Friday Flashback: Arthur (1981)

Thirty years ago we were introduced to the eccentric, drunken playboy Arthur Bach in Steve Gordon’s hilarious and tender-hearted film, Arthur. Terrified to death by the idea of actually working for a living, the spoiled Arthur has inherited his vast fortune and has no shame in treating the world like his own little playground. “I race cars, play tennis, and fondle women, BUT…I have weekends off, and I am my own boss,” he says. The late Dudley Moore played the lovable man-child and in doing so, created one of the funniest characters in film history. I’ll go one step further…I think Arthur is one of the Top ten funniest films ever made – and this is due, in large part, to Moore’s magnificent, unconstrained performance (which rightfully earned him an Oscar nomination).

On top of the hysterical one-liners that are delivered at breakneck speed throughout (“Do you have any objection to naming a child Vladimir? Even a girl?”), the nucleus of the film is an unlikely father-son relationship – between Arthur and his valet Hobson (Sir John Gielgud in an Academy Award-winning performance). It’s an unconventional bond, but it is all that Arthur has. You see, Arthur is the heir to a $750 million fortune – but will only receive this if he marries the suitable Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry), an upper-class woman who Arthur does not have any feelings for. In fact, Arthur doesn’t really have feelings for anyone but himself – that is, until he meets Linda (Liza Minelli), a working-class waitress from Queens who he sees stealing a tie from a department store. He is instantly smitten and determined to have her, despite what his wealthy family (and Hobson) might think.

Gielgud and Moore are wonderful together. Moore is so outrageous in his manner, and the classically trained Gielgud is superb in his matter-of-fact, composed delivery. Their rapport and comedic timing is impeccable (Arthur: A hot bath is wonderful…Girls are wonderful! Hobson: Yes, imagine how wonderful a girl who bathes would be. Get dressed.”). But what begins as a dynamic that seems more babysitter-child, slowly reveals its true colors. There is genuine love between the two. Though he certainly does not approve of his employer’s behavior (in fact, he frequently mocks it), Hobson will do anything for him and when Hobson falls ill, Arthur’s entire world falls apart. At one poignant moment, Hobson tells him, “Arthur, you’re a good son” – and it breaks your heart.

Moore’s chemistry with the wise-cracking Minelli is equally as impressive. They might not be the most glamorous couple in film, but they are perfect for each other. If anyone can tame this man whose only overnight guests are limited to prostitutes, it is Linda. And what’s more, she couldn’t care less about his inheritance.

Arthur features a delightful score by Burt Bacharach and the famous Oscar-winning single “Arthur’s Theme” by Christopher Cross. It was, sadly, the first and only film to be directed by Gordon, who died at a young age the following year. But the comedy here is timeless. Moore rightfully earned an Oscar nomination for his performance and, despite what some Hollywood execs might think, his work here his beyond reproachable. He is cinema’s greatest drunk, bar-none. And yes, the movie goes right up there with the very best comedies of all-time, to be sure. What makes it even more special is watching the irresponsible and selfish Arthur Bach slowly take stock in himself and his life. We watch him grow up — and we are laughing the whole way through.

MY RATING:

31-Day Movie Meme: by Peter Eramo

I see that all of my fellow film bloggers have been participating in the 31-Day Movie Meme, and it looked too fun NOT to participate, so I came up with my own responses to the “lightning-round” type questions being posed. Readers of this site might see some repeat answers, but if it’s a film favorite, I have to be consistent. I have no idea who started this particular Meme, but it’s been very entertaining reading everyone’s answers to the prompted questions thus far. I still have no idea what a “meme” is, but the ones I have taken part in have been quite enjoyable. Anyway, here are my own responses, for better or for worse:  

1. A Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made:

Caddyshack 2 (was this truly necessary? A disastrous follow-up to a comedic classic.)  

