058. Best Friends

058. (11 Feb) Best Friends (1982, Norman Jewison) 20



A romantic comedy devoid of romance and comedy. Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn's natural charisma rises to the surface, but they're saddled with the most unlikable characters. It's downright depressing as Hawn refuses to commit to Reynolds, reluctantly marries him, and then they have zany, unhappy adventures together meeting their in-laws. As their relationship gets increasingly hostile and abusive, it's incredibly unpleasant to watch. No surprise, but the Oscar-nominated tune "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" is every bit as bad as the film.

The Best Hitchcock Movies (That Hitchcock Never Made): Foul Play (1978).

This is my contribution to Dorian of Tales of The Easily Distracted and Becky of Classic Becky's Brain Food, wonderful blogathon. About movies that are similar to Alfred Hitchcock movies that were not made by Hitchcock.
Foul Play (1978). Comic/mystery/thriller. Director: Colin Higgins. Cast: Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase.

The story takes place in San Francisco, (one of Hitchcock's favorite places to film his movies) where the Archbishop is murdered by his "look alike".

The story is also about Divorcee Gloria, who is living a lonely life working as a Librarian, after her divorce. At a party her best friend sits down with her and tells her "that she wants her to get out and start dating again". There she meets Detective Tony Carlson, for the first time.



So feeling a little adventurous, on her way home after a party, Gloria picks up a stranded motorist named Scotty, who gives her a pack of cigarettes with a roll of film hidden inside, to hold for him. The two make a date to meet at the movies later that evening. On his way to meet Gloria, Scotty is shot, when he arrives he tells Gloria that there's going to be a murder and to "beware of the dwarf", then dies. While Gloria trying to figure out what is happening, a dwarf, an albino and a man with a scar on his face, are all trying to kill her. She finally contacts the police. When SFPD Detectives Tony Carlson and 'Fergie' Ferguson arrive on the scene. Both detectives believe that she is hallucinating or on drugs. Tony, attracted to her, decides to help Gloria. Will they ever find the mystery behind Scotty and his death?

By now you know I'm a huge fan of Goldie Hawn. Foul Play does a wonderful job mixing suspense with a little comedy similar to Hitchcock.. Foul Play, was written in honor of director Alfred Hitchcock. Several of Hitchcocks films are referenced in the film: A innocent person becoming involved is a commonly used in many of Hitchcock films such as: The 39 Steps, Saboteur, North by Northwest and, The Man Who Knew Too Much, which gave them the idea of the opera house scene. Also, the story includes an object that is the central focus of the film and not explained until the very end. Hitchcock, also used this technique in many of his films.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Goldie Hawn.

Personal Quote:

"We can't hold on to our youth, but what you can hang on to is all the things we've been told a zillion times: you have to find the light in your life that you had when you were a little girl or little guy that made you happy".

Goldie Hawn's Later Career.

Goldie Hawn's career slowed down after leaving Hollywood in the late 1980s, but began a comeback with the action/comedy, Bird on a Wire(1990), with Mel Gibson, who plays a FBI informant, who has kept his new identity secret for 15 years, now an old flame has found him, while some thugs are out to kill him..

Hawn's next successful performances were in the films:

Deceived(1991). Thriller starring Goldie Hawn and John Heard. The film begins with Adrienne Sauders, happily married to her art dealer husband, Jack. A friend tells her that she saw Jack in town, when he told her that he was on a business trip. Adrienne, confronts him, but he denies being in town. Soon after, a museum curator is murdered and a treasure that Jack bought for the museum is proved to be a fake. All evidence points to Jack and her world turns upside down, when police tell Adrienne that Jack was killed in a car accident. Adrienne, soon learns that her husband was not who he claimed to be and now she and her daughter lives are in danger.

I loved how the camera caught pieces of the truth slowly building on the suspense. The score works perfectly with the plot. This is one of those films that will keep you on the edge of your seat.


Criss Cross (1992). A feature film directed by Chris Menges, based on the novel by Scott Sommer. Cast: Goldie Hawn, Arliss Howard, Keith Carradine, Steve Buscemi, and David Arnott.

Single mom Tracy Cross, lives with her 12-year-old son Christopher in, Key West, working as a waitress. She becomes a stripper to support her family which upsets Chris. A man from a local restaurant is involved in a drug-smuggling ring and Chris goes to work for him to earn enough money so his mother can quit stripping.

Joe, a undercover agent, working to bring down the drug ring, strikes up a friendship with Tracy and her son, which complicates his job.

Next, Goldie, received much attention for her role opposite Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep in the 1992 film, Death Becomes Her. A dark/slapstick/screwball comedy/fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis. The film focuses on a pair of rivals who drink a magic potion that promises eternal youth.

When, they both are killed in their fight over a mortician, the potion revives them as the undead and they are forced to maintain their deteriorating bodies forever. Death Becomes Her won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

Goldie Hawn's, performance was very unique, especially in the beginning when Goldie plays a overweight cat lady.. OMG!!

