All Night Long

Rating:
Summary: "And don't take candy from strangers."
Review: A huge box office bomb upon release, ALL NIGHT LONG has been criticized by many for it's uncomfortable mix of odd-ball comedy and quaint slice-of-life drama. Though it received some positive reviews (most notably from Pauline Kael and "Rolling Stone" magazine), most mainstream critics hated it and audiences all but completely ignored it. It is also often cited by most of Streisand's die-hard fans as their least favorite film of the actress. While the film is certainly not without it's flaws, I have interestingly always thought ALL NIGHT LONG contained somewhat of a bizarre charm, and I've always wished it would receive a re-evaluation from the film-going public.

As mentioned before, the film has it's problems. It's paced too leisurely (it's only 90-minutes in length, but feels more like two-and-a-half hours), Jean-Claude Tramont's direction is too light (the film needs more of a thematic punch in several scenes), and much of it's humor is surprisingly too subtle (odd seeing that most film comedies have the opposite problem). Having said all of that, the film is still worth checking out. Though Tramont's direction may be a tad too limp, his skewed perception of the American dream gives the film a dreamy, almost art house-like feel that makes the film more inherently interesting than the screen play would merit alone.

Also, the varied cast is a lot of fun, almost all of them playing against type. Gene Hackman brings a equal mix of unusual serenity and touching pathos to his role of the would-be inventor who manages to find his true self by loosing nearly everything that was once-important in his life. In an early role, Dennis Quaid throws himself completely into part of Hackman's airheaded son, making the intelligent personae he would develop in later films like DREAMSCAPE and THE BIG EASY even more impressive. Barbra Streisand is clearly miscast the role of the bimbo housewife who woos both Hackman and Quaid (Streisand replaced Lisa Eichhorn, who was fired from the film after two weeks of production), but her performance is still worth catching. Though she's never totally believeable as Cheryl (a role that was poorly-defined in the screenplay to begin with), she is still a very likable, always watchable, and occasionally endearing presence in a unusual little film that deserves a second chance.

Rating:
Summary: Gene Hackman's comedy classic
Review: Gene Hackman gives one of his finest (and most under-appreciated comic performances) in the 1981 comedy, "All Night Long." As George Duplar, a hapless corporate executive demoted to night drug store manager after hitting his boss when he is passed over for a promotion, Hackman is funny and honest as he wrestles with who he is and what to do with the rest of his life. He meets free spirit Cheryl, played by Barbra Streisand, who helps him regain his self-confidence and live the life which he's imagined -- as an inventor.

The best moments of the movie center around Hackman's interactions with an endless parade of nutty characters -- love interest Streisand, her uptight firefighter-husband Bobby (Kevin Dobson), Hackman's unforgiving wife Helen (Diane Ladd), his goofball son Freddie (a youthful Dennis Quaid), Helen's divorce lawyer (William C. Daniels), and a number of very amusing bit players. Working off a clever script by W.D. Richter, Hackman brilliantly plays the straight man, a little like Bob Newhart on his 1970s show. When Freddie shows up stoned at the drug store to tell George of a relative's death due to a "brain hemorrhoid," Hackman raises the teen's sunglasses, pauses and asks with perfect timing, "Hemorrhage?" George eventually quits the drug store, but not before his boss reminds him that he'll be throwing away all his pension benefits and declares: "Even you're not that stupid, Duplar!" "Hey," Hackman responds, drawing out the word, "Don't overestimate me."

So he quits his job -- he'd already been kicked out of his home after being accused of adultery -- and moves into an abandoned warehouse, where he begins toying with a few inventions. The funny thing is that the more Hackman's Duplar breaks frees of the shackles that he's placed on his life, the more irritated others get. He pays a surprise visit to Cheryl while her controlling husband Bobby is home one afternoon and begins privately pressing her to tell him who was a better lover -- George or son Freddie, with whom she'd also had an affair. As Bobby gets angrier at George's flirting, he says he's got to leave and Cheryl asks where. Hackman motions to the neighbors and announces, "I think I'll go bother those people for a while." Another hilarious scene comes when George and Freddie return to their home to find wife Helen with her divorce lawyer - who's wearing George's robe. They ultimately all sit down for coffee, and George chides his wife, "You didn't make this." The lawyer confesses he made the coffee and Hackman says with bemusement, "You're a lucky woman Helen." And he winks at his son.

Although this film recently made an appearance on the "We" channel as a Barbra Streisand vehicle, this is not a Babs movie - and in fact one could argue she's a little miscast. Hackman owns this film from beginning to end, and it marked one of the first times (along with the "Superman" series) that this great American actor established he could do comedy as well as drama. Former Washington Post film critic Gary Arnold argued for an Oscar nomination for Hackman in 1981, and a case could certainly be made because it was so different from anything he'd done before. This movie just wouldn't be half as funny without Hackman, who taps so well into the frustrations of the ordinary man. I'm glad Gary Arnold recommended this story of one man's decision to go on "life's incredible journey" and I'm glad it can still be found on video.

Rating:
Summary: Gomlak hit it on the head
Review: Wow! Finally a man like Gomlak has come out of woodwork and hit it on the head with this trenchant 1981 masterpiece entiled "All Night Long." This Hackman/Streisand/Quaid gem has been a secret for much too long. Witness Hackman in his hilarious dealings with his neuortic wife and all of her untrammled malevolence and her support group of odd French women. Oscar must of been smiling down on that superb actor with the weird haircut during the filming of this piece of museum. The only problem was Streisand. I would have preferred Ruth Buzzie or Joanne Whorley in her role as an adulterous waif married to the Peter Pan-like Kevin Dobson. By the way Keven -- nice hair job!

Hackman's "never underestimate me" quote and cracking a Budwieser at 8:30 a.m. has endeared me to women and employers for years. Five stars!!! 'Nuff said.