The Pursuit of Happiness

Two silver spoons are supposedly attending Columbia (both of them are prime community college material). In the greatest challenge of her acting career, Barbara Hershey, who loves to take off her pants, plays a Columbia coed. Please. Things are not much better with the clueless Michael Sarrazin, who makes more bad decisions in two weeks than most people make in a lifetime.

Neither of these characters could even find the room for the SAT test, much less get into any college. Normally, I would say don't waste your time, but watching this film is like watching a 20 car pileup on the highway; you just can't ignore it, even though it is horrible to watch. Robert Klein is very good, though, as is EG Marshall. His son in the film would go on to make Boys in the Band, a great movie. Someone has to make this a midnight movie.

Usually these Young-People-against-The-System films from the late 60's-early 70's are populated with groovy-talking stoners, angry radicals, and even angrier authority figures (cops, parents, etc.) But this one dispenses with those cartoons. Sarrazin and Hershey play idealistic college students, but Sarrazin is realistic enough to understand he needs help from his family connections when he gets into trouble, and Hershey doesn't have a beat-the-system attitude when Sarrazin escapes from custody; in fact, she can't fathom why he was so stupid.

It all revolves around an accident involving Sarrazin hitting a pedestrian with his car. It has nothing to do with campus politics and no attitudes are posed. The filmmakers don't try and truckle to the youth crowd by having the establishment types be played over-the-top. When Sarrazin mildly mocks the justice system, his lawyer played by E.G. Marshall shuts him up fast with a well-written lecture that reasonably explains Marshalls' viewpoint. And, noticeably, it is Marshall's law assistant, of the same age as Sarrazin, who is played as far more hard-core establishmentary than Marshall, or Sarrazin's father, played by Arthur Hill. The film also features a young Robert Klein, who is quite good as Sarrazin's buddy. It also features a small but striking performance from William Devane as an airplane pilot hired to help Sarrazin. Devane is on screen no more than thirty seconds before he becomes more interesting than anyone else in the film (although Sarrazin's grandma is quite a kick, even though one note). And yes, Hershey does show off her very nice young figure in a couple of scenes. Unfortunately, the film also features Randy Newman drone-singing one of his boring songs at the opening and closing.

This movie is fairly well made overall. It certainly gives a glimpse into the mindset of college aged students in a political and legal environment with all the predictable clashes. It also explains why letting people (who've retained the idealistic views of their childhood) become the political leaders of tomorrow will lead a nation to ruin. The lack of thoughtful consideration of the consequences of perilous and stupid actions is particularly disturbing in this film. No doubt the excitement of living a responsibility free life is an irresistible draw to many of the young and foolish who are nurtured by their predecessors in our educational system. All in all it's a frightening view of the reason great nations fall due to the well meaning ignorance of too many people. So sad to see when happiness is found simply by moving to the right.

This film should be dedicated to the memory of beloved film, stage and television actress, Ruth White. She did in 1969 and this was her final screen performance. She was only 55 years old at the time of her death. She is too young to play Grandmother Popper. White played older female roles in other works. Ruth White is great here as the prejudicial wealthy WASPy grandmother in New York City. Her grandson is played well by Michael Sarrazin who accidentally kills an elderly woman in a car accident. There are plenty of familiar faces like David Doyle; Robert Klein; a young Barbara Hershey; Arthur Hill; Rue McClanahan; Barnard Hughes; and Charles Durning. They filmed on location in New York City. The writing and acting are fine. For the most part, it isn't a bad film but it is no long forgotten.

Uninvolved New York college student, estranged from his wealthy family and half-heartedly romancing his radical girlfriend, realizes just how empty and directionless his life has become after he accidentally strikes a jaywalker with his car and is sentenced to a year in jail for vehicular manslaughter. Intensely troubling material, based on the book by Thomas Rogers, given low-keyed, matter-of-fact treatment. Michael Sarrazin's dazed and confused young man doesn't mean to buck the system (i.e., the Establishment), necessarily--he refuses to play by the rules because, as he sees it, you have to lie to win. Not wanting to be dishonest to himself, he manages to get in much deeper trouble. Not a surefire crowd-pleaser (especially for this generation), the film is intelligent and smoothly handled, if unable to explore its themes adequately within this milieu. It doesn't want to be a cop-out and have the protagonist become "a better man" by being a model prisoner--and at the same time, it doesn't want to be explosive or dynamic and have the kid get away guilt-free. There's no happy ending (hence the irony of the title), but certainly the circumstances which arise here are thought-provoking. Sarrazin and young, lovely Barbara Hershey are very good; Arthur Hill also excellent as Sarrazin's surprisingly understanding father. The supporting cast is wonderfully filled with now-familiar faces: Sada Thompson, Ralph Waite, David Doyle, Robert Klein, William Devane, Rue McClanahan, Charles Durning. A forgotten picture worth-seeing...and worth discussing afterward. **1/2 from ****