tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post1500061583392559008..comments2024-03-23T21:46:50.843-04:00Comments on the passionate moviegoer: cinema obscura: Harold Prince's "Something for Everyone" (1970)/James Lapine's "Impromptu" (1991)joe baltakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-44524519980321604752009-08-09T08:49:04.000-04:002009-08-09T08:49:04.000-04:00Love, love, love "Impromptu," definitely...Love, love, love "Impromptu," definitely Judy Davis' movie. Brilliant screenplay by Sarah Kernochan (spouse of Lapine) that uses Davis' butch and femme qualities. I could live without Hugh Grant's painfully awful Polish accent, but Lapine also teases out his femme qualities in an interesting way.Carriehttp://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/flickgrrl/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-57672207918127060992009-08-07T12:19:27.942-04:002009-08-07T12:19:27.942-04:00IMPROMPTU is available on DVD, and has been for ye...IMPROMPTU is available on DVD, and has been for years: it's gone through several changes in cover design, but, aside from that, it's available from MGM.<br /><br />I also loved the movie, and it's the kind of movie which, if it had been a big success, would have made Judy Davis a big star. But it didn't happen. But at least Judy Davis is still working (she's a regular on the USA series THE STARTER WIFE).Daryl Chinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13371258313590183345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-40820734366147117942009-08-06T12:58:15.776-04:002009-08-06T12:58:15.776-04:00I thought Judy Davis would become a major star aft...I thought Judy Davis would become a major star after "Impromptu." What happened? I only see her in supporting roles and on TV.Jennifer Banksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-61057762135890436932009-08-06T12:32:01.798-04:002009-08-06T12:32:01.798-04:00I'm a fan of "Impromptu." Nice to kn...I'm a fan of "Impromptu." Nice to know there are others.<br /><br />"Something for Everyone" used to show up at rep theaters in NYC around 1980. Now I wish I'd taken the time to see it.Ericnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-59825943045076200782009-08-06T12:19:02.252-04:002009-08-06T12:19:02.252-04:00I'm a fan of "Impromptu." Nice to kn...I'm a fan of "Impromptu." Nice to know there are others.<br /><br />"Something for Everyone" used to show up at rep theaters in NYC around 1980. Now I wish I'd taken the time to see it.Kennynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-63499509106119284142009-08-06T11:11:23.858-04:002009-08-06T11:11:23.858-04:00I haven't seen "Something For Everyone,&q...I haven't seen "Something For Everyone," but I very much liked "Impromptu" when I rented it many years ago - most probably in 1992, when it would have been released on video. As I recall, it even got good reviews, so I wonder why it's never made it to a DVD release. It's nice to see it spotlighted here, in any case.wwolfenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-81467408790503009682009-08-06T10:47:02.089-04:002009-08-06T10:47:02.089-04:00Chris-
Frankly, my memory of "Something for ...Chris-<br /><br />Frankly, my memory of "Something for Everyone" has dimmed but I recall liking it a good deal, its directorial shortcomings nothwithstanding. (BTW, I can barely tolerate "Cabaret.")<br /><br />I had no idea that Matthau modeled his vocal performance in "Island of Love" after its director Morton DaCosta. I'll have to listen closely - if I ever get to see the film again. Trivia: DaCosta is the voice of Patrick's father, narrating the contents of his will at the beginning of "Auntie Mame."<br /><br />Re the two directors you mention, I expected more from Des McAanuff in terms of movies by now, and I think that Nicholas Hytner has an interesting, if limited, filmmography.joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-84727702014165053992009-08-06T10:30:34.111-04:002009-08-06T10:30:34.111-04:00Is it a sign of being over-the-hill when one remem...Is it a sign of being over-the-hill when one remembers seeing "Something For Everyone" in the theater? <br /><br />I remember thinking that it was a great *idea* for a film, but that it didn't really work -- Harold Prince's cluelessness as to what to do with a camera being a prime factor. I wanted it to be a combination of "My Man Godfrey" and Joe Orton's "Entertaining Mr. Sloan," which the Prince-directed film never *quite* became. <br /><br />I saw it in a revival house on a double-bill with the Fosse-directed "Cabaret," and I remember that both films -- along with all their other elements in common -- featured seduction scenes where the two lovers were surrounded by candles and candles.<br /><br />As for the phenomenon of stage directors turned movie directors ... where would, say, Nicholas Hytner or Des McAnuff fit into this?<br /><br />And I remember seeing Walter Matthau on Dick Cavett's show (are we dating ourselves sufficiently?) talk about "Island of Love." Apparently his character used a funny voice, and it was directly modeled on that of director DaCosta ... but neither DaCosta nor anyone else got around to acknowleding it.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-80265960872458025262009-08-06T09:25:27.439-04:002009-08-06T09:25:27.439-04:00"Something for Everyone" is one of guilt..."Something for Everyone" is one of guilty pleasures. Got a VHS copy of it on eBay about a year ago. This film should be seen by more people. It should be a cult film by now.Craignoreply@blogger.com