Video; Behind the scenes.

Earlier that year, she starred in the film, House Sitter (1992), a screwball/comedy with Steve Martin. Directed by Frank Oz. The story is about a con-artist, who worms her way into the life of a architect by claiming to be his wife.

The teaming of Martin and Hawn, turned out to be a hilarious combination. The tricky situations she gets Martin and herself in, are really funny.

Hawn, took a break when she cared of her mother for four years, while she was battling cancer, she lost her fight in 1994. Hawn, made her come back as producer of the comedy, Something to Talk About, starring Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid, as well as making her directorial debut in the television film, Hope (1997) starring Christine Lahti and Jena Malone.

Hawn returned to the screen in 1996 as the aging, alcoholic actress Elise Elliot in the great comedy, The First Wives Club. Having Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton together, for a film that sure to be wonderfully entertaining. The film is about, how three women get even with their ex-husbands. Another reason to watch, The First Wives Club, is the amazing supporting cast: Maggie Smith and Sarah Jessica Parker, Stephen Collins and Stockard Channing.

Goldie reunited with Steve Martin for the comedy, The Out-of-Towners (1999), a remake of the 1970 Neil Simon hit. Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin play a husband and wife of 27 years who's last child, is sent off to Europe and then they head off from Ohio to New York.

In 2001, Hawn was reunited with former co-stars Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton for the romantic/comedy, Town and Country. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Beatty plays New York City architect Porter Stoddard, with Keaton as his wife and Hawn and Shandling as their best friends.

As of 2011, her last film performance was in the film, The Banger Sisters (2002), with Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush. The story begins when Suzette is fired from her job as bartender, she then decides, to travel to Phoenix, Arizona to see her old best friend, Vinnie. Stranded, at a service station, she picks up Harry Plummer, a neurotic author, who is also on his way to Phoenix.

Suzette, has a chance meeting with Vinnie's daughter Hannah, who after some recreational drug use, passes out in Harry's hotel room. When she drives her back to her parents home... She finds Vinnie, now leading the life of the perfect wife and mother.

Suzette, brings back all those "wild memories" for Lavinia and she decides to relive the old days by going dancing with Suzette.

This is a fun and sexy chick flick for a more mature audiences, with a message about being true to yourself.

Hawn announced in an interview with AARP's magazine that her next film project would be called, Ashes to Ashes and co-star Kurt Russell. The film is about a New York widow who loses her late husband's ashes in India. As of 2011 the project has yet to go into production.

Please click here to view Doriantb's Fowl Play post.

Please click here to view Goldie Hawn past reviews.

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1980

1980

5. Gena Rowlands in Gloria

Gena Rowlands (despite her great talent) is not able to save this trainwreck of a movie called Gloria, but at there are some short, but quite strong scenes that ingrained in my memory. I wasn't very disappointed to tell the truth (I knew what to expect), but it's painful to write so negatively about Gena.

4. Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People

This is a fantastic performance, which is extremely haunting and captivating. Mary is able to make Beth a breathing, understandable human being, for whom you really feel sorry. Thanks to Mary Tyler Moore, I was perfectly able to understand Beth's emotions and feelings.

3. Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin

Goldie gives a great and extremely hilarious performance in Private Benjamin, which might very well be her best work, though it's nothing for the ages. The most important thing is that I loved her and the character as well, and she entertained me so well. I loved her, that's it.

2. Ellen Burstyn in Resurrection

This performance was so healing for me. I loved every moment of it, though I doubt that love is the right word for it. It really made me re-think if The Exorcist is my favorite performance of Ellen. Ellen in Ressurection is thought-provoking, harrowing and unforgettable.

1. Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter

I was amazed by Sissy's brilliant performance in this movie. Sometimes I was so captivated by her, that I forgot that I was actually watching a movie. It's a really gripping, powerful performance, which is extremely subtle, but is full of layers, quiet emotions and brilliant singing.

So I can proudly announce

that my winner is...

Sissy Spacek

in

Coal Miner's Daughter

Yee-haaw!

Final thoughts: Wow, this decision was not easy. For a while, I thought I would pick Ellen, because her performance was so unique, but I figured that Sissy's towering, enourmous performance is the one for the ages and Ellen falls into the Liza Minnelli/Diane Lane category. I LOVED Goldie and I really want to mention her, because if her movie was made in 1981 or 1975, she would be my pick, hands down. She's so utterly charming and I'm so happy that it found recognition. Some may not like that I ranked her above Mary, but that's it. Mary was fantastic as well, though this time she let me down a bit. Just like Ida Kaminska, but to a lesser extent. Gena was the weakest link in this otherwise great line-up: she suffered so much from that shitty movie she was in (one of the worst ones I have ever seen and its memory still haunts me). Anyway, some of the movies could have been contenders for the non-film awards: Resurrection for some spiritual, religous award and Gloria for the Nobel Prize for being the perfect medicine for insomnia (though it's quite bitter to swallow).

