Stern meines Lebens

Young woman working for her low-rent showman father struggles to break out from his shadow and follow her heart as a singer-songwriter. Joseph Brooks, who composed, wrote, produced and directed the film, might have used some assistance. His picture has a drab, TV-movie look and feel, with an elongated emotional breakdown for our heroine which turns her from plucky imp to vulnerable girl victimized by too much love. Brooks stages a funny wedding rehearsal, and his placement of the Oscar-winning title tune (which he wrote, natch) in the recording studio gives it an emotional lift, but the final tag doesn't tell the whole story. Hasn't Brooks ever heard of the one-hit wonder? *1/2 from ****

Didi Conn really is wonderful in this, and her relationship with father Joe Silver is the reason to watch the film. And of course, the title song, which won an Oscar, is great the first time, good the second time, by the 5th time.... Yes, it is cliched, and at times, outright dumb, but the emotions and romantic view toward life and coming-of-age are timeless. Overall, I give it 7/10, and enjoy it every time I see it.

Here is a coming-of-age film that embodies everything 70's. It especially appeals to me because I was born in 1960 & was a teenager in the 1970's. If a teen watches this film today it would seem hokey, the cloths especially odd & unattractive, the music sappy, & the storyline threadbare. But if you were there, it has a special nostalgic quality that is undeniable. This is an interesting story about a young woman finding herself & her way through life. Instead of padding the story out with too many unnecessary shots of Conn driving her car, they should have fleshed out the characters a little more. The storyline was also choppy. One minute she's told she has a major part in a film & the next minute a deadpan blonde is hired instead. This sudden shift in the story is too abrupt a transition. Also, when she tells her dad about the offer from Columbia Records to record her songs, it came out of left field. (Perhaps this should have been something her character struggled with. Should she stay in California & contemplate making the film & starting a new a relationship, or go to New York & record?) DiDi Conn is very likable in the lead & the music adds just the right romantic touch.

I missed an opportunity to see this movie, way back in 1978. Recently I got to see it. The first thing that surprised me - there was no Debby Boone. I always associated her with the movie. That apart, the movie is light weight, enjoyable entertainment. Basically it is the story of a young woman finding her dependence and breaking out of her fathers shadow. It reminded me of the movie "Valdez horses" aka as "Chino", with Charles Bronson. Nothing dramatic happens and it does not build up to any crescendo. Overall, it is recommendable and pleasant to watch and suitable for all ages. Robert

Had "You Light Up My Life" been promoted for what it was, a low-budget growing-up film with a quirky and effective performance by Didi Conn, it would be better regarded today. Rather than the minimalist promotion and distribution this type of film normally receives, for some reason the distributors decided that this little film had the potential to make big money.

So they threw more money into marketing than had gone into production, they pre-sold the film with a hit recording of the title song (sung by Debby Boone although Kacey Cisyk actually does the singing in the film) released concurrently with the film, and they utilized a saturation booking technique normally reserved for their weaker blockbusters. This technique involves a lot of pre-release publicity and then opening it simultaneously in many theatres, with the goal of generating quick profits before bad reviews and word of mouth kill attendance (although a common practice today this was done less often in the 1970's).

The result was a lot of viewers who rightly felt that the film did not live up to its blockbuster billing, and a failure to appreciate the good points of the film. And there are some good points. Conn's earnest portrayal of a reluctant juvenile comedienne and good daughter trying to work out her adult identity rings true. You feel a protectiveness toward her that makes you more tolerant of the cornball elements. The child star vs stage-father stuff with Joe Silver seems genuine and the surreal television commercial material has some good comic qualities.

Kacey Cisyk (a session singer who was opera trained) recorded the song for the film but initially declined to record it for commercial release. She may have felt that it had no potential or maybe she just didn't wanted to be closely associated with a pop standard. So they recruited Debby Boone and her version went to the radio stations and record stores. Cisyk actually appears in the film as one of the bridesmaids.

Ironically, although the song works fine within the film, it hurts the film's reputation. People incorrectly believe that the film was just a lame attempt to exploit a hit record and that Boone was unwilling to allow her own version to be used in the production.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.