SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES

US, 1980, 102 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Charles Grodin, Robert Guillaume, Harold Gould, George Grizzard, Yvonne Wilder.
Directed by Jay Sandrich.

Seems Like Old Times is Neil Simon writing directly for films (Murder By Death, The Cheap Detective); scenes like the dinner, courtroom and many discussions are, however, theatrical. While not uproarious, it provides continual smiles - situations (with a lot of gentle comment on politics and liberal causes), one liners and a humorous atmosphere. Goldie Hawn is a lawyer now but is still disarmingly charming. Chevy Chase is nonchalantly daffy and, after Foul Play, they form an amiable comedy duo. Charles Grodin is not a particularly sympathetic leading man. While Neil Simon's humour is evident, it is a bit like a moderate What's Up Doc? with the masculine-feminine roles reversed. Simon write many New York comedies and after moving to California he has an eye,and ear for the eccentric state - from muddledbank hold-ups to government.

1. The appeal of the comedy - masculine-feminine relationships, marriage and romance, irony? Neil Simon's particular style - situations, one-liners? The stars and their combination? Particularly American style?

2. The conventions of American comedy: the establishing of the daffy characters, the echoes of '30s screwball comedies, farcical situations and behaviour, the humour of the dialogue? How well presented here?

3. The ironies of realism and exaggerated realism? Highlighting the humorous behaviour, the farcical situations, making points about California?

4. The Californian background and its way of life? Lifestyles, homes, entertaining, government, the law, politics, crime especially bank robberies, the unemployed and racial situations, the need for social justice, liberal causes, California as the conservative and progressive state? The pleasant blend of humour and gentle satire?

5. The impact of the opening robbery - the kidnapping of Nick, the personalities of the bank robbers, the humour at the garage, the robbery itself and Nick's awkwardness, the girl behind the counter, the taking of the photo and its use? Nick's being tossed out of the car? The humorous plausibility of such a robbery? The effect on the victims? Aurora having the same thing happen to her - and its place in the courtroom sequence? The film's comment on robberies, crime, motives, prevalence of violence?

6. The focus on Ira and his work, Attorney General, hoping for state ambitions? Serious? The contacts with Sacramento? Fred and his support? The humourless type? How plausible that he had married Glenda? His arguing with her, suspicious? The dogs, the stealing of the car? His permitting Glenda her liberal causes, employing the unemployed? The build-up to Aurora, a going to hospital, the preparations for the dinner? The hostility towards Nick? The irony of Nick's being under the bed during the discussions? The meal and Nick's serving, leaving to punch Nick in the kitchen? The courtroom sequence? The final reconciliation - or not? The satire on the humourless American ambitious type? The up and coming young man?

7. The contrast with Nick: Chevy Chase's nonchalant comedy style, his mannerisms and their humour, being kidnapped, the garage sequence, the robbery, pulling the gun, robbing the sweets at the station, eating in the kitchen? Hiding under the bed, shaving with the scissors. kidnapping Glenda and the car? His returning? Giving himself up, serving the meal? His presence in the court, the farewell kiss to Glenda, the final encounter? The humorous American type?

8. Goldie Hawn as Glenda? Her work as a lawyer, the nature of her clients and her arguments, getting them off, employing them? The dogs? Aurora? The party and her helping Nick, the stealing of the car? Her moving into hysterics - how plausible? Cooking the meal? The dinner? Her presence in the court and the exasperation of the judge? The reconciliation with Ira? The ambiguity of the final encounter with Nick?

9. The humorous American portraits: the judge and his frustration, Fred and his serious-mindedness, Aurora and the Hispano-American? language, manners, tradition; Chester and his eating and drinking, driving? The young men and the stealing of Ira's car? The girls before the court?

10. The appeal of farce, farce routines? The talk sequences and their humour, revelation of character? e.g. the car robberies, the dinner sequence, the court sequence?

11. The significance of the title? For the characters, the echoes of the old tiia-- comedies of the '30s and '40s?