CHU CHU AND THE PHILLY FLASH

US, 1981, 100 minutes, Colour.
Alan Arkin, Carol Burnett, Jack Warden, Ruth Buzzi, Lou Jacobi, Danny Aiello, Danny Glover.
Directed by David Lowell Rich.

Chu Chu and the Philly Flash is a pleasant minor comedy. It is a good vehicle for Alan Arkin to be matched with Carol Burnett. Screenplay is by Barbara Dana (Alan Arkin's wife). There is a very good supporting case led by Jack Warden as the villain, with a number of character actors including Ruth Buzzi and Lou Jacobi. Direction is by David Lowell Rich who has made quite a number of telemovies - mainly entertainingly conventional. The film is the funny and touching story of a chase (which more than resembles What's Up, Doc) and of two oddball characters. Carol Burnett has the flashier role despite the name given to Alan Arkin. The film probably entertains better on the television screen.

1. An enjoyable comedy? Character study? Presentation of eccentrics? Chase and mixed identity comedy?

2. Locations, the introduction to the characters and situating them in their surroundings? Colour photography? Music - especially for Carol Burnett? Special effects - especially for the mix-ups and the car chase? Musical score?

3. The establishing of Flash and Emily as eccentrics? Their being down and out? Their chance encounter? Antagonism, helping one another -mixed motives, falling in love? The Commander as the eccentric villain? The oddball down and outs? Landlords etc.? The conventions of the oddballs being persecuted, being heroic at the end?

4. The plot resemblances to What's Up, Doc and the retrieving of the bag? The encounter with the crooks and violence? The chase - and ending up in the water? A blend of realism and contrivance?

5. Alan Arkin's comedy style as Flash? Drinking, wandering, the chance for heroism? The encounter with Emily? Friendship, falling in love, shared activities? The Commander and his control? The various friends? The humour of situations?

6. The contrast with Emily and her Carmen Miranda performance? Dress? Has-been style? Her apartment? Her motives for getting the money? Teaming up with Flash? Rivalry? The happy ending?

7. The Commander and his control - Jack Warden's heavy style as the comic villain? The henchmen? The destruction of the boat?

8. The range of villains and the missing bag? The hotel rooms? The violence and the deaths? The chases? Runyon-type villains for this kind of comedy?

9. Johnson, Consuelo, Vittorio and the landlord and their contribution in comic touches?

10. The comedy routines, timing, verbal jokes, visual jokes, farcical situations? Danger and the escape from danger? The car chases? An entertaining minor comedy?