Candy

I saw this film over the weekend on Showtime for the first time since I saw it in 1969. My memories of the film were sketchy and after it was over, I logged on here to find serious discussion of it so I could interpret some of the symbolism in the movie. What I found instead was inadequate discussion of what was good about the movie. Admittedly, it was over the top in a way that was typical of "alternative" movies in the late 60s, but there were some very interesting points that most people seem to overlook. Also open for dismissal seems to be the final sequence in the film where Candy walks through a field and passes each person she encountered during the movie. At the beginning of this sequence, she is wearing a pristine white sheet as a toga, but by the end of the stroll her sheet is covered in an ornate flower design. Almost throwaway bits during the stroll include Walter Matthau's army general as Don Quixote, the "Fountain of Youth" injections being given by James Coburn and John Astin's two characters being revealed as two aspects of the same. This movie seems quite capable of generating some serious discussion other than the obvious attack on its excesses and the vapid acting of the lead actress.

There was a beautiful brief moment in cinema history when film makers freed themselves of the shackles of form and found fun, exciting ways to tell stories. Movies became groovy mind-blowing experiences that forced the viewer to follow the plot as it tripped all over the screen. Unfortunately Jaws came along and reminded the studios of how much money they could be making and the experiment was declared a failure. But during this brief period such wonderful and largely buried treasures as Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Myra Breckenridge, Magic Christian and Vanishing Point (only Easy Rider seems to have survived the era with its reputation in tact) were created and have since been embraced by the odd as their own. But perhaps the most reviled of the lot has been the film Candy.

Candy tells the simple tale of a sweet young thing that goes out into the world to grow but finds herself confronted at every turn by typical male stereotypes (played by some of the biggest stars of the day) who really only have one goal in mind. Along the way she meets up with the artist (Richard Burton), the soldier (Walter Matthau), the healer (James Coburn) and the guru (Marlon Brando) among others. Candy wants to free her mind but each man tries (and some succeed) to free her of her panties. Despite the premise Candy is more like a teasing Roger Vadim film (think Barbarella) and the nudity is kept to an absolute minimum. The biggest surprise is even with the big name cast, the films best performance belongs to John Astin as Candy's Father and also as her lecherous Uncle who has his own designs on her. The supporting cast is definitely one of the films high points along with the terrific score that features some trippy space tunes along with classic rock. Sadly there are some faults though.

The script by Buck Henry is very hit and miss with some excellent lines immediately followed by many that just produce cringes in the audience. The lead actress Ewa Aulin is lovely to look at but delivers all of her lines like she has just learned them phonetically and has no idea what she is saying and the directer allows the pace to drag at many points.

Still if the films from this era interests you than this one should be required viewing. There is an excellent DVD available so there is no excuses for passing on this under-rated gem.

As putrid as reputed, a singularity of excess. I loved it!

I do not know the details of Candy's production, but I suspect that the bulk of the scenes were shot with only one take. That is the only explanation I can conjure.

I only knew of this film by way of seeing the trailer at a drive-in in the 60s. The images sparked my 10-year-old imagination, particularly James Coburn flipping off the operating room gallery and the loud rock music. I had to see it! I finally found a limited edition DVD copy on eBay and snapped it up.

In case you've never seen this film before or just forgot, that stands for "Special reconnaissance tactical parachute command" according to the Walter Matthau character in this fun film that so many love to trash. I saw this film in 1969 when it was released (though I suspect that it was actually 68 before I joined the Air Force) and still remember gags like the restaurant Candy steps into and orders a Coke. The words on the window say, "Sicilian cooking our specialty" and the bartender, a surly looking guy if memory serves, busts the neck of the Coke bottle off the end of the bar and pours it into a glass for the heroine to her surprise. Being half Sicilian, I howled at this hysterically funny bit.

Now mind you, I won't tell you this is any sort of masterpiece comic or otherwise, but pay attention particularly to the dual performance of John Astin, vastly underrated comic actor and former husband to Patty Duke and father of Sean. His seedy uncle and prissy conservative dad are well worth the price of a rental at least, but for the music, you MUST buy the DVD if you love awesome 60's rock, since the album is almost impossible to find now.

Brando as a phony guru chewing on a salami and washing it down with a cold beer saying. "You must go beyond hunger - beyond thirst" while the hungry and HOT Ewa Aulin complains of hunger is a gem of a scene, along with Burton's WAYYYYY over the top Dylan Thomas type poet.

Mark here that a scene in the overrated "American Pie" of sex on a pool table was done better here where you actually SAW the act, and not just heard about it while characters were supposed to be seeing it.

All in all, those who choose to hate this film, get a sense of humor. It was never meant to be more than mindless entertainment, and on that level succeeds above and beyond. I could care less if it followed the book or not. I found IT disappointing.

After seeing Candy again for the first time in 30-plus years, I know why it's best to leave some memories untouched. I don't remember it being as bad then as I feel it is now. Ewa Aulin suits the title role of Candy, young and innocent, yet sensual. However, I'd love to know what the wager was that left the losing stakes to be a role in this film. It is disjointed, dismembered and non-flowing, with no sense from one segment to the next. With a stellar cast of Richard Burton, Walter Matthau, Charles Coburn, Marlon Brando (and Ringo Starr), how could writer Buck Henry go so wrong??? There are two saving graces, though, one being the dual performance of John Astin as Candy's father/uncle and the other being the great soundtrack by various artists, namely the Byrds, Steppenwolf and Dave Grusin. If you have an opportunity to view it without investing a lot of cash, I'd say see it if only for the sake of seeing it. If you're a baby-boomer, beware...the years may be as unkind to your memory as they were to mine!