2. A Movie More People Should See:

I think everyone should see the documentary, Young @ Heart. Absolutely uplifting and inspiring. You laugh one minute and cry the next.  

3. Favorite Oscar-Nominated Film from the Most Recent Ballot:

District 9 (For my money, the best film of 2009.)  

4. A Movie That Makes Me Laugh Every Time:

Arthur (Russell Brand will never come close to measuring up to the brilliance of Dudley Moore…and frankly, it is sad that he is even trying.)    

         

 

 

5. A Movie I Loathe:

Donnie Darko (a film for teenagers and college students who think that, by saying they love this film, it makes them intellectual and profound human beings. It’s junk people.)    

6. A Movie That Makes Me Cry Every Time:

The hospital scene in She’s Having A Baby, played to the sensational Kate Bush track, “This Woman’s Work.” Kevin Bacon is spectacular here and the beautifully edited montage of moments between husband and wife is gut-wrenching. Perhaps every husband’s nightmare, leaving him crippled and feeling helpless.
     

7. Least Favorite Movie by a Favorite Actor:

My favorite actor without question is Marlon Brando. Except for the hefty paycheck, I’m still not sure why he ever stepped near The Island of Dr. Moreau.    

8. Movie That Should Be Required High School Viewing:

As long as a proper lesson unit is created, with in-depth follow-up discussion, I think Edward Zwick’s Glory is a fine choice.    

 
     

9. Best Scene Ever:

The juxtaposing scenes in The Godfather, where Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) men are assassinating the heads of the five families as he stands in church, godfather to his nephew, renouncing Satan.    

10. A Movie I Never Expected to Like, but Ended Up Loving:

Fantastic Mr. Fox, the first Wes Anderson film I actually enjoyed.    

     

 

11. A Movie That Disappointed You:

I love Oliver Stone’s work, but was severely let down by W.    

12. Best Music Used in a Scene:

The way that Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” is incorporated into the bus scene in Cameron Crowe’s amazing Almost Famous is sheer brilliance — very moving and cathartic.   

13. Favorite Animated Movie:

There are so many great films to pick from, but I think Brad Bird’s The Iron Giant (1999) has to be my favorite.     

     

     

14. Favorite Black & White Film:

I’ll stick with earlier films here. A toss-up between The Bicycle Thief and Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight.    

15. Best Musical:

Alan Parker’s The Commitments is a sensational achievement with a phenomenal soundtrack.     

16. Favorite Guilty Pleasure Movie:

Serendipity (it’s friggin’ adorable…what can I tell ya?! Right Tara???)    

17. Favorite Series of Related Movies:

The Godfather Trilogy (what is the debate here?)    

18. Favorite Title Sequence:

I think the opening sequence of Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers is brilliantly shot and cleverly edited. It surely sets you up for what you’re in for during the next two hours — a masterpiece of a film that is one of the decade’s very best films.    

19. Best Movie Cast:

Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alan, Arkin, Jonathan Pryce, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, and Kevin Spacey all shine in Glengarry Glen Ross. Everyone on top of their game and they speak the words of David Mamet like pure poetry.    

20. Favorite Screen Kiss:

You know all the anxiety and over-thinking that we go through before our first kiss with someone? Alvy Singer has come up with a working  solution to this problem.  Alvy and Annie are on their very first date. He is going to watch her sing at a small NYC club and later they’ll grab a bite to eat. Here is the classic exchange in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall:    

      

Alvy: Hey listen, gimme a kiss.
Annie: Really?
Alvy: Yeah, why not, because we’re just gonna go home later, right, and then there’s gonna be all that tension, we’ve never kissed before and I’ll never know when to make the right move or anything. So we’ll kiss now and get it over with, and then we’ll go eat. We’ll digest our food better.    

And they kiss. It’s nothing glorious; just a quick kiss on the lips…and relieves all the tension.    

