Llámame Mr. Charly

I was very surprised to see this movie today on a channel that plays lots of familiar movies. I had never heard of this one before, but I figured with Denzel Washington how could I go wrong? Yes, Carbon Copy is over-the-top in its depiction of snooty racists, and some of the comedy borders on slapstick. But if you concentrate on the relationship between the Denzel Washington and George Segal characters, you're in for a real treat. They are truly wonderful together and Denzel, especially considering this is one of his earliest roles, has all the charisma, polish, and depth we have come to expect from him. Bonus points for some really funny lines and a serious point that is made with heart.

Walter Whitney has a mansion in San Marino and a great job that comes with a Rolls Royce and numerous credit cards. Hisd life isn't quite perfect, since his uptight wife Vivian won't let him touch her or even let him see her without her clothes on. And her daughter Mary Ann won't accept Walter as her father, even though he adopted her when he married her mother. Mary Ann considers herself to be engaged to her boyfriend, but apparently this isn't important enough to tell Walter.

Nelson, Vivian's father and Walter's boss, has a talk with Walter because he is concerned that his daughter isn't happy. But this is the least of Walter's problems. It seems that when he was in college at Northwestern, Walter lived with a black woman. And that woman's son Roger is here to see him. His mother is now deceased, and Roger feels the need to find his father. Guess who it is!

The opening credits said "Introducing Denzel Washington". This respected and usually serious actor comes across more like Will Smith in TV's "Fresh Prince of Bel Air"--appealing, smart-alecky, intelligent though apparently not book-smart (and we know Smith progressed from that image to a career similar to Washington's, though in less serious roles). Washington does show potential here, though it's not immediately obvious he will someday win an Oscar. He does comedy well, but he also has at least one fine dramatic scene.

But this is not "Fresh Prince". On that show, only Carlton and Hilary thought they were better than everyone else. Their parents never forgot where they came from. In this movie, Vivian, Mary Ann, Nelson, and even the family doctor and pastor think blacks are inferior, and that Walter has done something unthinkable. And wait until you find out the hilarious consequences!

Most of the leading actors here give good performances. Dick Martin is funny as Walter's pot-smoking best friend and lawyer, and Paul Winfield does a good job as another lawyer.

One of the many highlights: Roger's '59 Chevy, which makes Al Bundy's Dodge Dart look like a BMW. The only movie car more pathetic that I can remember was one of the cop cars in "Smokey and the Bandit", but that was only after numerous wrecks.

And you have to see how Walter and Vivian solved their difficulties in the bedroom!

Eventually, lessons about prejudice are learned, but not by all. Those who don't think there should be racial prejudice should keep in mind what was said about Archie Bunker. We learn prejudice is wrong by making fun of it.

The ending was not neat and tidy, but it showed promise.

This was very good.

Carbon Copy was previously unknown to me but recommended by a friend of mine. I'm a fan of Denzel Washington's work and to see him in a comedy, I figured why not. It has certain similarities to Trading Places as a riches to rags story. George Segal plays a successful white yuppie executive type who's life gets turned upside down when he discovers he has a black son that he won't turn his back on. He ends up losing his job and assets because of it and does the best he can do to deal with the situation. The film deals with a lot of race and class issues that are not much different and relevant today. The race situation is a little better, but we have a ways to go with that in America. Another theme of the movie is selling out has consequences and it is much better to stick to your principles than to take the more financially lucrative situation. Even with some of these themes , Carbon Copy is a comedy and a funny one that doesn't come across as preachy or pretentious.

I first saw one scene of this largely forgotten movie on TV in the early '80s. A white man told his white wife that the black teenage boy with them was his son. She became hysterical and told her husband that God would never forgive him. He responded by saying "How do you know? Maybe he's pleased? Maybe God is black!" As a white kid about 12 years old, somehow I found "Maybe God is black" to be one of the funniest things I'd ever heard! Over the years, I quoted that line many times, mostly in arguments with my mother and maternal grandmother about inter-racial marriage. I supported it and they opposed it, though their opposition was out of fear of the social stigma rather than hatred for other races.

That scene was all that I ever saw of "Carbon Copy" until I was 19, when I saw it in a video store and rented it. I loved it but didn't see it again until getting the newly released DVD for Christmas last month. Now 34 and in an inter-racial marriage, I find the movie funnier than ever!

Now for my synopsis of the movie! Walter Whitney (played by George Segal) is a wealthy businessman who lives a high society lifestyle with his snobbish wife Vivian (Susan St. James) and his equally snobbish step-daughter Mary Ann (Vicky Dawson). That changes one day when a 17-year old black boy named Roger Porter (Denzel Washington in his first movie) arrives at Walter's office and, after an extensive display of crude behavior, cheerfully says "Hi, Daddy!"

It turns out that Roger was the product of Walter's relationship with a black woman, now dead, who he loved. But he left her when his longtime employer and now father-in-law Nelson Longhurst (Jack Warden) advised him that it would be harmful to his career to be with a black woman. It's also revealed that Walter changed his last name from Weisenthal to hide his Jewish ethnicity.

Walter is shocked to learn that he has a son and nervous about the way it might disrupt his life. But he attempts to help Roger by telling Vivian that he wants to adopt a poor child for the Summer to show him a better way of life. Vivian reluctantly agrees, then changes her mind shortly after meeting Roger, which leads to the scene that I mentioned to start this review.

Vivian proceeds to kick out Walter and her father fires him, takes his company Rolls Royce and his many job benefits. Walter learns that his total worth is the $68 in his wallet.

So Walter and Roger, the day after meeting, seek shelter together. They first check into a cheap motel and later move into an apartment in Watts while Walter looks for a new job. But in the town of San Marino, his reputation turns out to be ruined and out of desperation to make some quick cash, he ends up shoveling horse manure.

As the movie progresses, it's obvious that Walter regrets leaving Roger's mother. And now he must decide whether to keep Roger at a distance for the sake of social acceptance or try to make up for the mistakes of his past by attempting to build a close relationship with his son.

Throughout the movie, the interaction between Walter and Roger is fabulous. Though they are father and son, their lives have been radically different. Their cultures often clash and this results in many hilarious situations. The movie does a great job striking the very difficult balance between having fun with racial stereotypes but still condemning racism.

And during the last 15 minutes, when the movie makes the transition from comedy to drama, it does so surprisingly smoothly.

In conclusion, "Carbon Copy" gets my vote as the best culture clash comedy ever. I also consider it to be one of the most underrated movies ever. It's a great movie to watch for lots of big laughs. 9/10.

One part "Fire Sale" ( White family adopting Black child ), one part "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" ( the culture clash surprise ), one part "Life Stinks" ( the reality of life on the streets ), and you pretty much have "Carbon Copy". The movie can stand on it's own however, because George Segal and Denzel Washington compliment each other nicely as mismatched Father and Son. There are a number of laugh out loud moments, and some social lessons too. If you go in not expecting too much in the way of logic, you will not be disappointed. I think George Segal is very underrated as a comedy actor. Just take a look at "Where's Poppa?" if you disagree. - MERK