writer-director P.J. Castellaneta's LA-based production, "Relax...It's Just Sex" (1997), a dialogue-heavy comedy-drama which unfolds like a theatre-piece and is largely energized by a top-notch cast of formerly B-list players, deservedly elevated to lead status. Adopting several points-of-view throughout, the movie opens on unlucky-in-love Mitchell Anderson (one-time regular on TV's 'Doogie Howser, M.D.') and his friendship with sharp-tongued Jennifer Tilly ("Bound", "Bride of Chucky", etc.) who's desperate to have a baby with her reluctant boyfriend (Timothy Paul Perez), whose brother (Eddie Garcia) has just been diagnosed with HIV. Garcia's illness brings the core group of characters together, including Cynda Williams and Serena Scott Thomas (Kristin's sister) as long-term lovers whose relationship is on the slide ("We haven't had good sex since Martina won Wimbledon!"), and Anderson's would-be boyfriend (T.C. Carson), an artist and radical thinker whose contentious views on the AIDS crisis allows Castellaneta to engage in a controversial debate about the relationship between HIV and AIDS and the effectiveness of current medical remedies; some viewers may want to hear more of these theories, while others will likely applaud Tilly when she advises Carson to: "Shut the [bleep] up!" It's lively stuff, and the characters are likeable and engaging. But the group's complacency is irrevocably shattered by a horrific encounter with gay-bashers midway through the movie, an event which concludes in a wholly unexpected (but no less sickening) manner, and which causes the entire group to re-evaluate their priorities and expectations, leading to a bittersweet conclusion.

Opening with a tongue-in-cheek introduction which pokes fun at straight viewers for their well-known aversion to gay themes in mainstream entertainment, the movie - which won the Audience Award at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 1998 - segues immediately into a joyous sex session between Anderson and a curiously uncredited super-hunk, which sets the tone for much of what follows. Overall, the movie offers a sweet but superficial examination of the gulf between sex and love, and demonstrates how a broad range of 'divided' communities - men/women, gay/straight, black/white - experience the same problems as every other community, without distinction. Tilly dominates proceedings as an earth-mother figure whose love for her friends is matched only by her devotion to the man in her life, while Anderson makes a startlingly convincing transition from down-on-his-luck loser to born-again militant after life deals him a particularly unpleasant blow. Other cast members are superb - including Lori Petty (the eponymous "Tank Girl") and Joe Dallesandro-lookalike Billy Wirth (a model-turned-actor who recently branched out into directing) - and there are hilarious cameos from veterans Susan Tyrrell and Seymour Cassel (horrified that their erstwhile lesbian daughter [Scott Thomas] has suddenly taken up with a...a MAN!!) and Paul Winfield as an outrageous seen-it-all-before queen who takes Anderson under his wing during a moment of crisis. The film derives most of its strength from the quality of the performances and dialogue, and while the production is clearly more technically polished than Castellaneta's previous micro-budgeted offering ("Together Alone" [1991]), it's marred by Lon Magdich's slightly ragged-looking cinematography, possibly due to the director's use of cheap film stock.

Or perhaps it's due to the generally poor quality of A-Pix's region-free DVD, which is letterboxed at 1.85:1 and suffers from bland colors, lack of detail, and a handful of marks and blemishes scattered throughout the print. The remastered 5.0 Dolby soundtrack is better, but the dialogue-heavy narrative doesn't provide many opportunities for elaborate audio effects. Identified on the cover as a 'director's cut', the movie runs 109m 58s and is supplemented by trailers and outtakes, though there are no English captions or subtitles. The closing credits - grey against black! - are almost impossible to decipher on smaller screens.

When I began watching Relax... It's just sex!, I expected the same useless, witty tripe that is constantly being peddled to homosexuals. You know the type: Something where everyone is happy, except a single scene of discrimination, (which you can't even take seriously because the characters are so shallow), and then everyone learns a lesson. This, however, was not what I found. The scene of discrimination is filled with characters you do care about, and it doesn't pull any punches. The characters arn't a group of homosexual and heterosexual martyrs, they are well rounded and fierce. In addition, this movie is one of the most realisticly romantic I've ever watched. I've been watching "straight" romantic comedies for years, and have never experienced a scene as heartfelt as the embrace between the lesbian couple at the end. A must see for all those who love and are loved.

Admittedly, the title of this movie caught my attention first. I figured it would be either something stupidly amusing, or ridiculously fictional. I was pleasantly proven wrong. Through the course of the movie I found myself hurting for Vincey, yet with a strange sense of justification in what he did. I cried for Tara, first for losing Gus, then for losing .. well, I won't ruin it for you. I was crying happy-tears for Serena and Robin. Never liked Megan anyway. Buzz just grew on you; you couldn't help it. Javi is like the little brother you wish you had.

This movie is one of the best times I've ever had watching TV. It covered every emotion know to humanity, but fluidly, while still being incredibly believable. It showed the positive, wonderful parts of homosexuality, yet didn't make it seem like one big party. The relationships were real, and heartfelt, but the arguments weren't exagerated or overdone. I relate very closely to Tara, the "fag hag," so by the end of the movie I found myself yearning for more information on what happened to all the wonderful characters that I grew to know and love. This is definately a movie that will quickly be purchased, but that will not-so-quickly be replaced. A true gem for anyone who has friends ...

