John et Mary

This is a simple, charming movie about two people with "baggage" from past relationships who happen to find each other (and in the process, the possibility of true love and contentment) amid the insanity of NY and a frenetic existence. Both lead actors are charming - particularly Mia Farrow - who has a waifish, far-away look in her eyes. My favorite part of the movie was when "Mary" left "John's" apartment and he realized she didn't leave a number, so frantically searched the city for her.

"It's Not Your Mother's Love Story," the ads for "John and Mary" proclaimed, and I suppose that back in 1969, such indeed was the case. Telling the story of a one-night stand and the rainy day after, as the couple in question gets to know one another in the guy's spacious apartment at 52 Riverside Drive (in actuality, a 15-floor, redbrick building at 78th St. whose asking price today must be astronomical!), the film certainly must have engendered some controversy, back when. Fortunately, this sweet, realistic, adult slice of life, though certainly a product of its time, is not as dated as one might expect, and the tentative, uncertain steps that John and Mary (whose names we never know until the picture's final moments) take when learning about each other should seem familiar to even Gen Y'ers. This process of discovery is accomplished mainly through talk, but the viewer gets to know the two characters even better, via flashbacks, fantasy sequences and their voiced-over thoughts. In the leads, Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow are quite fine, and director Peter Yates brings his picture in with great sensitivity. The trio had recently participated in three enormously successful films--"The Graduate," "Rosemary's Baby" and "Bullitt," respectively--and while "John and Mary" is certainly a smaller film than those others, it is still of great interest. Hoffman and Farrow were immensely ingratiating screen presences at this early stage of their careers, and their unique pairing here makes this film something special. And speaking of early-career performances, "John and Mary" also features Tyne Daly, Cleavon Little and Olympia Dukakis, all in small but amusing parts. Anyway, it is my feeling that viewers of this film will gradually come to really like John and Mary, and root for them as a couple, and wish them many more nights together....

Remember the days when we were all having free sex and enjoining our elders to make love-not war? Well, if you long for those days or would just like to see what they were like, a good way to telescope back to `those thrilling days of yesteryear' would be to watch John and Mary.

This wonderful little gem from the height of the Sexual Revolution era is about young people trying to connect after the sex part is done.

The story begins on the morning after the night before when two strangers awake together in bed. A delightful, youthful Mia Farrow is compelling, bright, sexy and very appealing as Mary. Dustin Hoffman as John is excellent. The story unfolds as the two young characters struggle toward mutual understanding and respect. As they do, I could easily imagine myself among a theater audience in 1969 all rooting for them to succeed.

The script is intelligent and the flashbacks very effective and interesting.

If you like a mature story emphasizing superb character development with fully-realized, appealing characters, this is for you. I give it four stars-my highest rating! But don't try to get this on video or DVD because as far as I know they are not available. You have to wait for it to be shown on cable or at your local art house theater.

A single man and woman (Dustin Hoffman as John, Mia Farrow as Mary), having met in a bar the night before, wake up in bed "the morning after"; they go back and forth on where they should take their 'relationship'. The two charismatic leads try to enlighten a curiously flat screenplay from John Mortimer, adapting the novel by Mervyn Jones, and an uncharacteristically low-keyed direction from Peter Yates. It isn't easy: the sluggish narrative (often flashing back in time) and sterile atmosphere make it practically impossible. Still, Yates' work is fluid, with flights-of-fancy to help fill in the gaps, and the stars look just beautiful in their prime. Farrow's Mary is all over the place: guarded and vague (and a little rude), she then turns sheepish and huggable; Hoffman's John is suspicious and cynical, but yielding. Some of their thoughts and emotions ring true--and if finale is pure fantasy, at least it is well done and satisfying, breaking us out of the rut of fashionable cynicism that most of "John and Mary" occupies. **1/2 from ****

This is an all but forgotten little gem by Peter (Bullit) Yates, who uses a sensitive and witty script by the excellent John Mortimer.

The direction, acting, and general tone are near perfect. Alas it was probably super cool for a year or two after it's release and nothing dates like 1960s high fashion.

You may catch it on a late night TV channel - if so, postpone your bedtime for 90 minutes or so and enjoy!

Last thought - This film may have been the source for Woody Allen's famous and celebrated "subtitles" scene in Annie Hall, made several years later with Mia Farrow.