THE ONE AND ONLY
US, 1978, 97 minutes, Colour.
Henry Winkler, Kim Darby, Gene Saks, William Daniels, Harold Gould, Polly Holliday, Herve Villechaize, Bill Baldwin, Ed Begley Jnr.
Directed by Carl Reiner.
The One and Only is a star vehicle for Henry Winkler. From the 1960s Winkler had a prolific career in acting, especially on television in such series as Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. He also produced a number of films and telemovies as well as directing several films including Memories of Me. Here he stars as an unsympathetic character, who, despite the odds, wins over a nice college girl, played by Kim Darby (True Grit). In his career, he alienates people by his over-the-top performances – but discovers that he has a talent for wrestling and all the showbiz accompaniment for professional wrestling.
The film is entertaining in its way, rather difficult to really empathise with the central character. However, Carl Reiner is adept at comedy. Steve Gordon wrote the screenplay (and was to write and direct Arthur before his untimely death of a heart attack).
Reiner collaborated with Mel Brooks in many television shows as well as radio programs. He wrote for a number of shows including The Dick Van Dyke Show. He began directing and during the 70s made Oh, God as well as The One and Only. He was then to make four films with Steve Martin, The Jerk, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, The Man With Two Brains, All of Me. He continued acting into his 80s and appeared in the Oceans Eleven, Oceans Twelve, Oceans Thirteen trilogy.
1. The significance of the title? Andy's explanation of it? The importance of the prologue in illustrating it? The theme of arrogance, pride, vanity - and a healthier kind of self-esteem? The exhibitionist, the vulnerable man, the insensitive or sensitive man?
2. The appropriateness of making comedy out of egotism? Credible comedy, amusing? The real life egotist - comical or not? Comedy as a means of insight into the eccentric character and his eccentricities, motivational drive, the effect on himself and others, insecurity, hope, change?
3. The period setting of the prologue? The 1951 setting - for what purpose? A more innocent time? Comparisons with the 70s?
4. The quality of the screenplay as the biography of Andy and his one and onlyness? Humour, wit, set pieces. Andy's dialogue, Sydney's dialogue? Comedy, romance, family life, career, theatre and wrestling? The interplay of all of these?
5. Situation comedy: the ordinary sequences of home life and university life and dating presented comically, especially the early sequences? Mary's family by way of contrast? The situations of New York and surviving? The wrestling world and comic situation? Milton and the comedy of short people? The vulgarity of the situations? The blending of the variety of situations for persuasive comedy?
6. Andy: the explanation of his temperament and character as illustrated by his performances. his reaction to the audience during the prologue? Their reaction to him especially his mother? The early deaths of his parents? His comments on his day dreaming, on his being alone, his awareness of his gifts and talents, his inflating them, his lack of inhibitions, his voracious desire for applause and crowds, to be loved but not necessarily liked? The fact that he was not alone? That he had to manage? The importance of having a wife and a growing sense of responsibility, of creating a child and caring for the child? How well did he learn to be sorry, learn to admit mistakes, be conscious of hurting Mary - and particular soliloquies? In Kansas City where this was manifested? How real could he be? It was said that he needed to be with the freaks, with the audiences - was this necessarily true? What about his future and Mary’s return and the possibility of showmanship but being real at home, especially for his child?
7. Henry Winkler's style? how convincing was he as Andy? His skill with the comedy routines, his pushiness, his imitations of James Cagney and Peter Lorre, his skill with the wrestling, the impersonations for the wrestling? His acting in the play, the audition as the priest, imitating the Italian for the interview at the press agents? Reality and unreality, appearance and reality? Winkler's comic style? Convincing?
8. Mary’s contrast and a complement to Andy? The first encounter and the questions about picking noses, proposing to her etc.? Her embarrassment, humour? The outing in the restaurant and his singing? The encounter with Paul and his laughing and the would-be fight? His going into her room and the expulsion and the penalties?
Why did he love her, was attracted towards her? Mary and the background of her family? Her bringing him home and his impression at the first meal - taking over, imitations? Mary’s father and his preoccupation about business and the living? The marriage ceremony and the possibilities of happiness? The arrival in New York, the
meal? His showing off, her worrying about the money? The significance of the typing sequence and her mother
continually ringing? The news about the baby and her reaction, his reaction? The sharing between the two? Her saying that she was being scared and his comforting her? Her first discovery about the wrestling when he came home injured? Their clash ard the reason for her going? The background of the visit of Sydney and the others to the apartment? His leaving for. the tour and her not wanting him to?
9. Mary in Ohio - her welcoming him, back, the joy in his ordinary work, yet her being tense and wondering when he was going? The vehement clash as he left? How credible that she should return - the commonsense nature of her conditions? Her comment on his appearances, bringing the baby as some reality to him? A good portrait of an ordinary girl involved with such a man? The family background, Mum's personality her liking Andy? Tom and his wariness? Sherman and his liking the imitations? Their visit to New York and their dismay, Mum’s reaction to Milton's advances? Andy and his settling, in Ohio, the two ways of life insurance or wrestling? His manner at home, at the television set? The importance of the telegram and his leaving? The humour of his coming home in the middle of the night, Mary's coming downstairs, his going into the bedroom to assure Mum and Tom? How finally seeing them watching him on television? The presentation and humour about middle Americans?
10. The character of Milton - the first encounter and the discussion about careers? Milton the short jokes, discussions about freaks? Their chance meeting? Leading to success? Sydney's appreciation? Milton and his continued attendance? His preoccupation about sex and the irony of this, his advance on Mary's mother, the prostitute in Kansas City?
11. Sydney and his humour? As a promoter, desperate, as a character in himself, his work, his ulcers, his worry about his homosexual son and the frequent comments? His advice to Andy, visits to the apartment? His knowing him and what he wanted, especially in terms of success and applause? His shrewdness and Andy’s success?
12. The first wrestling match and the Indian and his hostility, Andy's return home injured? His getting ideas, the execution of his ideas, the decision to leave for the tour? His comments in Kansas and his return home? Hovering between the two and his need for going away? The film's humour with the wrestling world - the people, the sport, its contrivance, the spectators, fashionable and ordinary? Wrestling as an entertainment, vulgar, ugly? The humour of his various impersonations as a hypnotist, the Nazi?
14. New York as the fulfilment of dreams and the disillusionment? The apartment, the jobs and the irony of Andy’s wrestling? The build-up to the lover and the television comments, his entrance, costume and wig, manner? His wrestling and his feelings of success and achievement?
15. The baby as fulfilment for his life? Mary's hopes that this would bring him down to earth? The satisfactory resolution and the issues of which they spoke?
16. Themes of madness, humour, funniness, sadness, eccentricity, love, appreciation? Humorous insights into human nature?
