FlashCallahan
Teddy is a middle-aged man who has a good wife, kids, friends, and a fine job. You could say that he has everything he wants; but he doesn't. One day he sees a gorgeous woman in a red dress, and becomes instantly infatuated with the model. He must have her...Gene Wilder is one of those actors you could watch reading the phone directory, he's warm, funny, and very convincing. So even when you know he has also written and directed this poor excuse for a film, you cannot help but enjoy it just a little, because he is magnetic on screen.So he becomes obsessed with Le Brock after she has danced on an air vent. That's the get up of the whole film, but it cannot decide whether its a spoof of romantic movies, a deprecating parody of promiscuity, or just an all out dumb comedy.The more serious tones of the film, like marriage break ups and loneliness, do not sit right in the film, and Le Brock proves that she is just a pretty face, she cannot act, and I doubt Seagal gave her lessons.All In all, it's more of a vanity project for Wilder, making him appear irresistible to a woman, who wouldn't look at another man his age.At least the soundtrack is good.
Woodyanders
Content and married middle-aged businessman Teddy Pierce (a sound and appealing performance by Gene Wilder, who also wrote and directed) seems to have it all with his sweet wife (winningly played by Judith Ivey), good job, and several exceptionally loyal friends. However, Teddy's life goes topsy-turvy after he sees beautiful model Charlotte (flawlessly embodied by the ravishing Kelly LeBrock) and becomes obsessed with her. Wilder keeps the breezy story moving along at a zippy pace, maintains a likable lightweight tone throughout, nicely captures the awkwardness and frustration of the main character, and adroitly mines a pleasant line in good-natured screwball humor that culminates in a hilarious climax in which everything goes uproariously awry. Moreover, it's acted with zest by a game cast: Charles Grodin as the sarcastic Buddy, Joseph Bologna as exuberant horndog Joey, and Michael Huddleston as the tubby, jolly Mikey. Gilda Radner scores many of the biggest laughs as smitten and love-starved co-worker Mrs. Milner. Wilder warrants extra praise for handling a subplot about Buddy's closeted homosexuality with admirable taste and subtlety. Fred Schuler's slick cinematography provides an attractive bright sparkling look. Both the bouncy score by John Morris and a delightful array of choice songs by Stevie Wonder keep things bubbling along. A real hoot.
MARIO GAUCI
Gene Wilder's third (and penultimate) film as star-director is also his most consistent effort – albeit one that was a remake of a successful French original, i.e. Yves Robert's PARDON MON AFFAIRE (1977). Wilder ideally casts himself as a happily-married advertising agent whose chance 'encounter' with the stunning title character (portrayed by débutante Kelly LeBrock, a former model and future Mrs. Steven Seagal!) in an underground parking-lot thrusts him into a frenzied, amusing series of amorous complications. Aiding Wilder in his clumsy extramarital travails are his three buddies – gay Charles Grodin (his 'blind man routine' is side-splitting), married but perpetually horny Joseph Bologna and rotund Michael Huddleston – all of whom have their own sentimental troubles to contend with. To makes matters worse for Wilder, ugly duckling office colleague Gilda Radner mistakes his attentions for Le Brock to have been intended for her and goes through several physical and emotional changes in her quest to please her 'man' and, after realizing her error, hilariously takes sweet revenge on the understandably bewildered {sic} Wilder. Complimenting all the above quite nicely is Stevie Wonder's song score that, not only features duets with Dionne Warrick, but is highlighted by the Oscar-winning "I Just Called To Say I Love You".
Stanley Strangelove
Gene Wilder tries to pull off the triple threat of writing, acting and directing in this remake of a French film but he doesn't succeed, much like Jerry Lewis failed in his similar attempts. The film is supposed to be a comedy but it's just not funny at all and there's probably nothing that makes people cringe more than an unfunny comedy. No one is any good in this film. Charles Grodin, Joseph Bologna and Gilda Radner are wasted. Yet another model trying to be an actress, Kelly LeBrock, as the woman in red, stinks. Don't waste your time on this. Instead, see Wilder in his only good role as the hysterical Leo Bllom in Mel Brook's classic The Producers.
AD
