Cast:
Burt Reynolds (Michael Oliver Pritchard III), Cybill Shepherd (Brooke Carter), Madeline Kahn (Kitty O'Kelly), Duilio Del Prete (Johnny Spanish), Eileen Brennan (Elizabeth), John Hillerman (Rodney James), Mildred Natwick (Mabel Pritchard), and M. Emmet Walsh (Harold) Written, Directed and Produced by Peter Bogdanovich (#1000 - The Last Picture Show, #1475 - Mask, #2093 - Targets)
Review:
Admittedly, a handful of films that were thought of as flops are really just because they fit the bill of something worth tearing down because of its star or director being, well, worth taking down a peg. In this case, Peter Bogdanovich might have been an easy target. He had made a tremendous debut feature in Targets (1968) after once being a stage actor, film essayist and critic. Sure, it wasn't a hit with audiences, but it was a damn good thriller. The Last Picture Show (1971) came out of the blue to rip-roaring success. His next film was a homage to screwball comedies in What's Up, Doc? (1972); Paper Moon (1973) was a road feature that adapted a play to pretty good acclaim. And then there was Daisy Miller (1974). The lavish period adaptation of the novella of the same name that Bogdanovich labeled as both "good" and "completely uncommercial" was not exactly a favorite at the time. At Long Last Love (1975) did not have the time or luck to change a perceived slump by Bogdanovich. He was inspired to make the film when he was given a book of song lyrics that had been done by Cole Porter by his then-girlfriend Cybill Shepherd (star of two of Bogdanovich's previous films). It was the first Bogdanovich written entirely by himself (after having co-written a few of his other ones) and it would be one where the actors would sing the song live, which is tough to do if one is not exactly in with dancing on step. It was rushed into theaters and torn apart enough to the point where Bogdanovich printed an open letter of apology. Reynolds stated his belief that the film "Not as bad as it was reviewed. What was reviewed was Cybill and Peter's relationship." Various versions of the film persisted over the years (with different scenes added or missing), which included a cut that wasn't even done by the director. Apparently, a studio editor named James Blakely (a Porter fan) had made an edit of the film (lasting 121 minutes) that honed to the shooting script that was similar to the first preview cut that found its way as the "default" used for streaming. Bogdanovich (having heard of the Netflix version and being delightfully surprised) acknowledged the edition and with a little bit of additions, a "Definitive Director's Version" came out in home media in 2013. But in general, one probably does have to take a little bit of effort to see the film more than other certain flops, particularly when compared to other Bogdanovich films.
Sure, the footwork and singing in certain areas is a bit curious to view for those familiar with musicals. Sure, it has an air of strange elegance that could only come from someone who pushed on making a "jukebox musical" of Cole Porter songs with a loose execution in, well, take your pick. Sure...I actually liked it. It is a playful meet-cute that is full of strange imperfections that seem quite amusing when packed in such a dazzling feature that is old fashioned and yet amusing. These are eccentric "different class" people that are seen doing things such as say, dropping glasses off buildings or casually parking cars with a thud on the lawn. They bumble and stumble in such casual effectiveness that could only come from someone who believed in the actors to basically be like the figurines that are seen to introduce and end the film in that wind-up fashion (complete with a look once described as "Black and white in color"). Reynolds glides through the film with such a casual aura that benefits the proceedings in the charm that arises in offbeat singing/dancing that seems more on the joke in stumbling neatness. Of course, I might be biases because, well, I like seeing Reynolds even in a strange movie like this. Shepherd might have been a lightning rod for criticism, but she doesn't do a terrible job here. Sure, she wavers in certain numbers, but she isn't exactly meant to be playing an angel anyway (goofy brat might be the word here). Del Prete (an Italian singer/songwriter/actor) is adequate, albeit mostly as a straight man (with the obvious qualities in hunky goofiness) to other odd qualities, at least when Kahn is right there to play up this frivolous foursome that really need someone to be there with them for those good times rather than melancholy. It is the support from Hillerman and Brennan in amusement that end up saving the film from dottering away, for which one can be grateful. There are worse ways to hear songs played out than this film, ones where they drone on and on or never really elevate the material, but At Long Last Love just happens to be lightly charming in a way that seems to be an out of its time curiosity that plays with the musical while not forgetting the interest that arises in its Porter jukebox for a chuckler that is about people who happen to sing rather than just a straight to the point singing film. On that note, it is a Bogdanovich movie worth looking into with a curious glance because of the clear delight he has in making a tribute to the old days that I'd affectionate without being beholden to doing everything just as one would expect it to be. It is the kind of odd duckling that belongs in the discussion for viewing not as a flop but as something to marvel as a director's vision that hits its mark.
Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.
Well, here we are with another theme August finished up. Fourteen reviews (one redux) saw a few surprises in the mix from theatrical interests such as Trap and fun times such as Showgirls. I've been trying to get into the spirit of viewing+reviewing movies with the proper amount of commitment that I hope has been maintained to usual expectations.
There was not quite enough time to consider more films to give "acknowledgement" for August, with a few shortlist misses being movies such as: Treasure Planet, Heartbeeps, 1941, City Heat, Quintet, Moment by Moment, and Staying Alive (the latter three have been thought of for Turkey Week before). The future is uncertain for August 2025, but I'm sure there will be a suitable "A" thing for next time around. I'll try to find some interesting films for September 2024 before, well, you know about October and November. See ya soon.
