Gros plan

This unusual and imaginative tale is well-acted, funny, and a credit to Dreyfuss, Harper (Phantom of the Paradise), and Hoskins (The Long Good Friday). The comments of others will give you a sense of the plot line; the sad thing is that you may never see this small gem, which richly deserves to be released on tape. I certainly regret not being able to see it again.

"A degenerate film with dignity" is the tag line for this comedy...and it is...a comedy. One thing many people might miss from this movie is the humor. At times it is bitter sweet and at times it is caustic. With characters like the mogul named "Big Mac", who wants to conquer the hamburger stand market, to the the porn actor called "Rex the Wonder Horse", who moonlights as an undertaker; what can you do but laugh.

It is very much a filmed stage play taking place in one large room with only a handful of actors. Yet you will hardly notice it. True to it's time frame (Hollywood at the dawn of sound), it's stands up to it's own time (1970's) and today's (2000's). Currently the porn industry does almost as much business as main stream films ("What Price Hollywood?"). In fact, Porn generates more money than Country Music. How many country music channels are there? How many porn?

You may never listen to the tune "Moonglow" in the same way again.

Watching it as a bitter sweet comedy, you cannot but enjoy this film. I have only seen the 117 min. version and not the shortened one. Be warned if only the 99 min. version is available.

It's difficult to find this movie. But if you get the chance, see it.

I first saw this film alone. The following night I took my friends, and that weekend I named my band after it. In Cambridge in 1977, this film became a small cult. The allusions to silent days were intriguing to a burgeoning film buff, with Clark Gable, that kid from Pathe, forever trying to get through the door, junkie reminiscences of Wally Reid, and many more nods and in-jokes that I would undoubtedly smile at now from knowledge, not ignorance.

The performances were, as I recall, uniformly good, with Dreyfus - whom I had only seen previously in American Graffiti - a revelation. This was also the first big screen role I can remember from Bob Hoskins, and after her small but memorable role in Love and Death, Jessica Harper brought just the right degree of irritating sexiness to Cathy Cake.

Annoyingly, despite the limitations of scale, and the occasional staginess, I don't think John Byrum has ever made a better film!

This films plot centers around the making of, probably one of the first, porn movies, Sadly when it was released it was pre-arthouse cinemas and pre-video, so it was lumped in with second rate soft porn flic houses around soho London. Consequently it died a lonely death. Around this time Art house cinemas were starting to emerge in University towns which is how I caught it late night in Edinburgh. I was just knocked out by it's sharp drama wrapped in a comedy that launched incredibly incisive comment. Bob Hoskins character as the wannabee hood getting irate when he discovers that Richard Dreyfuss's character, the has-been director, has removed the camera from the tripod, in shear enthusiasm, as he filmed the sexual act. 'How is that going to look!' 'It's not going to look, it's going to be looked at!' retorts Richard Dreyfuss character. The economy of the lines are brilliant! Yes this is a one room drama, which is a tall order for cinema and few have conquered it but this film does brilliantly.

I am please others have found this little unknown film, to be the treasure it is....I thought I was the only one who likes this film.

True story I hear. So there I am at the salad bar at the Hollywood Sizzler, and who is next to me, but Richard Dreyfuss, hiding under a baseball cap.

I had to write him a note, before this rare opportunity slipped away. "Dear Mr. Dreyfuss, your performance in "Inserts" was worth an Oscar. You were brilliant. The whole cast was perfect. I loved the "Cuban Gothic" house. Thank you for taking such a professional risk. Bravo." Signed: An Admirer Paid a waitress $5 to take it over to him. He was with his wife and kids, with his back to the room. I then slipped out after he opened the folded note and read my words. Read what others who love film have written about this underground classic yet to be discovered? The whole cast went on to become big movie stars after making this little masterpiece. Bravo to the writer, cast and crew.