92 Graus à Sombra

I was a bit disappointed, because 92 in the Shade was my favorite book of that period. I even lifted it from the library in Arizona. I found it later under the seat of my pickup when I was living down on the Gulf of Mexico.

I would differ with the other reviewer, in that I don't find a comparison between this film and Fonda's other Florida picture, "Ulee's Gold." That movie was simply the best performance Peter Fonda ever gave. In "92 in the Shade," we still come away thinking Fonda's mind was elsewhere while he was acting - and 'elsewhere' was far more interesting to him.

Don't miss this little treat of a film. If you liked The Hired Hand, this has the same laid back style that works great for a Southern story. But it's not so much the story. It's the ripe dialog and a cast of Great American Actors that make this one to catch. Warren Oates and Harry Dean Stanton make a great team of ornery fishing guides. Burgess Meredith has a great role and makes the best of it. Margot Kidder looks absolutely great here too. But Joe Spinell is worth the price of admission in a small role. The cinematography is experimental like The Hired Hand but is not as successful. Overall, this film is a gentle surprise and would be perfect for a warm evening. Recommended without hesitation.

If you are into bell bottoms, hipsters, and quirky characters, this is your movie. Peter Fonda as usual, sleepwalks through the scenery. Warren Oates is his off kilter self, and Harry Dean Stanton is along for the ride. The supporting cast is uniformly eccentric. Unfortunately the story plays like an instructional fishing film. There are more than a few tedious moments. If you have the patience to listen carefully, some of the dialog is amusing, but not enough to sustain momentum. Ultimately, the film must be regarded as nothing more than a curiosity, with absolutely no surprises from the plot, and a very predictable ending - MERK

'92 in the Shade' is only directorial effort for author and screenwriter Thomas McGuane, and that might not come as big surprise. McGuane is undoubtedly talented writer, but not much of movie director. Cinematography is beautiful and acting jobs are excellent in most part (perhaps not Peter Fonda, but he has put out much worse performances). Warren Oates is magnificent again as likable anti-hero. Two leads are supported by strong cast of character actors. Slow burning film where characters and dialogues between them are much more interesting than the overall story. This small film is definitely worth to look up.

Author Thomas McGuane wrote and directed this noticeably laid back, fairly endearing combination of comedy and drama. Real life good friends Peter Fonda and Warren Oates set off sparks as Fonda plays Tom Skelton, a bum from a rich family who decides to get into the fishing guide business. He's soon locking horns with a world weary veteran of the trade, Nichol Dance (Mr. Oates), but vows to make a go of things, with his live wire grandfather Goldsboro (Burgess Meredith) helping a great deal in getting things going.

While the resolution to this film didn't really wrap up individual character stories to this viewers' satisfaction, "92 in the Shade" is overall a nice 91 minute long diversion, touching upon themes like class distinction and the generation gap. Shot by Michael C. Butler ("Jaws 2"), it's a gorgeous picture to look at. Set and filmed in Key West, Florida, it helps one to experience the flavor of this seaside environment. The music score by Michael J. Lewis also helps tremendously in this regard. The film gets serious without ever becoming overly melodramatic, and its comedy content is indeed pretty funny. Mostly, it works as a series of character vignettes, with an extremely rich cast making the most of their colorful roles.

Fonda and Oates are backed up by such sterling actors and actresses as Margot Kidder (as Toms' sweet and sexy girlfriend), Harry Dean Stanton (as Nichols' associate), Elizabeth Ashley (as Stantons' wife, an attractive but unbalanced woman given to parading around in front of others in a cheerleader outfit), William Hickey and Louise Latham (as Toms' parents), and Sylvia Miles (as Goldsboros' secretary). Among this bunch of heavy hitters, Meredith tends to steal the show - that is, until Joe Spinell turns up late in the film as Ollie Slatt, a goofy tourist looking to charter a boat for a day. He's also quite amusing.

Recommended mainly to admirers of the cast, "92 in the Shade" is uneven, but fun as well.

Seven out of 10.