Separate Ways

One of the strangest chapters in the history of Crown International Pictures was when they picked up the independently produced SEPARATE WAYS, a movie that had actually been completed in 1979 and sat in limbo for a while as the producers looked for a distributor. It was a strange choice for C.I.P. because while the movie is rated "R" and involves infidelity, it's not a sleazefest. It is actually a sober look at both partners in a troubled marriage. The movie is well acted by Karen Black and Tony Lo Bianco, and you can sense the filmmakers were really trying to make a compelling drama, but it doesn't quite work. It feels kind of dry, kind of like what a made-for-TV movie of the era would play out if it had "R" rated elements. It's not a terrible movie, just kind of flat. A word of warning if you plan to rent or buy the movie - while the movie has been given an official DVD release, the DVD company just copied an ex-rental video cassette instead of finding the movie's negative and making a copy directly from it.

SEPARATE WAYS feels like a TV movie version of the kind of film that KRAMER VS KRAMER was - i.e., a slow-moving drama about a marriage in trouble. The plot involves Karen Black, who plays an unhappy housewife who begins an affair with a much younger man. Problems arise as it transpires that her husband is also having an affair, and sparks fly when the truth is uncovered.

This was put out by the notorious Crown International Pictures, so you might be forgiven for expecting this to be full of sleaze and depravity, but it's no such thing. In fact, even the sex and nudity is kept to a bare minimum. It's more of a dialogue-heavy drama, although sadly for me the material isn't really something that grips my attention. While it's nice to see Black in a straight role for a change, she was much more interesting in genre fare like TRILOGY OF TERROR, although a bunch of old-time actors like William Windom and even Sybil Danning do show their faces.

The only reason why I bother, is because this one was included with the answer to my quest to find NIGHT CLUB, the Crown International rip-off (er, strike that, I have found some interesting performances) known as "Dangerous Babes" that notorious 3 disk set with 12 movies by the kings of loser fare.

You could say that it is my misfortune to have seen NIGHT CLUB decades ago, barely remembering it, wanting to see what my fuss was about, but being unable to find it in singular form. I wasn't keen on the purchase.

Scouting those included titles, I spotted some dodos, not that I knew any of them, but this one, SEPARATE WAYS, featuring Karen Black, I just new this to be a no-hoper. The name Karen Black doesn't exactly give me a buzz. I always thought she was the wrong choice for CAPRICORN ONE. She's best remembered as the horror face in BURNT OFFERINGS. Not exactly romantic movie material.

This afternoon though, I do believe, I have now seen everything, believe me, I have. Karen Black as a Foxy Lady. Actually, she was kind of cute, with the big red tail and pointy ears, cute in a Karen Black way.

A couple days ago I learned that she died a few years ago. So, with that damper on things, not gonna say much more.

A reviewer here mentioned that Karen is a better actress than the average Crown International fare. Could be. Fails to make one damn difference to the viewing experience. For it's a hell of a boring relationship drama movie with unappealing main protagonists.

And hardly a good print. Looks like it went a couple rounds through some hicksville drive-in theaters.

Avoid. Avoid it if you can. I've now seen five of the twelve, busy with a sixth, and the consensus is: AWFUL movies, here and there saved by pretty girls making noteworthy appearances. But the movies are AWFUL as in BAD as in YUCK.

Crown International Pictures, not a symbol of quality. Understatement.

My review was written in September 1983 after watching the film on Vestron video cassette.

Lensed in 1979 under the title "Valentine", "Separate Ways" is a small-scale romantic film released in 1981 and currently a pay-tv and home video title, Karen Black toplines as Valentine, an unfulfilled housewife married to former racing car driver (now running an inherited car dealership into the ground) Ken Colby (Tony Lo Bianco). Studying art at a local college, Valentine takes up romantically with a young student (David Naughton) after she sees her husband having an affair on family's boat, named after her (and film's original romantic title).

Ultimately she splits, getting a waitress job at a low-down night club run by Jack Carter. The Colbys finally reconcile, with a lightweight climax of hubby winning a racing trophy.

Husband-and-wife filmmakers Marlene Schmidt and Howard Avedis (latter an Iraqi emigre director formerly billed as Hikmet Avedis) have fashioned a romantic drama in the vein of Claude Lelouch's hit "A Man and a Woman" that is attractively lensed (by since-graduate to major pics Dean Cundey) but lacks bite. Acting by a big cast is okay and should help in attracting an audience in eventual tv broadcast slottings. Appearing in a small role as couple's young son is Noah Hathaway, currently toplining in the German fantasy epic "The Never-Ending Story" but not making much of an impression here.

A woman lives in an unsatisfying marriage to a car dealer. She catches him cheating on her which leads to her embarking on an illicit liaison of her own. She finds this essentially dissatisfying and decides to separate from her husband but in doing so finds life tough outside the safety net of their relationship, made worse by her missing her young son.

Separate Ways is a slightly unusual release from Crown International Pictures. It doesn't fit the description of one of their typical genre offerings. It might feature some nudity but it is of a very half-hearted variety and in the main this is a quite a thoughtful drama in many ways. Seemingly it sat on the shelf for two years before a distributor was found to release it but this is no indication that the product is low quality, as in my opinion this is a pretty good domestic drama. It has a few interesting observations about relationships and dependencies. It benefits also from featuring Karen Black in the lead role, she is a much better calibre of actor than Crown International usually are fortunate to have any involvement with and her presence here definitely improves the film. I have found that its often the least typical Crown offerings that often are among their best and this one is no different to that rule of thumb.