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Barefoot in the Park

Barefoot in the Park

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fonda and Redford in a light hearted Neil Simon comedy
Review: "Barefoot in the Park" had been one of Neil Simon's earliest successes on Broadway, starring Elizabeth Ashley and Robert Redford as the the newlyweds. However, producer Hal Wallis wanted name stars and after casting Jane Fonda as the wife the actress supposedly through her support behind Redford to reprise his role in the film. The pair had worked together in the notorious Sixties bomb "The Chase," and it was during the production of this film that they became close friends because of their obvious political connections. So this is really the second film with Fonda and Redford, not the first (which nobody wants to see come out on videotape).

The story here is very fundamental. Fonda is Corie Bratter, a free spirit newly married to Paul (Redford), who she discovers is pretty much a stuffed shirt. They move into the fifth-floor of Greenwich Village walkup for which there is no elevator (and a big stoop out in front to climb as well). The building is inhabited by a collection of eccentrics, the most notable of which is Mr. Velasco (Charles Boyer), who Cories tries to fix up with her mother (Mildred Natwick, another member of the Broadway cast). Of course, Paul is totally appalled by the entire situation, but is usually too much out of breath from climbing up to his apartment to make much of a protest. Like "The Philadelphia Story," another play turned into a successful film, "Barefoot in the Park" benefits from a nice little prologue in which we see the happy couple honeymooning behind a persistently closed door at the Plaza Hotel. Eventually Paul escapes to return to the real world, but we know that Corie is not going to be happy with this situation. A nice bit of foreshadowing.

"Barefoot in the Park" remains a charming movie, perhaps even more so now that we are so totally familiar with the liberal views of the two principles. It is just so interesting, not to mention ironic, to see them playing such a simple young couple. Redford has always had an underappreciated reputation for doing light comedy and this film puts that to rest before we are ten minutes into the film. Fonda displays similar talents, but the team would not be reunited the 1979 film "The Electric Horseman." While this film ignited Redford's film career, Fonda went to Europe to make "Barbarella" and "Spirit of the Dead" with her then husband, Roger Vadim. Talking about two careers heading in opposite directions. This is still an enjoyable film and remains one of Simon's better efforts at drawing comedy from characters rather than setting up one-liners.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Just a delight!
Review: An old friend (and fan of goofy romance) recommended this film to me. It took 6 months and I finally got around to seeing the DVD. The DVD has the original trailer and looks great. The sound is solid, but you aren't buying this DVD for the effects. You are buying this for the film.

Pauline Kael called this film, "a trifle and almost amusing in a harmlessly, pleasantly stupid way" (5001 Nights at the Movies). She missed the whole point of the film. You don't take a movie like this seriously. You let the charm of Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and the bouyant Charles Boyer take you away. You just laugh and enjoy. The story of two young newlyweds is age old. You can see where Dharma and Greg get their inspiration, and the 90 minutes of this film are far better than any episode of that show. I immediately fell in love with Fonda's Corrie.

Charles Boyer steals the movie. At times it is a bit dated (like Corrie's mom's advice about making a happy marriage), but that is no matter. If you want to smile and fall in love, see this film.

It looks great on DVD. Do yourself a favor, ignore the junk playing at a theatre near you and enjoy this one at home as winter comes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Barefoot in the Park
Review: Barefoot In the Park - Paramount, 1967

Jane Fonda is adorable in this Broadway hit play by Neil Simon converted to the big screen. Fonda and Robert Redford are Corie and Paul Bratter, newlyweds adjusting to their newfound married life. Corie is carefree and vibrant, whereas her husband, Paul, is prim and proper. Together, they make a dazzling team that answers the question: Do opposites attract? The script rarely leaves their hilariously small apartment, located on the fifth floor of a building with no elevator. This adds for some laughable moments in the movie as visitors have to walk up five flights of stairs to reach them. Mildred Natwick plays Corrie's concerned mother, and she livens up the script with her dry wit and humorous lines. This is a wonderful romantic comedy that will lift your spirits. I just wish the movie was a bit longer. . . I would have loved to see what became of this lovable couple

