MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jill Eikenberry, Sandy Duncan, Judith Light.
Directed by Paul Schneider.

My Boyfriend's Back is a pleasant and nostalgic telemovie - especially for those who were teenagers and young adults in the early '60s. The title comes from a popular song of the period - and the movie is an evocation of the music of the early '60s as remembered at the end of the '80s.

Jill Eikenberry (LA Law), Sandy Duncan and Judith Light were The Bouffants. However, after one successful record, they broke up. With the nostalgia of the late '80s, NBC Television is eager to put on a nostalgia special. A producer goes around to persuade the women to rejoin. We see them in their '80s lives: the family woman, the would-be singer still performing to ignoring audiences in a bowling alley, the smart executive for sales in a multi-million dollar company.

The plot is predictable enough with hesitations, crises, the personal clashes, the resolving of the clashes, a final hit performance. However, the actresses give fine performances. The music is entertaining - and, at the end, some voices from the period all gather together as guest stars and perform excerpts from their songs, ranging from `Young Girl', `Earth Angel'...

Entertaining as a memory of the '60s in the light of the '80s.

1.Entertaining telemovie? For the television audience? For nostalgia buffs?

2.The American atmosphere, the situations of the women, Los Angeles and the television studios? Glossy style?

3.The songs, the performances and style? The range of songs from the '60s?

4.The success of The Bouffants in the past, the posters, the memories? The atmosphere of the times? Girls out of high school and a record? The background of their breaking up? Tensions within the group, friendships and clashes, jealousies and resentments? Kept over 25 years? Chris and her communication, Vicki and her resentment, Deborah and her distancing herself from the group? Carrying the scars over so many years?

5.The situation: NBC, Harry and his visiting the three women and trying to persuade them? Their coming to Los Angeles, his meeting them, press conferences and their covering up their differences with glossy interview style? The crisis with Deborah's voice, her disappearance, his anger? His assistant and his youthfulness, not liking Deborah's voice, Vicki's flat voice? Harry and his attraction to Deborah, Vicki and her come-on - and the dramatic confrontation at the dance? His wanting to replace Vicki in the lead? The happy resolution?

6.Chris, family, sports casting husband and his absences? Happy memories of the past? The visit from Harry, remembrance? Her eagerness for the project? Vicki and Chris going to Deborah's office - and the fiasco? Their smart-talking her into accepting? Going to Los Angeles, wanting Bob to be with her at the performance? The tensions in rehearsal, Deborah's poor voice, Vicki replacing her, Deborah's disappearance? Her return home and disappointment? Going back, Deborah and Vicki and their squabbles about lead singer? Her feeling it an insult because she was back up and enjoyed it? Her strong stand with Deborah and the photo albums? Her husband persuading her to take a stand? Her assertion with Deborah and Vicki and their arguing? Her enjoyment of the final performance? The reconciliation of friends?

7.Vicki, the bowling alley, retaining the Bouffants' style? Donald and the five-year contract? The bowlers, the interruption to her songs? Harry's visit, her come-on? Her resentment of Deborah and relationships, lead-singing? Going with Chris to persuade Deborah? The clashes? Her wisecracking style, her brashness? Harry misinterpreting it? Being doomed to disappointment? The lead voice and her flat singing? Deborah's disappearance and her anger, her return, wanting the contract? Her making the bowlers listen to her and then dismissed them? Her explanation of her life? The return, overhearing Harry offer the lead again to Deborah? Her anger, walking out? Chris's intervention? The shared memories, the reconciliation? Her decision to give the microphone back to Deborah?

8.Deborah, the smart businesswoman, her efficiency, relationship with Joseph? The visit of Chris and Vicki, her embarrassment, the reaction of the fellow workers? The meal, at her home, the resistance? Their breaking her down? Her needing time to think? The glamour of Los Angeles, the clash with the clothes designer? The TV interviews? The cover-ups? Her losing her voice, Vicki leading, her deciding to walk out after being abused by Vicki and upsetting Chris? Her disappearance, talking things over with Joseph? Her return, her apologies? Singing training? Improving? Her refusing the lead, the clash with Vicki, Chris's intervention? Accepting the microphone? The happy ending?

9.Bob, the sportscasters, on the road, neglect of his wife? The phone calls? The scenes with the children? Comforting Chris, at the performance? Joseph, the relationship, the demands, his urging Deborah back, his presence at the end? Donald, support of Deborah?

10.The people in the bowling alley, ordinary people, their reaction to Vicki's singing?

11.The human drama, friendships, breaking of friendships, resentments? The need for reconciliation? The enjoyment of the performance - and everybody's 15 minutes of glory?