Hombre sensitivo y apasionado

As a late comer fan of David Janssen's, I been looking for some time for this film and finally found it-- "A Sensitive, Passionate Man"-- for sale on the Internet.

I almost wish I hadn't. The acting by Janssen is almost too believable and I was quite unsettled by the whole story. My late husband was an alcoholic and some of the scenes were just so true to life that it brought up memories that were painfully familiar.

For its time, it was a very good portrayal of a subject that wasn't dealt with openly in society. Folks didn't really understanding that alcoholism is a disease, not a character flaw. Unfortunately, as in the film, sometimes the patient is lost. I watched my husband die of problems related to drinking and the final scene was almost more than I could personally take.

For Janssen fans, it is also notable that he helped write the title song for the film!

Perhaps this telefilm was so good because of David Janssen's own battles with alcohol that, within three years would play a role in taking his own life. Janssen was always an underrated actor, but this was the defining role of a highly successful television career.

In the picture, Janssen plays an unemployed aerospace engineer who has lost his zest for life and finds solace in the bottle. While the audience wants to scream at the character for giving up when he was so much to live for... a sexy wife (Angie Dickinson), a nice home and two great kids, the character simply cannot see what he has to live for. This, and Janssen's performance, are the primary reasons for the quality of this film.

Janssen, in particular, is dynamite in the tragic story. He looks older than the character is supposed to be and his boozy dialogue is delivered perfectly. One scene, in particular stands out. After a while on the wagon, Janssen convinces Dickinson that it's okay to have a little cooking wine. You know the rest.

A heartbreaking story of a man with everything to live for, but who is too blind to see it and simply cannot imagine his life without alcohol. Janssen is riveting.

A searing portrait of alcoholism. I haven't ever seen a movie quite like this. An unsparing, brutal look at middle-class alcoholism and it's effects on life, job, loved ones, health, etc.

David Janssen plays an Aerospace Engineer who loses his job. He, obviously, gains his self-worth from his job, and now, he is pretty much adrift. He treats his pain with old reliable, alcohol. This time, however, he has no career to prop him up. His slow sink into alcohol devastation is played out slowly and painfully. The effect on his wife (Angie Dickinson) and his kids is heartbreaking, and very difficult to watch.

This is a movie with no happy endings, but is a fascinating and honest (for its day) look at the ugly, underside of alcoholism.

Remarkable performances by Janssen and Dickinson. An overlooked gem.

David Janssen life was that of a very sad Hollywood star. Although very successful and incredibly talented, he also had a major problem with alcohol that most likely led to his death...at only 48, though he looked far, far older (I would have guessed he looked about 60 in this movie). Ironically, here just three years before his death, Janssen stars as a man struggling with alcoholism! Essentially, he's playing, at least in part, himself...which is tremendously sad.

The story is about the Delaney Family. Michael (David Janssen) works as an aerospace engineer--not a particularly good industry during the late 70s. After all, there were a lot of cutbacks in the space program following the end of the Apollo missions. Not surprisingly, he's laid off from his very high paying job but instead of telling his family he pretends to be going to work each day. Eventually his wife finds out and the secret is out. But instead of pushing him to finally looking for work he increasingly sits around drinking. And the more he drinks the more violent, nasty and unpredictable he becomes. The film follows his progression into alcoholism as well as it's devastating impact on the family. In particular, it focuses on the wife (Angie Dickinson) as she vacillates between enabling him and just wanting to get out and protect herself and the children. This was, incidentally, one of her best acting performances.

I appreciate how this film is an unflinching view of alcoholism. It doesn't paint a magical picture of redemption like you see in "The Lost Weekend" and many other films about addiction. Instead, it's just awful and stays awful--making it a very tough film to watch but also making it realistic and a public service. It also shows what life was like when treatment facilities were practically nonexistent and AA and counseling was about your only option...an option Michael refuses to take seriously. Well worth seeing despite its awfulness. Also a great film to show to someone who really needs to see what alcoholism really looks like. It certainly pulls no punches.

By the way, another similar sort of film I heartily recommend is "Days of Wine and Roses"--either the original television teleplay or the more famous 1960s movie with Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick. Very unpleasant as well...but very truthful and blunt in its depiction of addiction.

Regret can't really watch films about alcoholism, Angie Dickinson's presence notwithstanding. And poor David Janssen, long one of my favourite TV actors, looked old and tired by this time.