Omissions: 

• Jane Fonda in 9 to 5
• Dolly Parton in 9 to 5 
• Lily Tomlin in 9 to 5
• Mari Kiss in Duty-Free Marriage 

The ranking of the already reviewed years:

1. 1969
2. 1974
3. 1989
4. 1959
5. 1939
6. 2009
7. 1980
8. 1963
9. 1966
10. 1973
11. 1990
12. 1978
13. 1954
14. 1948
15. 2002
16. 1940
17. 1998

I really look forward to the next year. I have wanted to do it for so long and there was a miracle and I can do it! YAY!

• Do you want a glass of milk? ;)
• MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

What do YOU think? Any requests, thoughts, suggestions?

Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin

The first reviewed performance of the year is...

Goldie Hawn received her second Oscar nomination for playing Private Judy Benjamin, a woman going through a big change in the comedy, Private Benjamin. It's always so much find to think about how the voting was going. I think that Goldie was third or fourth in the voting. She was a previous winner and she starred in a wacky comedy, but I think her popularity really helped gain some votes. I think that she did not win the Globe only because Coal Miner's Daughter was considered a musical, which is insane, I believe.

Private Benjamin is a fine, entertaining little comedy, which is a bit mixed: the first half of it is simply brilliant and hilarious, I so loved it and I hoped that the whole movie would be like the first 50 minutes. However, after they graduate, the whole thing becomes so weird as if it wasn't the same movie. It's so perplexing and I think it's mainly the screenplay's fault. I believe, though, that nom was richly deserved because of the first part. The acting is just great: Eileen Brennan gives a very memorable and funny supporting performance, which in my opinion was deserving of the win in that very weak field. The others are fine, too, but they don't get that much to do.

I have to confess: no matter what people say about her, I love Goldie Hawn. She's a terrific comedy actress, who is always able to make me laugh and despite the fact that she always plays annoying characters, I have never been annoyed by her because she makes them so adorable. I will go even further and now grab something so that you don't faint: I think she deserved her Oscar for Cactus Flower. She takes these annoying characters adds her charm to them and does miracles with the parts she's given. Too bad that nowadays she's only seen in the tabloid papers. :(

The thing I like about Private Benjamin the most is that she's not a really typical comedy lead. She's not the suffering loser in the army. She's a spoiled Jewish princess, who has only one desire: to live a fancy life in a fancy house with a rich hubby on her side. She's kind of like Rachel Green in friends: after doing basically nothing in life, she just has to face with reality alone without daddy's credit card. It's so hilarious, but also touching when she says that she never understood An Unmarried Woman, because she would have married Alan Bates at once. It's quite a short sequence, but I think it's the best line of the whole movie.

Goldie so perfectly showed how naive Judy is. Judy firmly believes that she can get the fancy life from the army, and she can even feel than that she worked for it alone. She thinks that this whole army thing is just a big fun, where you don't have to do much. She's so utterly hilarious in the scene where she gets her uniform and asks if there's one in a different color. I mean, it's such an awkward moment, but Goldie delivered that line so well.

Also, her scenes with Eileen Brennan are simply brilliant: the two worked together so thrillingly well. One is the perfectly looking, very feminine woman, the other one is bossy and masculine. They are so great together though when Goldie talks to her as if she was a hotel manager and she's complaining about her room. And then we see Goldie cleaning the toilets with her toothbrush and it's just hysterical. I mean the whole thing is so absurdly funny.

Goldie also nailed the scenes of the training. She's so adorably clumsy, she's always falling, she can't run, she's an extremely funny cliché. It's just perfect and the whole thing made her so loveable. And this is probably the greatest achievement of Goldie Hawn in this movie: she made me care about Judy, I loved her, I rooted for her and most importantly, I was constantly amused by her. It was just brilliant.

However, when the movie weakens considerably, Goldie's performance also slows down a bit, though not that much. She was still great and she did not lose her great screen presence, but I felt that I lost my interest in her. She tries to work against this, though, and in these scenes we see real development in Judy's character: she becomes a hard-working, strong, self-conscious woman, who likes her job, loves working and finds real passion. She's so hilarious in the scene where she has presumably great sex and says something like "I guess, this is what I was faking until now". She just said my thoughts and I just loved that.

The ending is thankfully just as strong as the beginning, and Goldie is really at the top there. The comedy is less wacky, but she's just great. We all know how important a good ending is and it was very memorable. I loved her.

So to sum up, Goldie gives a great and extremely hilarious performance in Private Benjamin, which might very well be her best work, though it's nothing for the ages. The most important thing is that I loved her and the character as well, and she entertained me so well. I loved her, that's it.

She's the definition of an extremely strong 4,5, it's almost a 5.

Wow, this piece became lengthier than usual.

What do you think?

The Next Year

1980

The nominees were:

• Ellen Burstyn in Resurrection
• Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin
• Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People
• Gena Rowlands in Gloria
• Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter

I'm so excited to do this year. That's it. :-) The predicting contest is naturally on.

I wish you all a very happy new year! May all your wishes come true!