Happy Birthday, Gemini

This film was funny and touching at times. I thought the actors and actresses captured the essence of the ethnic characters they were portraying and the social condition they were living in very well. It captured the difficulty that many people face when opening up and talking about really personal emotions because there is that fear that the other person will change how they feel about you. It showed that beneath the shallow appearance of everyday life, deeper themes are at work. In a way, this film is in the early stages of a trend that picked up pace dramatically through the 1990s and so one can look back on it as one of the precursor "coming out" films that undoubtedly inspired some people in a positive way.

This film was groundbreaking in 1980, it's a poignant story about love and acceptance told through laughter. This is the film version of "Gemini" which ran on Broadway in the late 1970's. The cast is dynamic, with Madeline Kahn in an astounding performance as Bunny. Rita Moreno is also hilarious playing Italian. The characters are colorful or stereotypes, or both. Anyone who has ever brought home friends and cringed around their families will relate, but also to the love and support that family can give. A feel good movie with some memorable lines and a really sweet soul.

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Happy Birthday, Gemini is by far a great comedy/drama, but it has some very funny moments. Based on the off-Broadway smash of the 1970's, it loses its magic on the big screen. Robert Viharo, Alan Rosenberg, David Marshall Grant, Timothy Jenkins and Sarah Holcomb are all mostly unknowns and the real stars are the legendary ladies Rita Moreno and Madeline Kahn in her first and last top billed role. She gives an over the top hysterically funny and sad performance. If this film had had a better director it could have been a much better film. I wish it could be released on DVD being it 25 years since its theatrical release. I remember seeing it in 1980 and it was out one week and gone the next. It is sure worth a look. It drags at times I will admit, but to see the 2 leading ladies together is a real treat.

This play had significant personal meaning for me in the early 80s and I only recently found a copy of this film adaptation. Like many stage comedies, the translation to film falls flat in most scenes partly due to the absence of theatrical elements (including the audience) but the biggest problem with this version is the casting. With ethnicity at the core of much of the humor, it was less than convincing to have Rita Moreno as an Italian widow, Madeline Kahn as an Irish floozy, and other characters trying to "play" an ethnicity that was not natural for them. But I really liked the ending on this filmed version, and the scene between Francis and his father at the end was very real and touching making this a nice "coming out" film for the whole family.

Judith and Randy Hastings are siblings headed to South Philadelphia for Francis Geminiani's 21st birthday. Judith has a crush on Francis. Only he reveals that he thinks he's gay.

It's an indie comedy based on a play. Lead actress Sarah Holcomb had a short 4-movie career with two of the greatest comedies ever. This is not one of those iconic movies. This is a low budget indie. The story is a bit scattered. There are big names here. They are the reasons for my interest, but they can't save this. Madeline Kahn is going all out. The second half is basically her movie. It's hard to wrap my arms around all these characters. I just don't care about some of these people.