10

We all have 'secret pleasure' films - those films that, for some reason, we get immense joy out of, yet might not want people to know. '10' is one of those films.

Of course the humour may have dated, but that doesn't detract from what is still a nicely paced, genteel, well rounded and well performed film. But the real joy in this film comes from the skill of director Blake Edwards in getting his actors to actually act. It seems almost alien in this day and age that actors should perform extended shots in one take, where they react to each other without umpteen cuts. But that was always Blake Edwards' thing. Check out the Pink Panther films and watch how many classic scenes featured only a few cuts. It's almost stage acting on film.

There are many joys to be found in '10', especially if you are of a certain age and can relate to the mid-life crisis of George Webber. But if you are looking for a movie which really delivers on the 70s chic - from 8-track tapes to disco, it doesn't get much better than this.

Approach this film with the right relaxed mindset and enjoy.

Dudley Moore stars as a dissatisfied 42-year-old having his "midlife crisis". He turns in a good performance, even if his character is not very likeable. The comedy is mostly of the wry variety, although there are some physically comedic vignettes. Julie Andrews is wasted in a relatively small part with a bad hairstyle. Dee Wallace was quite charming in a small part. And Bo Derek looked very good, and her acting was certainly adequate, in spite of the reviews. The ending, while a bit predictable, carried some emotional power. It's worth seeing, but no classic.

I'll never forget seeing Bo Derek for the first time in this movie. I was shocked (hated the hair, but it made the character) This is a great movie about a man who is having a mid-life crisis. Dudley Moore, has just turned 42, and is single (dating Julie Andrews.) While driving around in his Rolls, he sees Bo Derek in a Mercedes on her way to her wedding. Hes totally wild over her, and she becomes a sort of obsession. So he finds out where they are honeymooning, and goes there. The movie is great, its funny, and keeps you laughing. This was also Bo's break-through. Shes a total 10, and even though she speaks very little, her character is a HUGE part of the film. Its great, everyone should see this film.

"10" is far from a masterpiece, in fact, it's much more of a goofy 70's rom-com than anything else, but there's a little bit more heart and quite a few more laughs than I thought there would be here. The film is about a man (played by Dudley Moore) going through a mid-life crisis as he realizes his age is creeping up on him as he's failing to provide a spark in his relationship with the one and only Julie Andrews. What follows feels like a movie made specifically for sexually deprived teenagers, but there's definitely a little bit more to it than that. George Webber (Moore) is a film composer recognized by everyone for his famous ballads, but he rarely shares an intimate moment with people for various reasons. Spending his nights desperate to find his music again and spying on his neighbor who consistently hosts sex parties, there's not a lot going for Webber. But when he stumbles upon a young newly married woman, things begin to change. The actual plot itself isn't the most interesting, especially as it consistently meanders into slapstick comedy. I mean, George literally has a mid-day fantasy of Bo Derek slowly running on a beach Baywatch style for over a minute. It's not exactly the most tightly written or directed feature. However, I did at least connect to the Webber character in part. His relationship to Andrews is touching at times, and I have a special place in my heart for film composers. Henry Mancini's score is another gem and it's definitely a film that can be enjoyed in the background if you turn your brain off for a few hours.

6.4/10

... 45 years ago, Bo Derek and Dudley Moore weren't well known. They had both been in American films before, but not prominently and not in an A list property. It was AFTER this film that they both littered the screen with some real stinkers in separate career paths. So given that Derek and Moore were "fresh faces" at the time, I was not that surprised to go back and view Siskel and Ebert's positive review of this film in 1979 and see that they both gave it a thumbs up. But I digress.

George Webber (Dudley Moore) is a successful award winning song writer in a relationship with singer Samantha Taylor (Julie Andrews). He's just had a birthday, and as a man in his early 40s he's starting to feel old. In the midst of this middle aged angst he's driving down the road when he sees, in the car next to him, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen before. The complicating factor is that she's in her wedding dress. He follows her to the church and sees where she's getting married. He uses that information to figure out her name and where she is honeymooning. In the meantime, he is treating his actual age-appropriate girlfriend like rubbish.

Webber does manage to meet the girl of his dreams - on her honeymoon no less - but she turns out to be personality wise not exactly what he was expecting. Let me reword that - at no point do you see he was fantasizing about what she would SAY - just what she looked like and what it would be like to embrace her. But he was still slapped in the face by the reality of what she was like. What he really wants, after all, is the mind and personality of his 40 something girlfriend in the body of this 20-something "10".

The film does have its moments, but I've always found that Moore's brand of humor can get tedious. A standout is Dee Wallace, who laments the fact that, as they age, men become distinguished and women get old. Also look for Brian Dennehy as a sympathetic and philosophical bartender.