21. Favorite Romantic Couple:

I am always touched by the purest form of love that is felt between Adrian (Talia Shire) and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) — throughout the entire Rocky series (Adrian’s presence is overwhelming even in her absence in the final film).    

22. Favorite Final Line:

Phil Alden Robinson’s Field of Dreams…    

Ray Kinsella: Hey Dad, you wanna have a catch?
Ray’s Father:  I’d like that. 

23. Best Action Sequence/Scene: 

“If I say it’s safe to surf this beach, Captain, it’s safe to surf this beach!”

The brilliant helicopter attack in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece, Apocalypse Now.    

24. Film Quote I Use Most Often:  

In A Bronx Tale, Lorenzo Anello (Robert DeNiro) tells his young son: “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” It’s always stuck with me.   

25. A Movie I Plan on Watching:  

I have so many in my rental queue….I’ll just go with the newly released Red Riding Trilogy…looks awesome!    

26. Freakishly Weird Movie Ending: 

Since everyone is going with Mulholland Drive, I will choose The Rapture (one of the very best film endings I have ever seen…I distinctly remember not moving a muscle in the theatre as the end credits simply rolled with no musical accompaniment)    

27. Best Villain:

I will stick with who I believe to be the geatest screen villain, Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List.    

28. Most Over-Hyped Movie:

Did I hear something about an upcoming Avengers movie? Does anyone really think this will live up to the hype? (I could have easily went with Inception here too.)    

29. A Movie Seen More Than Ten Times: Annie Hall (DUH!!!)

30. Saddest Character Death: 

Selma (Bjork) in Lars von Trier’s depressing and magnificent Dancer in the Dark. At the end, she is strapped to a board and carried to the gallows after being convicted of murder she did not intentionally commit. She is hooded, and screams in panic, “I can’t breathe!” as the noose is being drawn around her neck. When she finally accepts her death, and, while waiting for the floor to fall out from under her, she begins to smile and sing. Haunting and terribly moving.   

31. Movie That Made Me Stand Up and Cheer: Remember the Titans

Lily the Pug Turns 10! Her Top 5 Movie Dogs!

For those movie lovers familiar with this site, you may have come across the Lily the Pug page at the top of the homepage. When I first began writing this blog 7 months ago, I immediately proclaimed Lily to be the honorary mascot of the Magic Lantern Film Blog. Yes, the pug you see here is my sweet and beautiful Lily who I adopted from Pug Rescue in December 2001. And today, July 25th — Lily turns 10 years old!!! Many nights, Lily is comfortably by my side as I sit and watch my many movies. To commemorate this very special day, I promised our mascot that we would post her Top 5 Movie Dogs of All-Time. It may be somewhat biased, but today is her special day so she can choose any pup she wants to!

 LILY’S TOP 5 MOVIE DOGS!

#5. Jerry Lee (K-9, 1989)

Jerry Lee is a German Shepherd who gets assigned to work with narcotics cop, Mike Dooley (James Belushi) to help nail down a drug kingpin. The movie may not be brilliant, but it’s a lot of fun – especially the scenes between the two “odd couple” partners. Of course Mike can’t stand Jerry Lee at first, but a close bond slowly develops. Lily likes him because he does his own thing and has an exuberant personality all his own. Not only is he a good police dog, but Jerry Lee also gets a lot of action, especially with some cute, high-class poodle (the James Brown “I Feel Good” cranks up when he’s done doing his thang). Most of the laughter from this film comes from these two bouncing off one another and the scene where Jerry Lee is laying in the hospital is very sweet.

Very interesting note – Jerry Lee was played by Koton, an actual Kansas City police dog. Tragically, he was shot and killed apprehending a suspect in the attempted murder of a police officer in 1991 (listed on the IMDb website). Rest in peace, Koton!

