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DVD Goodbye, Columbus
Philip Roth's novel of Jewish identity and assimilation in the suburbs of New York gets a spirited comic reading in this 1969 film, which marked the acting debut of model Ali McGraw (and who thought that was a good idea?). Actually, she's pretty good as the Jewish princess whose father has made a fortune in plumbing supplies. Richard Benjamin, who went on to become an odd sex symbol of the '70s, had just the right comic twist as the young man who can't overcome McGraw's middle-class morality with his sense of passion and romance. Jack Klugman is outstanding as her hard-driving and unyieldding father. A touchstone film. --Marshall Fine
The movie is extremely witty and provides for loads of laughs while still doing quick moral lessons. The actors in this do an incredible job. The only problem is the ending, which happens to be the last 4-5 minutes, once they reach the hotel. This last scene just doesnt make sense in terms of the rest of the movie. There isn't enough evidence throughout the movie that this can end so abruptly. Theres nothing out of the way or jumpy in terms of the speed of their relationship at times, and yet at the end, it is incredibly confusing just what everyone's feelings are of the situation besides that of the mother of the girl. The boy leaves, leaving the audience to use their own experiences to fill in the blanks. I seems, then, that the ending says there were no morals that they were going for in the ending, but to merely provide a faceplate for people to ponder, agree with, or be totally confused about, as I am. I suggest watching it up until the end of the summer (in the movie). "The Graduate" was much better....watch that...
Goodbye, Columbus
I read this book for my english research paper. The book was good while the paper was terrible. Peace
"R" rated original has been trimmed for a "PG" DVD
The original "R" rated version is 5 stars-trimmed DVD 3 stars.
A splendid film for a lot of reasons. The Phillip Roth novel from which the film was adapted supplies unusually good dialogue for the script and an excellent structure on which the director can hang visual and audio elements that meaningfully support the story. Check out how well the musical score shifts to support the mood of each scene. Then there is an excellent cast.
The title is a reference to the brother, a basketball player at Ohio State in Columbus, who frequently listens to an OSU sports commentary that signs off with "Goodbye Columbus". And the song lyrics "Hello life, goodbye Columbus" relate to leaving the protection of home/school to face the world.
Although "Goodbye Columbus" is usually thought of as the "The Graduate" with a different ending, it is much more like "Adam at 6AM". The three films were made at the very end of the 1960's, all had a searching young man as their main character, and all revolved around a new romantic relationship. But in "Goodbye Columbus" and "Adam" the tension is not between different generations but between different backgrounds and values. In both the young man eventually realizes that these differences cannot be overcome and both films go out with shots of him leaving.
The soundtrack album featuring "The Association" (and incidental music composed by Charles Fox) was probably the kiss of death for that group's credibility whatever their musical merits. While cool to be part of an outside film like "Easy Rider", it was uncool to be associated with a Hollywood product like "Goodbye Columbus". This was the summer of Woodstock and by then "The Association" had pretty much lost their audience. In addition to the title song they contributed "It's Gotta Be Real" and "So Kind To Me."
It's two most famous scenes have held up very well: the montage of Ali MacGraw swimming during the title sequence and the comical wedding guests "pig-out" at the buffet table.
The cinematography is first-rate and while the widescreen DVD showcases this, it has been inexcusably trimmed to qualify it for a "PG" rating. The DVD version is only 101 minutes long. Entire sequences have been deleted including the critical first sex sequence where birth control methods are discussed (foreshadowing) and the sequence with the rationale for his moving in with the family for two weeks. Also missing is all the vaguely graphic elements dealing with her initial refusal to have sex. If you are a first time viewer watching the DVD version and find puzzling narrative gaps in the story or incomplete motivational explanations, the trimming is the reason. The trimmed sequences are on the "R" rated VHS, so to see this as intended (widescreen and uncut) you will need to buy both the DVD and the VHS and reconstruct things.
I had not seen this film for about 25 years, and I looked forward to watching it again. If, like me, you enjoy Cloris Leachman and Bea Arthur, in particular, then you are surely tempted to pick up this DVD. May I suggest you rent it first?
For me, this film has the sort of period-specific humor that does not age well. Now, it seems forced and quite unfunny (unless you still laugh at homophobic jokes, for example), and it doesn't even hold any charm as a time capsule. It's "Love American Style" -- unbearable to watch now -- stretched into movie length. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Beatrice Arthur - Bonnie Bedelia - Gig Young Director(s): Cy Howard DVD Release Date: Released the 06 July 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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While its particulars remain rooted in the sexual revolution of the late 1960s, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice is remarkably timeless as a classic comedy of manners. Making an impressive, high-profile directorial debut after success as a screenwriter, Paul Mazursky took the pulse of California society better than anyone, especially with this well-cast, sharply observant comedy that begins when sophisticated couple Bob and Carol (Robert Culp, Natalie Wood) attend a weekend retreat that opens their eyes to the possibilities of open marriage and mutual acceptance of extramarital affairs. When they reveal their newfound liberties to straightlaced couple Ted and Alice (Elliott Gould, Dyan Cannon), the subtle, behavioral richness of the largely improvisational screenplay (by Mazursky and... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Natalie Wood - Robert Culp - Elliott Gould - Dyan Cannon Director(s): Paul Mazursky DVD Release Date: Released the 16 November 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Actually, this comedy is one of the more enjoyable films to examine midlife crisis in the 1980s. Written and directed by Alan Alda, it examines the effects of middle age on a group of married couples who are longtime friends. Each season they go away on a vacation together, but the dynamic gets skewed when one of the men dumps his wife for a younger woman. Though some may find the characters' self-satisfaction and upscale neuroses a shade cloying, they are more than matched by Alda's solid, often funny writing. The couple with the biggest laughs: the hilariously paired Jack Weston and Rita Moreno (although Alda and Carol Burnett also strike comic sparks). --Marshall FineMore Info about this DVD Actor(s): Alan Alda - Carol Burnett Director(s): Alan Alda DVD Release Date: Released the 31 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Few films have defined a generation as The Graduate did. The alienation, the nonconformity, the intergenerational romance, the blissful Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack--they all served to lob a cultural grenade smack into the middle of 1967 America, ultimately making the film the third most profitable up to that time. Seen from a later perspective, its radical chicness has dimmed a bit, yet it's still a joy to see Dustin Hoffman's bemused Benjamin and Anne Bancroft's deliciously decadent, sardonic Mrs. Robinson. The script by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham is still offbeat and dryly funny, and Mike Nichols, who won an Oscar for his direction, has just the right, light touch. --Anne HurleyMore Info about this DVD Actor(s): Anne Bancroft - Dustin Hoffman Director(s): Mike Nichols DVD Release Date: Released the 19 June 2001 This item is currently not available.
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