Okay, so here's another one that nobody likes but me. The script is by William Goldman, who has a deft hand with this kind of thing. It's the sort of adventure comedy that was done so well in Charade or It Takes a Thief, but without Cary Grant. Tim Daly is okay, but he's no Cary. On the other hand, you couldn't ask for anyone better then Penelope Ann Miller as the woman he falls for as the adventure takes us from the Scottish Highlands to the French Riviera. She falls for him, too. (I hope this isn't a spoiler.) They're chasing after a huge bottle of wine from the year of the comet (1811). It's worth its weight in gold. Or maybe more. The villainous Louis Jourdan, who's like Dr. Arcane come out of the swamp, is after it, too, and so are others. Naturally, however, the wine is just a mcguffin. There's more at stake, as we know from the start. We just don't know what it is.
This movie has just about everything: great scenery, attractive actors, action, some very funny lines. But I have to admit that there's something missing. I think it's the direction. The pacing is just . . . off somehow. I don't mind, though. It's worth watching just for Jourdan and Miller. Check it out sometime when you're in the right mood, and you might find yourself enjoying it.
10 comments:
A diverting, unpretentious thing with absolutely no lingering aftertaste
Miller's most memorable role was probably as Connie, Carmine Sabatini's daughter in THE FRESHMAN.
Jeff
The film earned mostly negative reviews from critics and holds an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of May 2013.
Goldman blames the failure on the movie being about red wine, which he claims people hate.
Jeff
I haven't seen YEAR OF THE COMET but I'll track it down and give it a try. I, for one, love red wine (the sweet kind).
Goldman has a sense of humor. I didn't know the RT rating was so low, but I knew it didn't get good reviews.
I have to watch this every time it is on. A William Goldman caper/adventure/romance comedy hopping across Europe! How can it be anything other than marvelous? But it is. As you note, "something" is missing. Admittedly Penelope Ann Miller always looks better than she acts and Tim Daly is not really a big screen leading man, but I don't really think it's them. Still I keep watching as I know the NEXT time, it WILL be better.
Yep, it's the direction. I *loved* this movie, but the direction was lackluster at best, and the entire climactic sequence was just plain soporific. (Gotta admit I'm not fond of the super-rich-guy-turned-adventurer trope--I didn't like Lara Croft, either--but that's a minor cavil.) Had a director with more heart and imagination--i.e., just about anyone else--made this movie, it would be at least a minor classic.
Yeah, the climactic sequence couldn't been a lot better.
I remember some movie with Comet in the title but I don't think it was this one.
Patti, you're probably remembering NIGHT OF THE COMET, the spunky heroine fantasy/horror adventure that I suspect Megan would've watched and enjoyed even if you might not've picked it out for yourself back when...
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