All Night Long (1981) (Region 2) (Import)

Don't let the pedestrian title of this very smart, adult comedy fool you-its a real sleeper and a precursor to films like "Lost In America" and "American Beauty". Long, long overdue on DVD (I'm not even sure if it ever made it to VHS) it is a joy to see the uncut version again after 20 years. Gene Hackman gives one of his best, and most subtle comic performances as a man going through severe mid-life (and mid-career) crisis after he is demoted from corporate climber to night manager of one of his company's retail chain drug stores. Barbra Streisand is the neighbor's wife that Hackman, er, covets (as does his randy teenage son, well played by Dennis Quaid in an early role). I have to strongly disagree with the popular concensus that Streisand was "miscast" in this role. This film is very much an ensemble piece, and for once, Streisand doesn't hog the lens and scream her lines in that grating Brooklyn honk. I find it refreshing to see her go "low key" for a change and let Hackman shine in thier scenes together. Director Jean-Claude Tramont was even able to talk Streisand into performing a song horribly (and hilariously) off-key, which may be the only time Babs has dropped the legendary ego and poked fun at herself onscreen. I think what the detractors of this film are not "getting", is that this is essentially a European film, in demeanor and pacing, despite its all-American cast. If you're expecting another "What's Up Doc?" or "Owl And The Pussycat", which are much broader, louder comedies, then steer clear of this one. Not necessarily a "bedroom farce", (despite how it sounds) but ultimately an intelligent look at the choices we make in our lives, and the chances you have to take in order to "start over".

A huge box office bomb upon release, ALL NIGHT LONG has been criticized by many for it's uncomfortable mix of odd-ball comedy and quaint slice-of-life drama. Though it received some positive reviews (most notably from Pauline Kael and "Rolling Stone" magazine), most mainstream critics hated it and audiences all but completely ignored it. It is also often cited by most of Streisand's die-hard fans as their least favorite film of the actress. While the film is certainly not without it's flaws, I have interestingly always thought ALL NIGHT LONG contained somewhat of a bizarre charm, and I've always wished it would receive a re-evaluation from the film-going public.

As mentioned before, the film has it's problems. It's paced too leisurely (it's only 90-minutes in length, but feels more like two-and-a-half hours), Jean-Claude Tramont's direction is too light (the film needs more of a thematic punch in several scenes), and much of it's humor is surprisingly too subtle (odd seeing that most film comedies have the opposite problem). Having said all of that, the film is still worth checking out. Though Tramont's direction may be a tad too limp, his skewed perception of the American dream gives the film a dreamy, almost art house-like feel that makes the film more inherently interesting than the screen play would merit alone.

Also, the varied cast is a lot of fun, almost all of them playing against type. Gene Hackman brings a equal mix of unusual serenity and touching pathos to his role of the would-be inventor who manages to find his true self by losing nearly everything that was once-important in his life. In an early role, Dennis Quaid throws himself completely into part of Hackman's airheaded son, making the intelligent personae he would develop in later films like DREAMSCAPE and THE BIG EASY even more impressive. Barbra Streisand is clearly miscast the role of the bimbo housewife who woos both Hackman and Quaid (Streisand replaced Lisa Eichhorn, who was fired from the film after two weeks of production), but her performance is still worth catching. Though she's never totally believeable as Cheryl (a role that was poorly-defined in the screenplay to begin with), she is still a very likable, always watchable, and occasionally endearing presence in a unusual little film that deserves a second chance.

About the DVD: The picture quality, though dated-looking, is surprisingly crisp and clean. The sound is fine, but there are no extras.

I bought this to see how bad it is after all the bad things I have heard about it. I was really surprised when I enjoyed it. Streisand

is the biggest surprise and delivers an excellent acting job. For once she becomes the character she is playing and discards all the typical Streisand mannerisms. Why, she even sang off-key!