FOOLIN' AROUND

US, 1979, 101 minutes, Colour.
Gary Busey, Annette O' Toole, Eddie Albert, Cloris Leachman, Tony Randall.
Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

Foolin' Around lives up to its title in a pleasant way. It is a late '70s madcap comedy with echoes of the madcap comedies of the '30s and '40s, the strong heroine, the poorer hero, their interaction, the dimwitted wealthy fiance, the interfering parents. In the atmosphere of the '70s (and the realism of madcap behaviour at the time), the film does not seem quite so eccentric - though, in hindsight, it echoes the oddball values of the period.

Gary Busey offers a sympathetic and comic performance, in contrast with the tough guys, both good and bad, that he usually portrayed. (However, at this period he had played Buddy Holly and received an Oscar nomination for his performance.) Annette O' Toole is a sympathetic heroine. John Calvin is the Ralph Bellamy equivalent as the nincompoop fiance. The supporting cast includes Eddie Albert and Cloris Leachman - to some effect.

The film was directed by Richard T. Heffron, director of many films and telemovies. A pleasant romance.

1.Enjoyable madcap comedy? Romance? The tone of the late '70s? Echoes of the '30s?

2.The university, jobs, building sites, board meetings, churches? The sense of realism? The stylised comedy? Musical score, songs?

3.The title, comic and serious?

4.Wes, coming in from the country, at the university, his friend, being tricked with the books - and then going back, threatening the double-dealer, manipulating his car? The jobs? The encounter with Susan, the experiment, the electric shocks, the experiment gone wrong? Attracted to her? At the football match, her date, her fiance? The encounters with the fiance - in the cement in the car-park, with the ladder, at the football match and the hot dog? Overhearing Susan's mother and the discussion, giving his own views? The friendship with the grandfather, the offer of a job? His wanting to study? His friend? The pretence about the tennis, the fiance getting his revenge? Getting friendly with Susan, on the boat, the dates? The mix-up about the marriage? The preparation? The clash with the fiance? Getting to the church on time, the sky-gliding, through the rose window of the church? The happy ending and the marriage? The credibility of Gary Busey in the role?

5.Susan, wealth, clashes with her mother, love for her grandfather? The planned marriage, relating to her fiance, his dimness? The experiments, meeting with Wes, the football, in the building, the dates? The tennis match and his story about the oriental grip? The tennis game, on the lake? Torn between the two? Her mother's pressure, the dresses? Advice from her grandfather? The marriage, her reluctance, running away? Wes and the marriage? Happy ever after (and the echo of The Graduate marriage ending?)?

6.Susan's mother, bossy, running the company, the building site, the meetings, the clients? Interfering with her daughter? Interactions with her father? Divorces? The butler? Her building up the fiance, offering him the job, the deals? In the church, handling of the crisis, marrying the butler?

7.The grandfather, his listening, lack of education, building up the firm, impressed by Wes's comments, friendliness, at the house? The reluctant wedding - and happy with Wes's intervention?

8.The fiance, his foolishness, pretensions, in the cement, the hot dogs, the ladder? His wanting a deal, his ignorance? The encounters with Wes, revenge with the tennis? The build-up to the marriage? Susan's mother and the deal at the altar?

9.Wes's friend, ogling the girls, typical university type? The bespectacled book dealer and his fraud? The atmosphere of the university, studies? The contrast with the world of jobs, cleaning, building sites? The personnel with the jobs? Wes and his interactions with people?

10.The butler, the comic turn by Tony Randall, the farce with the doors opening and being locked, the bag? His severe style? The marriage?

11.Popular American-style comedy? Values? Poking fun at the pretentious wealthy, in praise of ordinary citizens?