Romance do Arlequin

It amazes me that people watch a movie titled "Harlequin's The Awakening" and then complain about it being a romance. It takes all kinds, I guess.

One thing that may be missed at first is that this movie is actually intended as a comedy as well as a romance with a few thriller elements at the very end. But basically, it's a romantic comedy. The first time watching it, the comic elements can be a little annoying because they are of the oops! variety.

The star and chief reason for seeing this movie is Cynthia Geary. Not just because she is beautiful--who isn't in a romance movie--but because of her enormous appeal. It's a shame that this appears to have been her only starring role. So, see it for her if for nothing else. (But not if you're expecting Citizen Kane or anything of that sort.)

It starts out as a cute endearing small town drama, but soon degenerates into cheesy romance novel territory, with the mundane small town woman being whisked away on a wild adventure by her mysterious handsome stranger. It's worth watching though, even if only for the hilarity of our hero delivering the ridiculous line "when I see white (picket) fences I want to burn them down", in a seductive whisper.

I happen to like some of these Harlequin movies. Don't ask me why, I just do.

"The Awakening" is a 1995 TV movie that stars Cynthia Gibb and David Beecroft. Wide-eyed Gibb is very much the gamine as Sara, with a straight, short haircut and big bunny slippers as she runs around the home her parents left her trying to figure out how to keep the bank from taking it. Then a bounty hunter, Flynn, (Beecroft) comes along looking for her tenant, who seems to have gone. Sara ends up going with him on his search and gets a physical and emotional makeover along the way.

It's so great to see Beecroft, whom I enjoyed so much on Falcon Crest many years ago. He's very sexy and good in the role of a man afraid of intimacy who falls for Sara. Cynthia Gibb has a tour de force role - she's a plain Jane in the beginning, a young woman who's stifled all of her spirit due to overprotection by her parents. Working with Flynn, she's required to dress better, look better, and she's inspired to take on different roles. She's terrific, a very likable actress, and the two are great together.

You take a chance with Harlequin movies, but the good ones are fantasies and a lot of fun. Every once a while, it's nice to see an old-fashioned light romance with no special effects, no hidden meanings, no wormholes, and no violence. It's a nice break.

I never read the book the movie was based on but the movie was so horrible I can't seem to bring myself to reading the book. I am sure they cut out a lot of things like they normally do when converting a book into a movie but it wasn't the movie itself I had a problem with, it was the actress.

I know there are plenty of people who will hate me and disagree with me but I thought it was a horrible performance and with that hairstyle, she was not all that pretty. I won't even start in on the Gawd awful hairdo at the end of the movie when she is playing the piano, ugh and the bad outfits through the movie. Good grief I swear who ever did the wardrobe was stuck in the 80's. Anyway, so yeah, with Cynthia Geary horrible acting I just couldn't enjoy the movie. Her acting was so bad I could not forget the movie and that is not a good reason to remember the movie. If you do not agree with me then I will tell you to go back and look at the scene in the diner where she is gloating about getting breakfast and "mooning" over him. Really? You call that good acting?? Then the supposed "sexy swagger" where she folded up her skirt and took off her jacket to try to get information from the front desk guy and telling him she was there for back rent. Her facial expressions too when singing at the piano at the end... ewww

Again, this is only my personally little tiny opinion. Others, you are more than welcome to enjoy it and dislike me for mine but it's just how I see it.

I have watched this movie at least 15 times. I love it. David and Cynthia are a well matched couple in this movie. I have never seen either one in a movie but I hope I get to see David again. What a great looking man. My friends think I am nuts for watching it so much, but I never get tired of watching David. The movie has everything in it from comedy to mystery and romance. Great movie!!! I am going to see if I can get more of his movies to watch. I can't figure out why David isn't more known. This is the first time I have seen him but it won't be the last. I did see Moonlight Becomes You but I don't recognize David Beecroft being in it.

Pat Banas