Cry Uncle

For anyone looking for a prurient Sam Spade or a Peeping Tom's idea of a Raymond Chandler mystery, director John G. Avildsen's very-nearly pornographic crime satire should suffice while also giving character actor Allen Garfield an overdue starring role as a not-so-private dick. Garfield's Jake Masters, on a blackmail/murder case for five G's, always seems to have his pants down, coming down, or about to come down. David Odell's script (adapted, believe it or not, from a novel, "Lie A Little, Die A Little," by Michael Brett) can barely work up the semblance of a storyline, while the naked ladies who cross Jake's path aren't the luscious dames of years-past; Avildsen has filled these roles with cheap and hardened braless babes. The film quickly begins to ape its own rancid scenario (this is literally a 'dirty' movie), but Garfield doesn't notice, making the most of the opportunity. Constantly horny, and wearing an ever-present stingy brim hat and sweaty undershirt (pulled down just far enough to cover his privates), Garfield is in the required raunchy spirit, all right, yet he also has unmistakable star appeal. He's the naughty kid from grade school barely grown up, unable to get information out of a female suspect without unzipping his fly. Avildsen's movie makes no overtures to morality or ethics--he just wants to goose the audience--and he has found the perfect lead for the job. ** from ****

After viewing the film 34 years ofter its release, I must say it doesn't hold up and is quite tedious and boring in spots. For those of you old enough to remember, the early 70's was filled with these semi-porn x-rated independent films with wide-spread theatrical release. It was new and legal, and many genre themes were sexed-up for releases like this.

To be fair, there are moments in this film that are genuinely funny and well done, but like a hard-core porn film, it takes every opportunity it can to portray sex and nudity on screen, with the subsequent boring results.

As I understand it, the director, now making much more mainstream films and famous for such product as, Rocky and Karate Kid, still has a soft spot for this early piece, which he co-wrote. Not only did Mr Avildsen not 'die' in the aftermath of this extremely sleazy outing, Allen Garfield, as the overweight and obscene lead, also continued in his successful career. Not only could a film as full of non PC stuff, including hard core sequences not be made for theatres today it is likely that anyone even considering the project might face the wrath of their peers. It is indeed with amazement we look back at some of the films of the early 70s and face the fact that weird, personal, extreme and in-your-face that they were, they could find their place in the market and remain available for us to watch them now mouths agape. This is great fun loving film making. There is sex, humour and a little violence, but what really keeps this super thing afloat is the honesty of the writing and the believable, yet unbelievable way Garfield flops through the movie treading a fine line between scumbag and wise guy. It is a unique must see film. I must also mention, Madeleine Le Roux as the extraordinary leading lady. She is utterly captivating and yet as others have noted is surprisingly keen to get naked considering her imperfect body and looks twice her apparent 25 years. Something good about seeing less than perfect nakedness done with such vigour. Congratulations to all those who braved so that we might marvel and consider why now we seem to have become so precious.

Normally I wouldn't rate this kind of movie very high. However, this movie is much better better written, produced, directed and acted than other "Troma" productions. Now don't get me wrong. There is A LOT of graphic sex and nudity here. Full frontal female and male. I think that maybe all of the women but one or two had fully nude sex scenes. Some of them had several. But, this movie was very light hearted with a lot of humor. But much of that was raunchy old school 1970's humor. So if you're an easily offended person or a feminist, you might want to watch something else.

A rotund private dick is hired to find a killer, and has to get naked in the process.

I can't figure out if the movie amounts to serial copulation with whodunit overtones or a whodunit with serial copulation appeal. One way or the other, a naked Allan Garfield did keep my popcorn untouched. Actually, the 90-minutes is so smoothly directed and the girls so fetching that I did stay glued. Also, catch the symbolically placed donut and banana in the opening slow pan. I guess that tells you what's coming up. As I recall, the movie was much ballyhooed at the time. After all, what could only be hinted at before 1969 now became permissible, thanks mainly to the counter-culture's clash with censorship. Also, the Swedish ground-breaker I Am Curious (Yellow), (1969)-- the first commercial film to show copulation on screen-- drew lines around the block when I saw it. Now Hollywood, even Troma, could cash in on the novelty.

The movie itself may look like an oddity after 40-years. Certainly, the sex scenes take up as much time as the narrative. Still, the production is smoothly done, with about the right amount of tongue in cheek, Garfield included. And I like Madeleine LaRoux (!) who has a different movie look, sort of like an elongated Goldie Hawn. But a screen name like that suggests plans for a big porn career, which I don't think happened. All in all, guys could do a lot worse than Uncle, plus you don't have to feel inferior to the stud (Garfield). And, oh yeah, let the girl viewers figure out the plot.