30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia

In the beginning, I actually enjoyed this rather strange little film and then it seemed to run out of gas. Dudley wants to marry before 30 (in a few weeks.) So he proceeds to pursue this new girl, with time taken out to perform to the camera, musical numbers which I enjoyed very much. Then when she leaves the country, he takes off after her. Then a private investigator is hired to follow him. It all is very unbelievable, but enjoyable due to Dudley's childish charm. My main criticism is that the film kind of peters out by the end. But all in all, to forget your own troubles, you can be entertained by Dudley Moore's looney antics here.

Dudley Moore, one of America's all time strangest movie stars, long before proving he could hold his own opposite Julie Andrews, displays his bag of tricks in this delightful (and extremely well-edited) tale of a 29-year-old composer who wants to hit it big and be married by the time he's 30, though he starts off with no prospects for either.

Naturally, it's wackiest up front, then settles in toward the hour mark as Moore loses and must find the woman he thinks he loves (Suzy Kendall, who actually was Mrs. Moore for a while. And who never looked better).

The music, by Moore, is pretty good. A delightful opening theme that gives one the mistaken impression it's going to be a knock off of "The Knack" and promises a superstitious theme it then forgets. Some excellent jazz (including a serious piece where Dud shows what he can do vis-a-vis a piano). Even a faux-madrigal where he gets to sing harmony with himself (I like early music, and it's not half-bad).

Some people think during this period Dud wasn't as good without his erstwhile partner, Peter Cook. And for someone who enjoyed Pete and Dud movies like "The Wrong Box" and "Bedazzled," one almost expects Cook to pop through a door at any given moment. But, genius though he was, Cook's career suffered worse, without Moore. (And don't judge this movie by what it isn't, but what it is).

Naturally, the sort of humor established early on can't be sustained. But this movie with the unwieldy title has some of Britain's familiar comic faces popping up for comedic turns, though it's worst crime may be the underutilizing of Eddie Foy, Jr. ("The Pajama Game"). The whole thing is refreshingly off-kilter without the more serious subtext that nearly upended "The Knack."

Started watching this in the 11PM hour, but of course by the time it was over, it was well past midnight- so the 23rd. But it still counts as a March 22nd viewing, since that's when it started, right?

Anyways, I REALLY enjoyed this! Very fun and pleasant, and just silly enough to make one forget about being serious for the time, which was such a relief, actually!

I'd totally recommend this movie for fans of comedies and romcoms- especially those of the 1960s. Great cast too! But, SPOILER: there is no Cynthia in this movie that I recall, so the title is nonsense. However, the title is actually what made me want to watch this, so I can't complain. It's just like WHAT THE HECK though?! Haha!

Oh, and this is also another in my Joan Jett connected movies, because just like Joan, the lead character's birthday is in September, and like Joan, the lead character is a Virgo. And in one scene, all of that was mentioned together, along with a mention of Marie Curry and Joan of Arc- of all people! It just so happens that Joan's middle name is Marie, so the whole scene was basically referencing her! Filing this under Godwinks! :-)

Pianist Rupert Street (Dudley Moore) is a composer wannabe. His 30th birthday is coming and he wants to get married before then. The only problem is that he has no partner yet. He's off to write a successful stage musical and find the perfect woman to marry. He has six weeks.

I really like the bonkers premise and the many surrealist scenes. It's not quite as funny as it could be. Dudley Moore is mugging as much as he could. It's only slightly funny and I lose the thread of it all. I never get a sense about the man and I don't know if I like him. I get his obsession, but I can't take it that seriously. There should be a defining reason for his obsession. Maybe a gypsy witch cursed him or the good old standard inheritance requirement. Suzy Kendall is the super hot blonde, but she's not contributing much more than that. It's an odd-duck of a British comedy. Dudley Moore fans should check this out.

"30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia" could never be lumped in with Richard Lester's irreverent (i.e., disrespectful) comedies of the 1960s, nor the Monty Python movies which came into vogue a few years later. It's too enamored with American nostalgia...and is too eager-to-please to make its mark as a swinging comedy with an edge (such as 1967's "Bedazzled"). Dudley Moore plays 29-year-old British composer who hopes to be married by his 30th birthday (the age when a man is supposed to have his life together); he has his eye on a pretty lodger (named Louise!), but is also consumed by work while writing his first theatrical musical. Moore, who also co-wrote the screenplay with director Joseph McGrath and John Wells, seems to be having a high time here, though he relies too often on exaggerated facial expressions for laughs. McGrath eschews the popular mod trappings of the day for a more old-fashioned visual approach, including Walter Mitty-like daydreams, which is fine for the first three-quarters of an hour; after that, the gags get pushy and desperate, while the Bogart-spoof late in the proceedings is a complete miscalculation. Some spirit and style on a minor scale, and the score (also by Moore) is excellent. ** from ****