Riches et célèbres

Screenwriter Gerald Ayres' crazy dialogue throughout "Rich and Famous", a remake of the Bette Davis chestnut "Old Acquaintance", continually sounds like failed poetry (or, perhaps, an amateur poet's idea of what movie dialogue should sound like). When college chums-turned-literary rivals Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen are arguing, Bisset refers to herself metaphorically as a dedicated dog. "One come into the yard, we'd kick it out!" Bergen hisses to her. Bisset: "They're refreshingly loyal!" Bergen: "They'd **** a snake if it stood still!" It gets worse. While cuddling with her boy-toy (a writer from Rolling Stone!), Bisset asks if men weep. Her fella says, "We have little hairs that stand up on the backs of our necks." Bisset: "Are your little hairs standing up?" This is a flaky, camp-melodrama, ostensibly aimed at just the sort of women depicted on-screen. Though the two ladies look beautiful, they're acting styles clash: Bisset, trying for depth, comes off as cold and dour; Bergen is hyped-up for a battle, yet her southern accent is shaky (to be charitable) and her approach to this part seems out of place--she's a puff pastry on a dinner table full of oysters. At the end of the film, New Year's Eve, Bisset is feeling lonely and reaches out to her lifelong friend/enemy/whatever. "I need the press of human flesh!" she whispers dramatically to Bergen. "And you are the only flesh around...kiss me!" Somebody send this writer back to movie-school. ** from ****

Throwing his hat into the ring one last time before retiring (and then dying two years later!), legendary director George Cukor helmed this remake of "Old Acquaintance", the type of film that would not have been a surprise to see on his resume back in '43 (but the director was actually Vincent Sherman.) Cukor was noted throughout his remarkable 40 year career for his way with actresses (some of which were considered the most famous under the sun!), so it is appropriate that his last film featured two of them in showy starring roles. Bisset and Bergen are college friends in 1959 when Bergen skips out of the dormitory to marry Selby. A few years later, Bergen is a seemingly contented housewife and mother while Bisset has published a highly acclaimed first novel (and a second one is slow in coming!) Eventually, Bergen expresses a desire to write as well and this kicks off a feud between the ladies regarding art versus entertainment. meanwhile, they each experience heartbreaks in the romance department. Bisset produced this film (understandably, to get out of dreck like "When Time Ran Out") and is the more prominently featured of the two. She has many strong moments in the film and more than a few silly and/or tiresome ones as well. She makes no attempt at any point in the film to display even a shred of period detail in her hair or costuming (insisting on a shaggy-poodle hairstyle that is neither appropriate nor flattering to her gorgeous features) and this hurts the quality of the film more than one might expect. Bergen, on the other hand, looks smashing in a time-tunnel-tour of fabulous hair and clothing pieces. She gives her role every ounce of zest and humor that it can contain. In short, she comes out way on top in the acting and presence horse races. At times threatening to become a parody, she manages to imbue her character with depth and resonance. Also in the cast are (the oddly cast) Selby as Bergen's emasculated husband, (gorgeous) Bochner as a laid-back Rolling Stone reporter who admires Bisset and a wet-behind-the-ears Ryan (in her first role) as Bergen's impetuous daughter. Though some of the dialogue gets a little out there every once in a while and the story is bound by its old fashioned roots despite modern (foul) language and sexual implications, some degree of true human emotion still comes through and the ladies share a nice onscreen rapport. Georges Delerue provides a lovely pre-"Steel Magnolias" score. The plot occasionally gets a little off track and the film resorts to overdone melodrama at times (the teddy bear scene), but enough intelligence went into the portrayals and the script for this to have some meaning. As an added treat, impossibly young Lattanzi shares his much-lauded rump with the camera and the delectable Dack Rambo makes an unbilled appearance.

Gosh, I am learning pretty fast that sometimes when you see a film as a youngster and then again 20 years later you gain a different view -- primarily because in 20 years you learn more. For example, I had no idea who George Cukor was - how great of a director he was and how much of that made this film fly. All I can say is..I really liked this film for it touched on an area that paralleled my life: lifelong friendship between two women. Can that EVER exist? Well, in certain doses, yes...and this film let out in a bit on ... "how".

Being a youngster with not a lot of life experience at the first time I saw this so I focused more on the "rich" and "famous" part between the two. At the time, I had no idea there was a difference and what would happen to two women who discovered there was...and how that would effect their friendship. Through their men, their career, the decades that defined them. And coming to realize one thing remained stronger than anything else...their friendship and knowing each other more than anyone else could have.

Then I got older, studied film a bit... and watched this film again with my best friend from High School. We do understand the 'rich' and 'famous' angle ... and we are still the best of friends...but this film is not a cinematic masterpiece...it can be seen as a bit campy at times...a little over the top at points (kinda on a 'Dynasty' and 'Dallas' level to me..) and honestly I can identify with the "teddy bear" scene for we do share a bear that means a lot more than a stuffed fun toy through our trials and tribulations with men/careers, et al..so its not as over the top as it seems....! As many already said, seeing Meg Ryan and Matt Latanzzi and Dack Rambo and David Selby are great in this 1981 piece. this is a nice "chick" flick!

Both Jackie and Candice are terrific in this movie. They are well-suited to their roles and have several chances to shine. In particular, the way Candice pronounces the words "Puerto Rican" is very funny, as she is being kind as she can be but condescending at the same time. I had seen the original of this movie, called "Old Acquaintance", starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins. They allegedly did not get along, so because the movie is about female friendship, that might have been a problem. Here, the actresses clearly admire and respect each other. Hart Bochner and Meg Ryan have supporting parts and are both excellent, in particular Bochner, who never got many decent parts in movies, as far as I am concerned. George Cukor did not make another movie after this, so this was a good one to go out on.

Okay, it is not the most upbeat movie ever shot, but it is for sure one of the smartest and deepest pictures about friendship. Candice Bergen and Jacqueline Bisset shine as two intelligent women who found wiseness, if not happiness, through the cracks of personal failure. Plus, this was Meg Ryan's first appearance, in a small role as Candice Bergen's daughter!