THE REAL HOWARD SPITZ

Canada, 1998, 102 minutes, Colour.
Kelsey Grammer, Amanda Donohoe, Genevieve Tessier, Joseph Rutten, Patrick Mc Kenna, Kay Tremblay.
Directed by Vadim Jean.

The Real Howard Spitz is an eccentrically delightful film. It was directed by Vadim Jean who directed a number of films in England including Leon the Pig Farmer and Clockwork Mice and who adapted Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather for the screen.

The film was also a tour-de-force for Kelsey Grammer. Familiar to audiences mainly from Cheers and Frasier, Grammer also had a film career including X Men 3. Here he does a variation on his Frasier character, a curmudgeon type, a writer of pot-boiling detective stories who is persuaded to write a children’s story even though he loathes children. He is forced then to go on the circuit but decides to have a stand-in impersonating him. Finally, he has to admit he is the real Howard Spitz. The cause of this is a young girl he meets in a library who comments on books, to whom he gives his manuscripts for comment, who wants him to act as a private detective to find her absent father. Needless to say, he softens (somewhat) and builds an affection for the little girl and for her mother. The little girl is played by Genevieve Tessier and the mother by Amanda Donohoe. There is very amusing support from Joseph Rutten as his put-upon agent of many years as well as from Patrick McKenna? as the actor stand-in who gets tongue-tied at first but then who can’t control himself pretending to be Howard Spitz. The elderly actress, Kay Tremblay, is quite funny as the seemingly very prim writer of popular children’s stories who has her herbal tea spiked and performs with bad language, at least, on a morning television show.

The film is interesting in the way that it builds the relationship between the cranky Howard Spitz and the little girl and how it softens it and makes him more humane.

1. An entertainingly offbeat comedy? Serious dimensions? A nice blend?

2. The American settings, the city, east coast, west coast? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The presence of Kelsey Grammer, audiences familiar with him from Cheers and Frasier? The humorous reference at the end about writing sitcoms and his allusions to both of these series?

4. Howard Spitz, the credits, his writing the pot-boiler, writer’s block, listening to the sounds around him, getting ideas, finishing the book? Taking it to Lou? Their meeting in a rundown café (with the continued carping of the waitress)? The discussion about people not wanting the book? Lou and his paying for the meal, his sending manuscripts without paying postage? His pessimism? Howard and his desperation, the messages from his wife for alimony, his being in debt, his gambling and losing?

5. The shop, seeing Theodora Winkel and her selling the books and the book-signing? The discussions with her? The money and the translations? His decision to research the books? To write a book? The idea of the cow as a detective? Lou advising that he needs to do the illustrations as well? His drawings? Going to the library, meeting Sam, the discussions with the children, why they liked books? His eating his lunch, the reaction of the librarian and ousting him after he swore?

6. The success of the book? The contract? His writing more? His meeting Sam, asking her to read the manuscript, her comments? The deal – and her questioning him, about being a private detective? Her wanting him to find her father?

7. His reaction about searching for the father, going to see her mother, the mother pulling the gun? His meeting her in the supermarket – and making a mess with the stacking and hitting people on the head? Sardonic remarks about suing? Laura and her explanation about her husband? Howard and his getting his friend from the police to find out the address? Laura wanting him to talk to Sam? The discussions, the possibilities of not finding her father, that he wouldn’t want to see her? Finally giving her the address? Her writing the letter? No answer – and his writing the letter and her seeing through it?

8. The success of the books, the contract, the tours and the book-signings? His auditioning the actors? His deciding to take on Roger? Roger and his being tongue-tied, not able to answer the questions? The swearing on air? The children and their questions about the cow? Roger and the various book-signings, interviews, his learning to improvise, his branching out, getting enthusiastic – even believing he was Howard Spitz? The final with the award? His effusive speech, Howard going up, the compere and testing who was the real Howard Spitz? The answer about questions in the book? Sam and her going up and proving that Howard was his authentic self?

9. The relationship between Howard and Laura, enjoying one another’s company, at the restaurant, his getting the steak tartare and making the hamburger for the horrified waiter? Being together, at the studio? Going to her shop, the flowers and nature – and his abhorrence of nature?

10. The awards, going to Los Angeles, Sam wanting to go, his being persuaded? Paying for the tickets? Including Lou? Enjoying Los Angeles? The dinner? The importance of Sam looking for her father?

11. Howard and his meeting the father, the father and his new family, not wanting anything to do with them? Sam overhearing it and her grief? At the awards ceremony, her looking at Howard, his decision to tell the truth, her verifying who he was?

12. Lou and Howard, overhearing the discussion about writing sitcoms? His decision to write sitcoms? His future with Laura and Sam? His truth about children giving him the willies – but his trying his best and offering to be a substitute father for Sam?