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Love This Movie!
Review: Barefoot in the Park is one of my favorite movies, I taped it when it was shown in Letterbox Widescreen on TCM and when I get arond to it I'm going to buy it on DVD. This is a very charming movie and has a wonderful cast! Jane Fonda is absolutely charming as spunky newlywed Bride Corrie Bratter and Robert Redford is great as her uptight husband Paul but also good are Mildred Natwick as Corrie's mother and Charles Boyer as eccentric, fun-loving neighbor Victor Velasco and I highly recommend this charming movie!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Love This Movie!
Review: Barefoot in the Park is one of my favorite movies, I taped it when it was shown in Letterbox Widescreen on TCM and when I get around to it I'm going to buy it on DVD. This is a very charming movie and has a wonderful cast! Jane Fonda is absolutely charming as spunky, fun-loving newlywed Bride Corrie Bratter and Robert Redford is very good as her uptight husband Paul but also good are Mildred Natwick as Corrie's mother and Charles Boyer as eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco and I highly recommend this charming movie!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My 2 cents worth!
Review: First of all let me say this! [Those] who gave this movie 1 or2 stars need to quit playing Siskel&Ebert. This is a Classic Moviein every way. It's very entertaining, funny, romantic and has great performances by all involved. And I really resent talking about Jane Fonda looking old and tired or whatever nowadays. Is a remark like this fair? I'd like to look that good when i'm in my 60's. And a comment like this has nothing to do with her performance in a movie over 30 years ago ...if u love classic movies and appreciate fine comic acting, don't miss this one.The rest of u find some actionflick.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny and sexy - splendid entertainment!
Review: Fonda and Redford's roles reveal a unique combination. Funny, cute, sexy - what more could you ask for from such a classic?!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: and I've been eating lychees' ever since...
Review: Funny underrated sitcom this made just prior to "Klute" and "Butch Cassidy" in which both Fonda and Redford really made their mark. I enjoyed it enough then to go out and buy the video 30 years later.

Paul and Corrie Bratter are two newly weds who move into a fifth floor apartment of a building with no lifts. She is extrovert, bubbly and a little naive always wanting to try new experiences while he is a staid advertising executive on a fast track to being very boring. Inevitably there is a clash of personalities. Somehow in these more liberal times such an outcome could easily have been avoided,nevertheless... There is an interesting bohemian character next door who serves as a catalyst for finally bringing out there differences to the fore. A Mr Victor Velasco played with great relish by Charles Boyer. When he invites them all to dinner including Corries mother and serves a hot dish of lychees, the story takes a different turn. It also aroused my curiosity enough to go out and try this tasty asian delicacy myself. But I digress. The 'barefoot in the park' literal ending is both touching and romantic. Enough said. This is not a great comedy as comedies go but extremely watchable for those have us who have a nostalgia for the 60's when cohabitation outside wedlock was still a novelty. Both Boyer and Natwick manage to upstage everyone with there spot-on characterisations. No over acting here. I sometimes wonder if Fonda and Redford had not gone on to bigger things that maybe they would have ended up on some similar tv sitcom of this genre. Fortunately for us they didnt...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my absolute Favorites
Review: I love the music in this movie, it always reminds me of the "old" New York and the many movies that I have come to enjoy from this era.

Robert Redford.... WHAT A BABE!!!! Jane Fonda.... WHAT A SEXPOT!!! I can watch this 4 nights a week and still laugh at the jokes and I remember seeing this for the first time when I was a kid and now I share it with my 11-year old daughter and she "loves" it "Shamma Shamma el ma Ka Mamma" LOL

There is so much witty humor from Redford in this movie as well as the Mother that I always end up on the floor laughing at least once during the movie. The Story is cute, not anything heavy or dilemas to figure out just a cute flick.

If you enjoy movies like "The Out of Towners" (the original) or "What's Up Doc" I think you will like this one.

Happy Viewing

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: simply charming!
Review: I loved this film! A Young Redford was a treat, and Fonda was adorable! Although no substantial plot, the movie was propelled by the humor of Paul's befuddlement with Corie's precariousness and she his conservativeness. Redford slips into the lovable drunk, and she the concerned wife. Terrific supporting characters in Natwick's Ethel and Boyer's Victor.


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