BEST FRIENDS
US, 1982, 104 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Burt Reynolds, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Barnard Hughes, Keenan Wynn, Ron Silver.
Directed by Norman Jewison.
Best Friends is an early 1980s version of an old-fashioned screwball comedy, the clash between men and women. This time the situation is between a husband and wife team, Hollywood scriptwriters, who work successfully together, but also continually clash as regards their work and as regards their relationship. The screenplay is written by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin who were husband and wife at the time, drawing on their own experiences as screenwriters. Barry Levinson continued to write but moved into direction in the early 80s with Diner, The Natural. By the late 80s he was a prolific director and had won an Oscar for Rain man. His films range from small budget and personal stories such as Avalon and Liberty Heights to more lavish films like Sphere.
Producers had the bright idea of combining the eccentric talents of Goldie Hawn as comedienne with Burt Reynolds, showing his flair for comedy. The supporting cast is very strong and is led by Jessica Tandy as Goldie Hawn's mother.
The film takes its place amongst the many comedies about Hollywood - with a touch of insight about the creative friction between writers.
1. A successful romantic comedy? Of the '80s? Of Hollywood? Americana, for a middle aged audience? Nostalgia? Pro marriage?
2. The working together of Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn - comic, romantic, mellow, quiet? The comparison with the older stars portraying their parents?
3. The colour photography, Hollywood, the train across the United States, wintry Buffalo, gaudy Virginia? The cross section of American society: observation, nostalgia, satire? The symbol of the sunset ending and the comments throughout the film and its appearance at the end? The score, Michel Legrand's style, the romantic songs and their insertion?
4. The use of the title and its meaning, Richard and Paula living together, working together, their friendship? Love? Wanting more commitment? Marrying and the repercussion on their friendship? The end with love and friendship?
5. The attitude towards marriage: the traditional status of marriage, the arguments for it, the nature of commitment, a lasting commitment? The image of the two groups of parents with their 40 and 42 years of marriage? The difficulties not necessarily coming from marriage but from old age? Love as the most important? Marriage before it is too late?
6. The Hollywood background and the experience of the writers: the opening sequence with the humorous speaking out of the screenplay with the reversed roles? Jokes, situation comedy? The quality of collaboration? The visit to the producer and his frantic attitudes, his wanting honesty and yet his telling lies, his preoccupation about sport and health? His phoning them in Virginia? His arrival, the discussion about rewrites? The pressure for rewriting? His locking Richard and Paula in the studio? Their final collaboration? The authentic atmosphere of the Warner Bros. studios with the photos from past films? Artificiality, satire, tribute?
7. Richard and Paula in love - their ease with one another at how: meal, showers, love, work? Richard's desire to marry? His motivation? Paula's hesitation and reaction? Fears? Feminist stances? Her indecisiveness?
8. The wedding sequence and its humour, especially "Thee endow" Mispronunciation? Transition to honeymoon, the train journey and the jokes about spilling the champagne, not fitting into the bed? The noisy kids and Richard strangling and frightening one? Creating an easy atmosphere between the two stars prior to their visit to their parents?
9. The theme of parents, the different generation, different styles of manner, talk, outlook? Buffalo and the snow and the cold? The humour of the meeting at the station? The proper attitudes and the father going to the funeral? The mother with her new frank expressions about pornography, lovemaking? Dad and his story about the turtle? His age and illness and sex preoccupation, the attack on the maid? His talking about it with his wife and daughter? As an incapacity of age? Mother and her talk, her treating Paula like a little girl, the humour of her coming in to tuck Richard into bed and wish him goodnight, the shopping sequence, the grits, her explanation to Paula about her father? The small 40th. anniversary party? The toasts? The image of happiness and love despite any appearance to the contrary?
10. Richard and his reaction to Paula’s parents? His not coping well in Buffalo? The cold etc.? His wanting to return ? and his backing? Paula and the shock about her father? Worried about marriage? The need for give and take? The contrast with Richard being at home in Virginia? Paula being uncomfortable with the family, the noise? The party? Her reaction ? saying she was sorry?
11. The contrast of Virginia with Buffalo? The largest condominium in the world? Richard's mother and her continually taking photographs? Father and his deafness? Nellie and her children and the divorce? The noise, her more permissive approach? Richard's mother and her reaction?
12. Richard on his return, dazed, the flooding of Hollywood, the overturned car? Each self-preoccupied? Separation? Their hostility at the producers? The work block? The fight and the breakdown? Their abuse of each other, the understanding each other and producing the end of the film? Walking out to the artificial sunset and then to the real world?
13. The gentle comic pace of the film? The comedy and farce? Melancholic touches? Satire? observation? The tribute to the past? Modern yearning for values?
