Mi arrendo... e i soldi?

Michael Caine and Sally Field--reunited from "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure"!--in a curious but unfunny Rock Hudson-Doris Day throwback. Field has such a rapport with the camera that movie audiences immediately relate to her highs and woes. Her fans didn't turn out for this quickie-comedy from writer-director Jerry Belson, however, and yet it's gratifying to see the actress in a sunny bit of fluff for once in place of dramatic Oscar Bait (and one is nearly tempted to give "Surrender" a pass on the basis on Field's likability alone). It's a film built on an overworked premise--love vs. Money--and yet it goes off into many perplexing directions. Michael Caine does what he can with the silly role of a wealthy writer, taken to the cleaners by women over the years, who meets assembly-line artist Field and pretends to be poor--but, of course, she's the one pure lady who wouldn't care if he had money or not. There are some interesting bits in the film: a date to the airport--to watch the planes fly overhead--is unusual (and looks good on film); there's also the embarrassing way in which the two lovers meet. Still, not enough wit was put into the basic make-up of the story, which plays like something from the Doris Day-Rock Hudson generation. That's fine if the picture has the wit and snap of "Lover Come Back", but "Surrender" is terribly insecure and unsure of itself. ** from ****

Michael Caine is always worth watching, and Sally Field is at her most attractive here, but this romantic comedy is just very mild and weightless (and I mean it in a negative way). It's occasionally enjoyable, though.

"Surrender" is a rom-com from director/writer Jerry Belson. And, according to him, much of what you see in the film actually happened to him...though in real life the events weren't so funny.

When the story begins, you see that writer Sean Stein (Michael Caine) is very bad at picking women. Again and again, the relationships fail and he's now determined NEVER to be with a woman again.

A short time later, Stein is at some charity event when the strangest and funniest meet-cute occurs. All the folks at the event are forced to strip naked...and then they are tied together. Sean is tied up to an equally naked Daisy (Sally Field). Their meeting...to say the least...is quite awkward!

The next day, despite his commitment to have no more women in his life, Sean appears at Daisy's house to ask her out on a date. But to prevent her from taking advantage of him like other women, he tells her he is poor. Despite this, they hit it off well and soon are a number. But there is a problem...Daisy's old boyfriend, a commitment phobe himself, suddenly returns to her life and wants to marry her. What is going to happen next?

The best thing about this comedy is its oddness...and I mean that in a good way. It's not conventional in the least and has a few very funny moments. It's also, despite the commitment problems and lying, a cute romance...however, the notion of Sean lying...well, that might turn off some viewers, that's for sure! But, despite this, I did enjoy the film thanks to the very unconventional script and some nice acting.

Surrender (1987) isn't much mentioned or remembered nowadays. That being said, anyone who has seen it will probably never forget the scene where Sally Field and Michael Caine are tied-up together, naked.

• I have to breathe.

• That's not what you breathe thru.

The roped-together scene has, HAS, to be inspired, or nicked, from Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose (1984), although for my money Surrender's version is funnier, especially when Caine's character, who has already been fleeced by two grasping ex-wives in divorce settlements, tries desperately to persuade the robbers not to pair him with a woman. He knows he only has to get a whiff of perfume or a soft-eyed glance and he's toast, once again. This movie was only a year after Caine had triumphed at the Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in Woody's unbeatable comedy, Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Obviously Surrender isn't in the same class as Hannah, but it is the kind of movie you can stick on as comfort viewing.

Sally Field, the American equivalent of Felicity Kendal, is pretty and pretty adorable in the role of an artist who can't tell a lie without her fluttering eyelashes telling on her. Caine's novelist thinks he's at last found someone who isn't into him for his money and fame, but is he right, and what about her assets?

So wanna know why this movie has aged like wine? Well, I'll tell ya. Because we've all turned to vinegar. Surrender would have been dismissed as lightweight tosh back in the 1980s, one of those movies Caine did for the cash, no other motive. Thing is, lightweight tosh of the likeable, entertaining, genuinely FUN kind, is hard to come by in the po-faced 21st century, and thus Surrender is more appreciable now for being just that, light, frothy, fun, and with familiar, charismatic stars in it. And it's so sweet, so romantic, especially when a nervous Caine comes to Field's house without an invitation, persuades her to have dinner with him, and then comes back several hours too soon, because he just can't wait to start getting to know her. Today he'd be accused of inappropriate stalking, and Field would be all over TikTok venting about her ick.

So here it is, a romantic comedy about love and other banana skins. A good time movie. Wanna have a good time?

Successful writer Sean Stein (Michael Caine) had been taken to the cleaners over and over again. First, he let his wife win due to his guilt about his mistress. Next, he's giving up another half to the mistress. He even gets robbed by a hooker. Now, he's gunshy with women. He's moving to Kuwait where women can't vote. Daisy Morgan (Sally Field) is a frustrated artist forced to mass produce hotel room paintings. She's stuck dating unscrupulous lawyer Marty (Steve Guttenberg) who refuses to commit. Both Sean and Daisy happen to be at a large fundraiser when robbers break in and strip everyone naked. Sean and Daisy are forced tied together.

I remember the elevator scene. I think I remember a few other scenes. It may be from the trailer. More likely, I saw the movie and forgot it. There's a reason to forget this. I don't like Sean and this movie is bothersome. I do like everybody initially. Sally Field is always adorable. Michael Caine can be very fun but when he starts pursuing Daisy, he becomes a stalker and a bit creepy. He needs to hit the cute button rather than the creepy button. The meet-cute is pretty cute but it goes downhill from there. The money issue keeps interfering with the rom-com. The basic premise is problematic for its romance and its comedy. It's in the movie's genes. I'm sure that Jerry Belson thinks that this is funny for all those divorced guys out there but I'm not sure that it's funny for anyone else.