THAT OLD FEELING
US, 1997, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bette Midler, Dennis Farina, Paula Marshall, David Rausche, Danny Nucci.
Directed by Carl Reiner.
Now that Bette Midler is over 50, she is taking on roles that make her mother of the bride while allowing her to be as bumptious and wise-cracking as ever. She is probably the sole reason for seeing That Old Feeling, a rather corny comedy of the 90s which seems to take it for granted that marriages are not made in heaven - though it does opt for true love. There is a lot of spoof here with Midler as a flamboyant actress, attacking the paparazzo who knows more about her than she does, married to a sensitive New Age psychologist author continually spouting psychobabble, taking up again with her author ex-husband, and dealing with her rather straight up and down daughter who is marrying a Kennedyesque politician. That does not spoil the plot. You have to see it unfold - or, perhaps you don't. It's just a Midler pastime.
1.An entertaining comedy and farce? A version of screwball comedy for the '90s?
2.Molly's world contrasting with Keith's affluence and the background of his family? Her relationship with her mother and father and their worlds of authorship and film stardom? The affluent world of mansions, hotels, weddings?
3.The title and the quote from the song? The importance of the musical score and the range of songs and references throughout the film? Bette Midler singing the title song?
4.Molly and Keith as a nice American couple, their plans for their wedding, Keith and his political ambitions and the election, the preparations for the wedding? The opening and Keith putting the ring on Molly's dessert and her swallowing it? The discussions about invitations to the wedding, the choice of the church, Molly's parents coming to the wedding - and her expectations of disaster?
5.The relationship between Molly and her mother, seeing them going shopping, the paparazzo and his continued interference and Lily's anger? Lily and listening to the conditions that Molly gave about her attending the wedding? David and his going to the wedding? Molly and her relationship with her father and his wife? Inviting them to the wedding?
6.The wedding itself, the ceremony? Dan and Lily fighting and Molly giving them an ultimatum? Their hostility, talking things over, the sexual encounter? Dancing together and the puzzlement of Molly and Keith? The escape from the wedding and going off together? The character of the spoilt film star and the brash novelist? Their careers? The 14 years of separation, the reasons for the break-up? Molly and her conditions, their getting away from the wedding, the fights, their time together and enjoying themselves, locking Molly in the room with the paparazzo? The return, the confrontation? The irony of their going to the airport and going on the trip?
7.Bette Midler and her style - given full rein here with the brash character, the loud mouth, the ironic comedy, the songs? Matched by Dennis Farina?
8.Lily and her marriage to David? 14 years? David and his psychiatry, his New Age patter, his books? His trying to sort out every situation and get people to express their feelings?
9.Rowena and the marriage to Dan? Her getting ready for the wedding, her jealousy of Lily? Her reaction at the wedding, the encounter with Keith and seducing him?
10.Keith and his love for Molly, the preparations for the wedding, his political hopes, his parents? The style of the wedding? His reaction to Lily and Dan fighting? His callow attitudes, his fear of scandal, the search for Molly, his not believing her, his allowing himself to be seduced by Rowena? The aftermath?
11.Joey and the photos, his continually pursuing Lily? Their fights? Lily revealing that she never sent him away but enjoying his attention - except when he took a photo of her when she was fat? His turning up at the wedding? Molly contracting him to find her parents? Going to the bank, checking the file, the newspaper and the information about Lily, surmising where she would go? Going to the hotel, helping Molly, being locked in the room with her?
12.Molly not resembling her mother, straightforward, honest? Uptight? With Joey and discovering different feelings for him, contrasting with those for Keith? Dancing with her father? Joey and the coat, seeing that he could look presentable? Being locked in the hotel room for the night? Her having to change her mind about both Keith and Joey?
13.The culmination at the airport - the break-up of the marriage? David and Rowena left on the side? Lily and Dan going off to make a beginning - with that old feeling?
