Política do Corpo e Saúde

In the classic sense of the four humors (which are not specific to the concept of funny or even entertainment), Altman's "H.E.A.L.T.H." treats all of the humors, and actually in very funny, entertaining ways. There's the Phlegm, as personified by Lauren Bacall's very slow, guarded, and protective character Esther Brill, who's mission in life appears to be all about appearance, protecting the secrets of her age and beauty more than her well-being. There's Paul Dooley's Choleric Dr. Gil Gainey, who like a fish out of water (perhaps more like a seal) flops around frenetically, barking and exhorting the crowds to subscribe to his aquatic madness. The Melancholy of Glenda Jackson's Isabella Garnell smacks of Shakespeare's troubled and self-righteous Hamlet -- even proffering a soliloquy or two. And let's not forget Henry Gibson's Bile character, Bobby Hammer ("The breast that feeds the baby rules the world"). Then there's the characters Harry Wolff and Gloria Burbank (James Garner and Carol Burnett, respectively), relatively sane characters striving to find some kind of balance amongst all the companion and extreme humors who have convened for H.E.A.L.T.H. -- a kind of world trade organization specializing in H.E.A.L.T.H., which is to say anything but health. This is Altman at his classic best.

When Altman made "Health" his career was sinking fast. Hollywood had discovered the summer special effects blockbuster and had no further need of 70's temperamental, erratic, auteurs like Altman or Bogdanovich or Cimino or Coppola. And considering that they were producing stuff like "One From the Heart", "Heaven's Gate", "Quintet", and "At Long Last Love" who can blame them.

The New York Times reviewer, maybe it was Judith Crist, was trying real, real hard to like this movie. She honestly acknowledged that she did not want Altman to go the way of Orson Welles or Erich von Stroheim and knew that his career could not survive more flops. Altman had made one flop after another since "Nashville" (then again his critically praised overlapping dialogue technique confused and alienated audiences so he had never been much of a moneymaker, just a critical darling. Now the critics were abandoning him.). The reviewer desperately wanted this film to be good enough to save Altman's career.

It wasn't anywhere close.

"HEALTH" never comes near the brilliance of Robert Altman's earlier political satire, "Nashville"; but it has its moments. I found it interesting because of the good characterizations from all of the participants, but bringing it all together into a unifying theme seems to be absent from this Altman effort. The movie starts out promising but seems to lose steam before its hour and 45 minute running time is over. The ending disappoints because the outcome is so obvious from the first few frames. Still the viewer can have fun along the way: Lauren Bacall lifting her hand for purity and then sometimes inexplicably dropping off into oblivion; Paul Dooley lying at the bottom of the swimming pool as a campaign stunt; Dick Cavett relaxing in his hotel room watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Granted you would have to be a certain age to appreciate that last joke. Still, one wonders what was in Altman's mind in creating this film. Since it was made in 1980, I would think it would be a veiled criticism of Ronald Reagan's ascension to the presidency. But it never stretches itself far enough to really make that point. So I may be reading more into it than is intended.

This was the very first film I was in as an actor. Robert Altman himself chose me as "The Carrot" after casting director Rick Sparks suggested me for the role. The total experience filming was nothing but positive. Mr. Altman was a delight to work with and watch him gleefully direct his cast of repertory actors. The film was "shelved" for a few years before it was finally released nationwide in limited release. His films are more for "groupies" who "get" his brand of humor, where today Christopher Guest's improvisational films featuring a "rep" group of actors seem to be more widely accepted and understood. Mr. Altman is a sincere passionate director and lets his ensemble of players breathe life into the improvisational scenes. Carol Burnett is a class act on and off the screen. Glenda Jackson equals her. Lauren Bacall was more aloof. James Garner would spend hours signing autographs on the beach for the gallery of fans in the hot sun following the long hours of shooting. He is the consummate pro. Many people may not "get" HEALTH, but it was way ahead of its time and today would be a hit with the world's political scene more controversial as this cast of characters is. P.S. I played "the carrot" in the opening and closing scenes! how's that for getting "roots" as an actor?

As disjointed as it is, HEALTH is still light years more clever than a lot of movies that get wide release so it's a real head scratcher why it sat on the shelf for so long...and is pretty much forgotten now. Assembling his standard large cast, director Robert Altman makes some pointed comments on the hypocrisy of many health food aficionados. Lauren Bacall and Glenda Jackson are well-used as rivals vying for president of a national health organization. Bacall is the best thing in the movie as she claims to be in her eighties --- and has a dog in his forties to boot! She's also senile and kept alive by a sex-starved nurse and a shady manager. Jackson is the clipped tongue naturalist who views herself some sort of Jesus figure for the Health conscious set. Carol Burnett is terrific as a government representative who grows more and more wary of the health movement the more she is exposed to it. Her interview scene with Dick Cavett, as himself, is priceless. James Garner plays Bacall's manager and he's appropriately caddish. Henry Gibson is a hoot as a political dirty trickster. Paul Dooley and Alfre Woodard have a few funny moments as well.