IQ

US, 1995, 100 minutes, Colour.
Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter Matthau, Stephen Fry, Lou Gilbert, Gene Saks, Joseph Maher, Tony Shalhoub, Frank Whaley, Charles Durning.
Directed by Fred Schepisi.

A film with Water Matthau playing Einstein as a fairy godfather sounds very attractive. The actor obviously relishes his role, combining his familiar mannerisms with the persona of Einstein, stories of his past, his relativity theory and other investigations as well as seeing him with three of his friends, played by old character actors, Gene Saks, Joseph Maher, Lou Gilbert, who then join in his matchmaking.

Meg Ryan was very popular in the 1990s after such films as Sleeping in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. She plays the blend of cute and ingenuous. Tim Robbins was popular at the time as a leading man – and there is the value of seeing Stephen Fry in a film role before he became so much more famous.

The setting is Princeton, Tim Robbins playing a garage mechanic with an interest in physics, attracted to Meg Ryan and then finding that she was Einstein’s niece, the old man and his friends then providing Robbins with a speech for Princeton University and helping him with an IQ test. And, of course, it all into happily ever after.

Fred Schepisi had made his reputation in Australia, especially with The Devil’s Playground and The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, before moving to the United States and making films there for several decades, including The Russia House and Empire Falls. Back home he made Evil Angels in 1988 and a film version of Patrick White’s The Eye of the Storm.

1. A pleasing romantic comedy of the 1990s? Relying on Meg Ryan’s charm, cuteness, ingenuousness? Tim Robbins and his style? Walter Matthau and his comedy, Stephen Fry and his screen persona?

2. The title, the Princeton setting, academia, Einstein and his friends and their discussions, the references to Einstein’s career and achievement? Catherine and her mathematics? Ed and his interest in science and reading the magazines? Academic achievement, Princeton reputation, seminars and funding?

3. The New Jersey settings, the suburban streets, homes, the University? The musical score?

4. The focus on Einstein, audience response to him, knowledge of him, Walter Matthau playing him as elderly, congenial, matchmaking? His three associates, the character actors, the personalities, the discussions with Einstein, their all joining in the matchmaking? Helping Ed, his fusion theory, the testing at Princeton, his speech, their approval, the indicating the answers for his multiple-choice test? Like four guardian angels?

5. Catherine, academic, with James, shared interests? Engagement but not particularly engaged? In the car, the breakdown, the encounter with Ed, leaving her watch, and his returning it, her abruptness, the apology? The result of the matchmaking, getting interested, wanting an academic, inviting him to the seminar, responding to his speech, considering it, the issue of disproving a theory? The relationship with James, his absorption in his work? The romance with Ed and, her moving from her head to her heart?

6. Ed, at work in the garage, his colleagues, the attraction to Catherine, fixing the car, the group working on Einstein’s car and making it convertible? Going to the house, discovery of who Catherine was, talking with Einstein, sharing discussions? Giving Einstein the ride on the motorbike? His exhilaration? Working with the friends, his speech and his nervousness, the response, James wanting to test Ed, the IQ test, the physical and dexterity side, the multiple questions and the friends all helping him? James trying to expose him, Einstein coming to the rescue, the paper and the disproving of the fusion theory…? The happy ending with Catherine?

7. At the garage, the workers, meeting Einstein and their admiration, working on his car?

8. Einstein, Catherine, the rain, his talking to her, her changing her mind?

9. The head of Princeton, the symposium, the funding, his being pleased with Ed? The visit of Eisenhower…?

10. The equivalent of the 1990s romantic fairytale?