BEST DEFENCE

US, 1984, 92 minutes, Colour.
Dudley Moore, Eddie Murphy, Kate Capshaw, George Dzundza, Helen Shaver.
Directed by Willard Huyck.

Best Defence is a very moderate comedy but with excellent credentials. Dudley Moore is the star and shows some of his comic versatility, although it is one of the prolific number of films that he made in the early '80s (often as a rather unsympathetic hero) which put a particular tone on his career and made him less than endearing. His co-star, billed as 'Strategic guest star', is Eddie Murphy who does not appear at all with Moore although he enjoys himself in some Israeli film scenes purporting to be Kuwait.

In the supporting cast is Kate Capshaw (A Little Sex, Dreamscape, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the musical theme of which at one stage she is heard humming!), glamorous Canadian actress Helen Shaver. The film also has some fun at the expense of American industry and American defence. While there are some funny moments, the film could have been much better ? and tends to be more silly than amusing. It was not a box office success despite the presence of Moore and, especially, of the versatile Eddie Murphy.

1. An entertaining comedy of the '80s? A piece of Americana? American characters ? with the black comedy touch? American industry, American defence, foreign policy? Star vehicle for Dudley Moore? For Eddie Murphy? Poor box office response?

2. The structure of the film and the irony of moving from 1984 to '82 and back again. The point about the design for the tank? The behaviour of the tank? Technical qualities: the atmosphere of American know-how and technology? Even berserk? The use of American locations contrasting with Kuwait? (The use of Israeli locations for photography?) Editing and pace? Special effects? The musical score?

3. The satire on the competence and incompetence American industry, scientists, technology, management? The ironies about Americans abroad ? the military in Kuwait? The diplomatic double talk? The military advisers sent up of Eddie Murphy and his Kuwait students?

4. The portrait of Wylie, small Dudley Moore, henpecked husband, his shambles of a home, love for his son? His lack of skill at work? His deadpan humorous style, offhand remarks? The opening experiment and its failure? His sex preoccupation with Clare? His collaboration with his friend? Drinking in the bar, the espionage encounter, the getting of the blueprint, his taking the credit for the success of the experiment? His promotion, the car? His wife taking an interest in him again? His getting the maths student to help him? The failure? The set up with Clare, the F.B.I. and management involving him with the spy? Surveillance - interrupted by the Latin American police? His being shot? Rejected? His ironic discovery of the truth via the toy? His vindication? The blend of sympathy and lack of sympathy, a less than endearing comic hero? Dudley Moore's presence, jokes about his height?

5. The contrast with Eddie Murphy and his infectious laughter and enjoying himself in the Kuwait scenes - with his girlfriend, training the locals, their mishaps in the tank, ruining the demonstration, crashing into the house, the rectifying of the situation? Audience enjoyment of Murphy's presence?

6. The contrast between Wylie's wife and her ambitions, catering, putting him in second place, running him down, with that of Clare and her being his superior? His wife's response to him once he was a success - and then fighting with Clare? Clare and the infatuation? and the set-up for Wylie to be involved with the spies?

7. The encounter with the scientist in the bar, his giving him the blueprint, his death, the encounter with Jeff ? a manic spy, the scenes in the parking lot, the shooting and death? The skit on F.B.I. and surveillance and espionage?

8. Wylie's fat friend and his comradeship, supporting him in the deceit, the infatuation with Clare? The exposure?

9. The portrait of management, the ex-astronaut and his ineptness (glasses on upside down etc.), his praise of Wylie, collaborating with the F.B.1.? The humorous portrait of American officials and their surveillance techniques? The satire on the three Right-wing American police being trained in the United States and their performance (inept) in crisis?

10. The successful comic devices? The silliness of the plot and characters and treatment? A typical American comedy of the '80s?