The lives and loves of a group of friends - mostly gay, some straight - are placed under the microscope in writer-director P.J. Castellaneta's LA-based production, "Relax...It's Just Sex" (1997), a dialogue-heavy comedy-drama which unfolds like a theatre-piece and is largely energized by a top-notch cast of formerly B-list players, deservedly elevated to lead status. Adopting several points-of-view throughout, the movie opens on unlucky-in-love Mitchell Anderson (one-time regular on TV's 'Doogie Howser, M.D.') and his friendship with sharp-tongued Jennifer Tilly ("Bound", "Bride of Chucky", etc.) who's desperate to have a baby with her reluctant boyfriend (Timothy Paul Perez), whose brother (Eddie Garcia) has just been diagnosed with HIV. Garcia's illness brings the core group of characters together, including Cynda Williams and Serena Scott Thomas (Kristin's sister) as long-term lovers whose relationship is on the slide ("We haven't had good sex since Martina won Wimbledon!"), and Anderson's would-be boyfriend (T.C. Carson), an artist and radical thinker whose contentious views on the AIDS crisis allows Castellaneta to engage in a controversial debate about the relationship between HIV and AIDS and the effectiveness of current medical remedies; some viewers may want to hear more of these theories, while others will likely applaud Tilly when she advises Carson to: "Shut the [bleep] up!" It's lively stuff, and the characters are likeable and engaging. But the group's complacency is irrevocably shattered by a horrific encounter with gay-bashers midway through the movie, an event which concludes in a wholly unexpected (but no less sickening) manner, and which causes the entire group to re-evaluate their priorities and expectations, leading to a bittersweet conclusion.

Opening with a tongue-in-cheek introduction which pokes fun at straight viewers for their well-known aversion to gay themes in mainstream entertainment, the movie - which won the Audience Award at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 1998 - segues immediately into a joyous sex session between Anderson and a curiously uncredited super-hunk, which sets the tone for much of what follows. Overall, the movie offers a sweet but superficial examination of the gulf between sex and love, and demonstrates how a broad range of 'divided' communities - men/women, gay/straight, black/white - experience the same problems as every other community, without distinction. Tilly dominates proceedings as an earth-mother figure whose love for her friends is matched only by her devotion to the man in her life, while Anderson makes a startlingly convincing transition from down-on-his-luck loser to born-again militant after life deals him a particularly unpleasant blow. Other cast members are superb - including Lori Petty (the eponymous "Tank Girl") and Joe Dallesandro-lookalike Billy Wirth (a model-turned-actor who recently branched out into directing) - and there are hilarious cameos from veterans Susan Tyrrell and Seymour Cassel (horrified that their erstwhile lesbian daughter [Scott Thomas] has suddenly taken up with a...a MAN!!) and Paul Winfield as an outrageous seen-it-all-before queen who takes Anderson under his wing during a moment of crisis. The film derives most of its strength from the quality of the performances and dialogue, and while the production is clearly more technically polished than Castellaneta's previous micro-budgeted offering ("Together Alone" [1991]), it's marred by Lon Magdich's slightly ragged-looking cinematography, possibly due to the director's use of cheap film stock.

Or perhaps it's due to the generally poor quality of A-Pix's region-free DVD, which is letterboxed at 1.85:1 and suffers from bland colors, lack of detail, and a handful of marks and blemishes scattered throughout the print. The remastered 5.0 Dolby soundtrack is better, but the dialogue-heavy narrative doesn't provide many opportunities for elaborate audio effects. Identified on the cover as a 'director's cut', the movie runs 109m 58s and is supplemented by trailers and outtakes, though there are no English captions or subtitles. The closing credits - grey against black! - are almost impossible to decipher on smaller screens.

When I began watching Relax... It's just sex!, I expected the same useless, witty tripe that is constantly being peddled to homosexuals. You know the type: Something where everyone is happy, except a single scene of discrimination, (which you can't even take seriously because the characters are so shallow), and then everyone learns a lesson. This, however, was not what I found. The scene of discrimination is filled with characters you do care about, and it doesn't pull any punches. The characters arn't a group of homosexual and heterosexual martyrs, they are well rounded and fierce. In addition, this movie is one of the most realisticly romantic I've ever watched. I've been watching "straight" romantic comedies for years, and have never experienced a scene as heartfelt as the embrace between the lesbian couple at the end. A must see for all those who love and are loved.

Admittedly, the title of this movie caught my attention first. I figured it would be either something stupidly amusing, or ridiculously fictional. I was pleasantly proven wrong. Through the course of the movie I found myself hurting for Vincey, yet with a strange sense of justification in what he did. I cried for Tara, first for losing Gus, then for losing .. well, I won't ruin it for you. I was crying happy-tears for Serena and Robin. Never liked Megan anyway. Buzz just grew on you; you couldn't help it. Javi is like the little brother you wish you had.

This movie is one of the best times I've ever had watching TV. It covered every emotion know to humanity, but fluidly, while still being incredibly believable. It showed the positive, wonderful parts of homosexuality, yet didn't make it seem like one big party. The relationships were real, and heartfelt, but the arguments weren't exagerated or overdone. I relate very closely to Tara, the "fag hag," so by the end of the movie I found myself yearning for more information on what happened to all the wonderful characters that I grew to know and love. This is definately a movie that will quickly be purchased, but that will not-so-quickly be replaced. A true gem for anyone who has friends ...