Un crime dans la tête

That's John Candy's dilemma in Delirious. Candy's a writer for a popular television day time soap which seems to bear more resemblance to the night time big budget soaps so popular in the Eighties. Anyway after some creative differences with fellow writers Jerry Orbach and Renee Taylor, Candy gets into a nasty car wreck and when he wakes up finds himself in the hospital of his own show being treated by a couple of the characters of same, doctor David Rasche and nurse Andrea Thompson.

After seeing this, I see where the creators of Pleasantville got their idea. Pleasantville of course was a bit more serious in its subject matter. Delirious was a good idea that didn't quite come off although the players do give it a good try.

Part of the problem is that even in the fantasy Candy's thinking with his hormones. He's got it bad for his show's star Emma Sammes who is doing a nice Joan Collins impersonation. There's good girl Mariel Hemingway who is auditioning in real life for a part on Candy's soap opera and she shows up in the fantasy as well.

I have to give special kudos to Raymond Burr who plays the family patriarch of this soap opera with tongue firmly in cheek. Burr's occasionally flashes a twinkle which you have to be sure to catch just to let you know how much he's enjoying this. Nice he took time off from Perry Mason here.

Sammes and Burr are the real treats of Delirious. It could have been a lot funnier, but I think someone like Mel Brooks should have directed it.

Just as I disagreed with the critics whom universally panned DELIRIOUS, I must disagree with most IMDB reviewers. I believe this is a genuinely funny movie, quite original and inspired. Sure, there are more than a few things in it that don't work (particularly the casting of Mariel Hemingway as the love interest); but, what writer hasn't a fantasy of being a part of his creation? The high point of the movie is the "guest" appearance by Robert Wagner. The big surprise is how funny Raymond Burr turns out to be. Despite her "spoiled brat" vixenishness, I would still take Emma Samms over the awkward, nerdy Miss Hemingway. The cruelist humor in the movie is the disintegration of Samm's brother. It's also probably the funniest thing about the film.

DELIRIOUS may not be to EVERYONE'S taste, but I happily purchased the laser disc a few years back. I watch it about once a year, and call it my "writer's fix". Enjoy it if you are a mind to...

The all time best line in the movie -- John Candy rescuing Emma Samms on horseback -- "This stranger knows no danger!"

A bit spotty -- can't maintain a high comedy level throughout but nonetheless is enjoyable and a vehicle for John Candy to demonstrate comic range. Excited he will get to spend a romantic weekend tryst with Emma Samms (and misunderstanding her feminine wiles), he finds himself lugging umpteen of her suitcases to the taxi cab, then knocks himself out with the trunk door as he tries to load the suitcases. Wakes up in the pleasant little village where she reappears as new character, daughter of Raymund Burr, along with others in town, Mariel Hemingway et al. Plenty of lines for Candy in trying to write the new soap opera about family conspiracies with a stolen formula, and the rapid disintegration of Emma's brother while none in the family seem to notice or care. Again the highlight to me was the rescue chase by Candy when Emma's horse took her on a wild ride and Candy rides up and self congratulates later as modern day Zorro or Lone Ranger. All in all, enjoyable.

This is a much more watchable film than many of the lightweight vehicles Candy took part in in his post-SCTV career. His part could have been played by any number of comic actors, but John steps in and gives it his best shot. He's always fun to watch on screen, and he has a good time here without going over the top, which he tended to do.

DELIRIOUS is a weird mixture of Groundhog Day, Soapdish, and various Rod Serling scripts in which the characters in a story are being controlled by someone at a typewriter. It's a workable premise, and the actors make the most of the stock soap opera characters they play. David Rasche, Emma Samms, Raymond Burr et al were well-chosen for their parts. Bit parts by Robert Wagner and Marvin Kaplan (the voice of Choo-Choo on TOP CAT) are also memorable. Mariel Hemingway takes some flak on this comment board for her part, but she seemed suited for the role and moved smoothly from her gawky character to the soap opera "devil woman." This is a pleasant comedy but not as consistently funny as SOAPDISH. The script by veteran writers of Gilligan's Island and Bewitched suffers from a lot of unnecessary "language" (for what could otherwise be a family film) but moves along at a brisk pace (except for the longish horse-riding scenes).

I have recently re-watched one of John Candy's more interesting films done around the subject of the soap opera. This film stars Candy as a producer of a Soap Opera that ends up being pulled into his own world where he has the opportunity (or misfortune) to interact with the characters that he created to love and hate.

This movie is pretty good. I felt that the entertainment value is fair and it is re-watchable. The cast interacts well and there are some very funny moments. I enjoy this film but unfortunately it falls in around the same basic feel that most comedies had at this time so don't expect the spectacular or a film that is gut wrenchingly funny. If you are looking for a film that is enjoyable and fairly pleasing this one has a good feel to it.