#4. Frank the Pug (Men in Black, 1997 & 2002)

Frank the Pug was so good in the first movie, that director Barry Sonnenfeld made sure to give him an even larger role in its sequel. He just has a knack for stealing every scene he is in, which is no easy feat when you are opposite Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. In the film, Frank is actually an extraterrestrial in disguise and acts as an informant for MiB, providing them with information on “the galaxy.” Frank supplies a lot of humor here and has a lot of moxie; Lily likes him for his singing chops — remember him barking to “Who Let the Dogs Out?” and singing a few lines of the nauseating “I Will Survive”? In both films, Frank is played by a pug named Mushu. I think Lily voted for him just because he’s a fellow pug, but she swears she was being completely objective on this.

#3. Old Yeller (Old Yeller, 1957)

Lily is into the classics too (insisting that Toto is way overrated) and feels there is no Top 5 list without this lovable, unforgettable mutt. Critic Jeff Walls stated, “Old Yeller, like The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars, has come to be more than just a movie; it has become a part of our culture” — and this is mainly because of the lasting impact that this Labrador Retriever/Mastiff mix has on us long after the end credits roll. Old Yeller comes to this family uninvited really – and develops such a strong bond with Travis and the rest of his new family. How one can watch this movie and not shed a few tears, I will never know. It remains one of the most popular tear-jerkers in cinematic history and that all stems from the love that Old Yeller has for the Coates family and the love that they in turn have for their dog. A funny coincidence here is that James Belushi in K-9, tries to intimidate Jerry Lee by telling him that when he watched the end of Old Yeller as a boy he “did not cry!” Another tidbit of trivia: the dog who played this timeless pup was named Spike. Great job, Spike! Lily feels the Academy snubbed you bigtime!

#2. The Eight Sled Dogs (Eight Below, 2006)

Based on a true story, a sled dog trainer must leave the polar base in Antarctica and ties his eight dogs up so that they may be rescued in short time. But when the mission is called off, the dogs are left to fend for themselves, fighting the unforgiving Arctic terrain for six months. Though the makers tinkered a bit with actual events (and the fate of some of the real-life dogs), the movie is surely an inspirational and heart-warming one. For the film, two Alaskan Malamutes (Buck and Shadow) were used, as well as six Siberian Huskies (Maya, Max, Truman, Dewey, Shorty and Old Jack). Each actor-dog had stunt dogs that pulled sleds and performed various other stunts. In all, 30 dogs were used to portray the eight characters. A credit to the filmmakers, each seems to have his/her own personality. Poor chubby Lily would never be able to survive in the Arctic for a single day, which makes her admire and respect the heart and perseverance of these eight all the more.

#1. Otis the Pug (The Adventures of Milo & Otis, 1986)

Yes, Lily went with another pug for her #1 slot — a shameless sign of favoritism on her part, if you ask me! But if you have ever seen this adorable little film, you can perhaps understand where she is coming from. Milo is the cute little (and lucky) cat — his bestest friend in all the world is Otis, the adorable pug who looks out for him. From tiny kitten & pup, these two pals grow up together on the same farm and get into all kinds of mischief, mostly because Milo’s curiosity always gets the best of him. One day, the two are separated and the real adventure begins – Otis must go off and find his best friend! To do so, Otis must travel far and bear the merciless weather, as well as fight off a few hungry foes. Narrated quite beautifully by the late Dudley Moore, this is a remarkable tale of loyalty and friendship. Both animals are so very cute and it’s fun to watch the two grow up and have families of their own. This is a wonderful, moving film for both kids and adults. Lily just loves watching Otis — he’s her Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. And he remains her absolute favorite movie dog of all-time…

Lily wanted to make sure and give Honorable Mentions to:

Hoser (Strange Brew), Hercules (The Sandlot), Lady (Lady and the Tramp) and Hachiko the Akita, from Hachi: A Dog’s Tale which we both watched a few weeks ago — we both greatly admired Hachiko’s unwavering loyalty and perserverance throughout those many, many years of waiting for her Master (Richard Gere) to come home from the train station. Such a sweet film…