3/10
Mid-Life Casting Crisis
2 August 2013
After an outburst at work, stressed-out Southern California businessman Gene Hackman (as George Dupler) is demoted to night manager of the discount drug-store "UltraSave". At a funeral, Mr. Hackman sees buxom blonde Barbra Streisand (as Cheryl) and discovers she is having a sexual affair with his teenage son, well-built and wavy-haired Dennis Quaid (as Frederick "Freddie" Dupler). Hackman wants to break up the couple, but becomes involved with Ms. Streisand himself. Their romance is complicated by the fact that, as Hackman tells Streisand, "You're screwing my son." Moreover, Streisand is married to Mr. Quaid's "fourth cousin," fireman Kevin Dobson (as Bobby Gibbons)...

This is a disaster. Apparently, the model performances for Streisand and Hackman are Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell in "The Seven Year Itch" (1955). That could be what the co-stars are aiming for. Note, there is a scene where Streisand duplicates the famous scene where Ms. Monroe's dress blows up to reveal her panties. This was the image they used to promote the film...

Streisand is wildly miscast as Marilyn Monroe. Hackman attempts his own characterization, but shows little of the nervous passion evident in Mr. Ewell's performance. Quaid is no teenager, but at least he can act like one. The director, Jean-Claude Tramont, leaves a good supporting cast out on a limb, especially during the drug-store sequences. Although his efforts are wasted, Mr. Dobson handles his role well...

Most appropriately, Streisand wears a magical motorcycle helmet which never musses her hair...

*** All Night Long (3/6/81) Jean-Claude Tramont ~ Gene Hackman, Barbra Streisand, Dennis Quaid, Kevin Dobson
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