CANDY
US, 1968, 124 minutes, Colour.
Ewa Aulin, Richard Burton, Marlon Brando, James Coburn, Walter Matthau, Charles Aznavour, John Huston, Elsa Martinelli, Ringo Starr, John Astin.
Directed by Christian Marquand.
Candy was an oddball comedy in the late '60s. In later decades, it is still a curiosity, something of a relic of the attitudes of the late '60s.
The screenplay was written by Buck Henry, actor, writer and director, from the sex novel by Terry Southern. (Southern was the author of Red Alert, the novel on which Dr Strangelove was based - and Walter Matthau reprises the mad general role dramatised by George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden in Dr Strangelove.)
The film is meant to be some kind of allegory of America in the '60s - showing the innocent nymphet (innocent Lolita type) at the prey of various men, especially celebrities in their field: Richard Burton hamming as a celebrated Welsh poet a la Dylan Thomas, Walter Matthau successful as a gung-ho American general, James Coburn as a surgeon who performs like a bullfighter, Marlon Brando as an odd guru. Charles Aznavour, Ringo Starr and John Huston also appear. John Astin has the dual role of Candy's father and uncle. A strong supporting cast led by the director of the movie, Christian Marquand, and Italian stars is in evidence. Celebrated photographer Giuseppe Rotunno was the photographer and Dave Grusin composed the music. The film has quite extraordinary credits - but does not quite live up to them. A certain curiosity.
1.The novel in the '60s? Changes of attitudes? Moral standards? Permissiveness? Psychedelic atmosphere? The film as a record of '60s attitudes - in parody? The perspective of later decades?
2.Italian production, American locations, Italian studio work? The international cast? The stars and their spoof performances? The musical score, songs, title song?
3.The pre-credits fantasy for Candy coming from outer space? The return to space at the end? The credits coming at the end? Spaced out?
4.The portrait of Candy, her fantasies, centre of the universe, alien in the US? At school, with her father in school? Her mother? Uncle? Her admiration of the poet? The gardener and the interaction with Manuel? Sexual innocence, ignorance? Knowingness? Being taken away, pursued by the gang of motor cyclist women, their defence of Manuel? In the plane, her innocence with the general? The injuries to her father, in the surgery, looking for the doctor, her relationship with him? The manager of the hospital? Her meeting with the wanderer? His disappearance? Into the truck, learning mystic ways with the guru, travelling America, sexual encounter? The leadership of her father, underground? The carnival atmosphere and her remeeting all the characters? Candy as a character, a symbol?
5.Candy's father, the ordinary square American of the late '60s? His injuries, operation, reappearance as her guide? The contrast with his brother, permissive style, permissiveness with Candy? Her mother - and her disappearance?
6.The spoof of the Welsh poet, Richard Burton hamming, Mephisto? His performance, stories, poetry? Sex?
7.Ringo Starr and his performance as the Mexican gardener? With Candy? The three motor cyclists?
8.Walter Matthau and his spoof of the gung-ho American general? The men in the plane, their drill? Six years in the air? Ready to attack? Their parachuting out, his following them? The satire on puritanical sex?
9.James Coburn as the surgeon, the audience, his staff, adulation? The music, the parallel with the bullfight? His clash with the manager of the hospital? John Huston as the lascivious manager?
10.Charles Aznavour, wandering the streets, the encounter with Candy, his disappearance?
11.Marlon Brando as the guru, spoof? Travelling the countryside? The collage of the various lotus positions? Sex? Freezing to death?
12.The recapitulation of the characters at the end? To what purpose? A perspective on the '60s?
