MODERN LOVE

US, 1990, 109 minutes, Colour.
Robby Benson, Karla de Vito, Burt Reynolds, Rue Mc Clanahan.
Directed by Robby Benson.

Modern Love is something of a home movie comedy by Robbie Benson, who wrote, produced, directed and starred (and composed some of the musical themes and one of the songs). His father, Jerry Siegel, wrote the comic club comedy routines.

The film also unites him with some friends from other films, especially Burt Reynolds and Rue Mc Clanahan. Karla de Vito portrays his wife. His young daughter portrays his baby daughter in the film.

It is interesting to wonder whether the film would have been the same had it been directed by someone else. At times, the film seems like a home movie (and actually uses home movie shots) and runs the danger of being accused of being self-indulgent.

While the title is Modern Love, the film seems to present a very traditional kind of love (even if the jokes are a touch more raunchy than they were in the past). The film raises issues of marriage and love, the awkward young man finding the love of his life, the decision to have children, the interference of the in-laws, the birth of the child and its wonder, the staleness of a marriage, starting again - as well as the contrast between Jews and Catholics in the American South.

Robbie Benson does quite a good job in the various departments, wanting to make a film of contrasting styles, delineating characters, presenting an up-front American comedy style as well as trying to do stylish things with camera work and direction (for example, the passing of time with a breakfast sequence, echoing Citizen Kane).

1.The film as a Robbie Benson movie, the range of his credits? The focus on family and the contributions of his family? The impact on the audience? Home movie?

2.The title, traditional love and modern love, comparisons and contrasts?

3.The South Carolina settings, the city, the agency, homes, hospitals? Musical score and range of songs?

4.Greg's voice-over, explaining his life, his being an awkward man, serious? The baby and the breast? His attraction towards women? The babies and the children and their rivalry? The girlfriend in the back of the car and his disillusionment? His blonde girlfriend, going to meet her family, the Nazism and the Ku Klux Klan? Her pregnancy? His hallucination with the receptionist and hearing voices? The growth, the patter between himself and the doctor, not taking the anaesthetic, fainting? The girlfriend not being pregnant? His return home, everyone at the office knowing about the break-up and mocking him?

5.Dirk Martin as the rough surfie, type, becoming a celebrity, the boss and his kowtowing, making Greg the minder? His talking with Dirk and his lack of communication? The girlfriend becoming Dirk's girlfriend? The disaster of the waterskiing? The dinner and the award? His parties - and Dirk becoming a garbage collector?

6.Greg visiting Billie in her office, the jokes and patter, "Just kidding"? Different types, the decision to go out, the collage of their falling in love, romantic, going to the mansion, pretending to be Bozo the Clown, not wanting to marry, the proposal and her acceptance? The transition to the wedding, the in-laws, the Jewish service, the response of the Catholics? The in-laws and their giving advice to Greg?

7.Greg at work, buying the home, fixing it up, Billie's pregnancy, the preparation for the birth, Evelyn's arrival, the day of arrival and ignoring Greg, ousting him, the day of going to the hospital and their going without him, his running in his pyjamas? The birth, the phone calls to Evelyn, the long labour, the Caesarean? Hospital comedy? The miracle of birth? The serious conference about finding a name and the various reactions?

8.Evelyn bathing the baby, Greg feeling ousted? The discussions about getting up, feeding the baby, heating the bottle, the rejection? His having to cope? Finding Evelyn baptising the baby? Greater tensions at work, at home, the passing of the years (and the breakfast scene)? Billie and her comic performance, the audition, the performance and his anger? Spending more time with his job? The temptation to infidelity, standing outside himself? The receptionist and her condemnation? His remaining faithful to Billie?

9.Evelyn and her decision to leave, Greg's overhearing it, a different complexion on their relationship? Her illness, her final words, bequeathing her daughter to him, her death? Her husband, his stern advice at the wedding, the phone call to the plane, his grief at his wife's death?

10.The confrontation between Greg and his boss, the rap group and Dirk as a garbage man? The vacation? On the plane, telling the story several times, Chloe and her wanting to be with her father and him to take her to the toilet? The sudden interruption with Evelyn's illness?

11.The aftermath, Billie's depression and the passing of time? The effect on Greg? Chloe growing up? The day at home, the decision to have another baby, the parents appearing on the bed? The final credits and the story in the bath about where babies came from?

12.An '80s-style comedy - modern or traditional?