dasilentpardner-65037

I had heard for many years that this film was pretty bad, especially considering the talent involved. Took me decades to finally get the time to see it; it just never seemed to bubble up to the top of my must-see list despite my being a huge fan of De Niro, DePalma, and Clayburgh. Well, I'm here to say don't listen to the critics: it's actually a pretty good film.

Okay, I will admit part of why it's good is that one sees it now thru the lense of the careers the principal participants had after they made this. Further, I suspect many are disappointed expecting De Niro to always be operating at 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Deet Hunter' level and Clayburgh shining as she did in 'An Unmarried Woman' and 'It's My Turn.' But the truth is that both have some very fine moments here and both are engaging despite thr fact that the gentleman who plays the groom, Charles Pfluger, seems like he would be the one to rise to stardom (he never made another movie). Jennifer Salt ('Sisters') also appears in the film, lensed the same year as she appeared in 'Midnight Cowboy' (1969).

The film, about a group of people assembling in a large house for a long weekend for a wedding, seems like it was probably too long and too boring so DePalma and company found myriad of ways of punching up the proceedings: fast motion, comic music, sound effects. But all this seems pretty effective.

The thin plot idea was better mined by Robert Altman in his film 'A Wedding' (1978), an ignored masterpiece in my book, but 'The Wedding Party' is a fun, funny and diverting if sometimes shallow and even lax night at the movies. Don't expect too much and you might be pleasantly surprised.

I saw this film, one of Altman's least-seen, twice in the same weekend on a huge concave screen when it first opened because I immediately recognized this was a film that was quite unique but also so unusual that it likely would never be seen like that again. And I was right. More than 40 years later, now on DVD, the film still holds up. If you're looking for a parable about violence in a future world, this ain't it. Try 'Rollerball.' If you're looking for a sci-fi 'one man against the world' story, you'd do better to invest in 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' with David Bowie (1976). But there are plenty of odd turns, special moments, a sustained ominous feeling, and interesting performances here. Any film starring Paul Newman, Vittorio Gassman, Bibi Anderson, Fernando Rey and Nina van Pallandt can't be all bad. I happen to like Altman's experimental period (including 'Health,' 'A Perfrct Couple', and 'Streamers') and 'Quintet' is perhaps the coldest (pun intended), oddest, and least accessible of any of those. But I would say: try it for yourself. It's more about tone and feeling than action or subtext, but it has its rewards.

Don't EVER listen to the critics. Despite that fact that Alan K Pakula directed some of my favorite films of all time ('Klute,' 'The Parallax View,' 'All the President's Men'), I failed to see one of his best and most personal films for forty years simply because the critics disuaded me. Turns out, this film is just as good as any of the other great films he directed.

I won't go into the story because if you're reading this you already probably know something about it. What I will say is that the film is full of real moments, well observed. The film keeps you guessing which way it will go throughout and it's totally believable and laid out with measure, confidence and aplomb.

Jeff Bridges is the lead and he's never given a bad performance and here is no exception. Alice Krige is the smart and sexy woman he's in love with. But it is three actresses (Farrah Fawcett, Linda Lavin snd Frances Sterhagen) that really shine and Pakula shines, too, in the way he uses each of them. Each, in their way, gives what I would call the epitome of what I think of when I think Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Why was the film not successful? Perhaps it seemed too upscale, too Patrician. The film features a good deal of symphony and jazz music and, since it all happens in New York, perhaps the film seemed too much like a Woody Allen without the belly laughs. It did, most assuredly, have a horrible ad campaign.

Either way, judge for yourself. I really loved it and could've missed out if I hadn't taken the chance.