MY VIEWING DIARY: PART THIRTEEN

 "A Little Romance" (1979)

"A Little Romance" doesn't seem like a likely choice for George Roy Hill to direct. A master craftsman who never relied on bold, stylish embellishment in his storytelling, Hill might be best remembered for his two celebrated features, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting" but he was also behind several interesting films that were not fully appreciated at the time of their release, like "The World of Henry Orient", "Slaughterhouse-Five", "Slap Shot" and "The World According to Garp" that have since gone on to be considered classics. And although this modest yet sweet romantic-comedy involving two mature teenagers falling in love might not have aged as well, the film still manages to deliver appealing moments that are wistful and lovely. 

Lauren (Diane Lane in her first screen appearance) is a precocious thirteen year old American living in Paris with her frivolous mother (Sally Kellerman) and her latest husband, a banker (Arthur Hill). While on the set of her mother's newest infatuation, an obnoxious film director (David Dukes), Lauren meets Daniel (Thelonious Bernard in his only film role), a young French boy obsessed with Hollywood movies, who snuck on to the movie shoot. And just like in the movies, the two teens quickly fall for each other.

One day, Lauren and Daniel literally bump in to Julius Santorin (a hammy Laurence Olivier), an elderly, aristocratic gentleman. He befriends them, sharing many fantastical stories including one where if lovers kiss in a Venetian gondola beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset while the church bells toll, they will be forever in love. And after a disastrous meeting with Lauren's mother at a party, with her forbidding her daughter to ever see Daniel again, and announcing plans to return back to America, the young lovebirds set off to Venice with the help of Julius. 

Hill does capture the wonderous feeling of first love, the magical excitement of cinema and takes full advantage of highlighting the charm and beauty of two of the most romantic cities in Europe. But the real question remains; who is this movie for? "A Little Romance" is a little too stuffy and cultured for children to enjoy while adults won't really find much to connect with in this featherweight romance.

"Roxanne Roxanne" (2017)

"Roxanne Roxanne" tells the fact-based story on the rise of one of the early performers of 1980's New York hip-hop and it's in the unlikely form of a fourteen year old girl. Born and raised in Queens, Roxanne Shante (played by Chanté Adams in her film debut which won her a Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Performance at Sundance) is a teen with a tough outer shell that protects her sensitive, emotional center. She lives with her single mother (an excellent Nia Long) who has become angry, bitter and alcoholic due to the abusive men in her life, offering only tough love and leaving Roxanne to largely care for her younger sisters. Roxanne does have a special gift; she can effortless spit out rhymes, impressively as talented as the pros who rap on hit records. And although she wins local rap battles, even taking home some cash prizes, Roxanne doesn't think it will lead to anything serious.

Marley Marl (Kevin Phillips), who is a record producer, is working on a song with Roxanne that was inspired by the rap group, U.T.F.O's hit single, "Roxanne, Roxanne". They came up with a response track called, "Roxanne's Revenge" that becomes an immediate sensation and made the young teenager a star. And as Roxanne achieves some level of success as a musician, she is surrounded by men who cheat and exploit her including Cross (Mahershala Ali), a drug dealer who becomes her lover, father of her child and emotional tormenter.

With his second feature film, writer/director, Michael Larnell shows great promise as a filmmaker, creating a sharply observed, character-driven drama of a teen emerging from poverty and abuse to fortuitously become a musician. But the music takes a backseat to the hardships and challenges in Shante's life. We do get to witness the strength, fierce determination, survival skills and (briefly) rapping talent of this young woman yet by the conclusion, it feels like the film was far more interested in Shante's harrowing journey of victimization than her contributions to hip-hop.

"Girlfriends" (1978)

"Girlfriends" was one of several feature films in the 1970's that focused on women chafing against the traditional roles expected of them, with a determined desire to forge their own path in the world that may not necessarily include being a wife or mother. But what made this movie stand out is that it was actually written and directed by a woman, Claudia Weill who made her narrative feature debut with this captivating comedic drama.

Melanie Mayron (who would later go on to greater acclaim appearing on the groundbreaking television drama, "thirtysomething") plays Susan Weinblatt, an aspiring photographer who wants to see her work displayed in galleries. But at the moment, she supports herself by shooting pictures for weddings and bar mitzvahs. And while her best friend and roommate, Anne (Anita Skinner) is trying to become a writer, she suddenly decides to marry her boyfriend (Bob Balaban), leaving her career aspirations and Susan behind. Trying to be happy for her yet disappointed with the decision, Susan goes on with her plans alone. As she struggles to sell her photos, Susan has a flirtation with a married Rabbi (Eli Wallach) and later gets a boyfriend (Christopher Guest). And as Anne (who has had a child) watches Susan make things happen with her life, she becomes envious of her friend's independence.

Weill began "Girlfriends" as a short in 1975, later getting some funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to expand it in to a feature. But she ran out of money and Weil had to find additional investors, making it take three years to finally complete the film. Warm, funny and engaging, Weill pointedly examines modern women and the complicated struggles in their lives, careers, relationships with men and other women that feels emotionally authentic.

Warners Bros. would distribute this low-budget indie, making the filmmaker an intriguing new talent. Her next effort was 1980's "It's My Turn", a romantic-comedy starring Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas, that was a critical and box-office disappointment, effectively bringing an end to her promising feature film career. Weill did find plenty of work later directing for television but it is shameful that Hollywood refused to give her another opportunity like they had given to numerous men that failed commercially after having a lauded film.