moonspinner55

On the train from Marrakech to Casablanca, a Vogue model (Lindsay Wagner, in her film debut) meets an Army deserter from Vietnam (Peter Fonda) who is tired of running and is ready to turn himself into the US Embassy. In Paris, the two meet up again and she proposes that he stay with her in Europe rather than risk a five-year jail sentence. Muted love affair with conversation that takes a liberal stance on the government (corrupt) and the war (stupid and useless), yet is also cynical about peace rallies back home (where celebrities show up just to show off!). Rather a dispassionate boy-meets-girl story, that is until the lovemaking begins and David Shire's flowery-romantic music swells up in the background. "Two People" is of absolutely no importance, so one wonders why a veteran director like Robert Wise would waste his time on it or why a former rebel like Fonda would choose to star in it. *1/2 from ****

Documentary filmmaker Denny Tedesco's worthy follow-up to his "The Wrecking Crew!" from 2008--spotlighting the unsung session musicians of the '50s and '60s--forges onward through the Singer/Songwriter era (James Taylor, Carole King, etc.), which brought forth a new wave of musicians who helped make the headliners shine. Guitarist Danny 'Kootch' Kortchmar, bearded bassist Leland Sklar, drummer Russ Kunkel, guitarist Waddy Wachtel and guitarist Steve Postell reminisce about their humble beginnings, their childhood interests in music, their breakthroughs in '70s Los Angeles, and the iconic songs they helped create. If the amiable personalities involved aren't as dynamic as the group from "The Wrecking Crew!", that's all right because the music is almost as strong. Celebrities including Taylor, King, Phil Collins, David Crosby, Stevie Nicks, Lyle Lovett, Don Henley, Linda Ronstadt, Keith Richards, and Jackson Browne are warmly affectionate towards their friends without telling any tales out of school, and the whole thing goes down very smoothly and with a big smile. *** from ****

Executive secretary marries her (presumably divorced) boss, a department store magnate, and tries making a home for them both and his bratty nine-year-old daughter; the trouble is, he thought he married a savvy, sharp businesswoman, not a "flouncy, coy" housewife. Interesting depiction of a woman's role in the workplace--circa 1935--vis-à-vis her role as a wife and stepmother. Some of the high society patter is fast and fresh, but when the moviemakers get maudlin, the picture goes down the drain. Claudette Colbert gives a good performance, though Melvyn Douglas gets stuck with the worst of it (walking in on family frivolity with a scowl, misunderstanding a compromising photo of his wife in the newspaper, getting drunk along with the butler, etc.). Sassy Edith Fellows gives it a goose until she, too, is reduced to hysterics. ** from ****