4 reviews
Watch this for the charm of its furmture stars, not the comedic script. Ten minutes in you see gorgeous Van Williams exit a locker room shower in a towel. It is all down hill from there.
It is basically two hours of a naive girl stalking a gay basketball player. Anthony Perkins before he went Psycho and Jane Fonda before she got heavily into politics and over-exercising.
Anne Jackson is priceless as usual.
It is basically two hours of a naive girl stalking a gay basketball player. Anthony Perkins before he went Psycho and Jane Fonda before she got heavily into politics and over-exercising.
Anne Jackson is priceless as usual.
June Ryder (Jane Fonda) is a new student at Custer College, which is most renowned for its boys' basketball team, although it also has a high academic standing that can rival that of any of the more famous colleges on the west coast. There a young shy and insecure college sportsman (Anthony Perkins) is in trouble when he is offered a bribe to fix a game, he is torn even more about the matter. In addition to the pressure of the exam, Perkins is is being pressured by gamblers to throw a game against the Russians. He wants to marry his very straightforward girlfriend, also a student, but has no money. At the end an exciting basketball competition takes place between the local team: Custer and the Russian visitors, Sputniks. Such fun!. That college girl who can't help lovin' tall boys!.. Here's everything and everybody that made Broadway blush at the howling stage smash! (at $7 per seat). Students: If you want to go to college don't let your parents see this picture!. Joshua Logan's super-saucy production of "tall story"
That experiment in Japanese kissing! That baby-sitting romance! That girl in the boys locker room! Those pom-pom girls!... and that cool cool shower!. Sensational Bobby Darin sings the title song!. Joshua Logan - He makes the great ones! Sayonara! Picnic! Bus Stop! South Pacific! Starring Anthony Perkins and the fabulous new young star Jane Fonda.
An uneven comedy based on the novel 'The Homecoming Game' by Howard Nemerov and on the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse that opened on Broadway, in Manhattan, New York City with big hit and ran for more than 100 performances. Jane Fonda makes her screen debut as a cheerleader who is so awe-struck by Perkins that she takes the same classes just to be close to him. While Perkins is a star basketball player who must pass a crucial test in order to continue to play the game. The two protagonists are nice, but they are really cloying, especially when they sing a song together. As the film results to be excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, especially to a disgusting or sickening degree. In 'Tall Story' the main fun is guessing or discovering which secondary characters appear here and there, including a notable suppport cast such as Ray Walston as a strict philosophy teacher, Anne Jackson as his wife, Murray Hamilton as the coach, Marc Connelly who was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor in the Drama for "Tall Story" in the same role of the film as Professor Charles Osman, and Fred Aldrich, Tom Laughlin. And others uncredited feature film debuts such as: Gary Lockwood, Van Williams and Robert Redford. As well as final feature film appearance of both Barbara Darrow and Elizabeth Patterson. And two newcomers who subsequently emigrated to Italy to star in Peplum and Spaghetti Western: Richard Harrison and Brad Harris. While Jane Fonda shows up star billing, the future famous actor Robert Redford appears unbilled; being the first of four films were cast together, the others were: ¨The Chase¨, ¨Barefoot in the Park¨, ¨The Electric Horseman¨.
The motion picture was middlingly directed by Joshua Logan. This craftsman was a good filmmaker who directed successful films, usually dramas and musical, including big name actors, such as ¨Picnic¨, ¨Bus stop¨, ¨Sayonara¨, ¨South Pacific¨, ¨Fanny¨, ¨Ensign Pulver¨, ¨Camelot¨ and his greatest success: ¨Paint your wagon¨. Logan was a man of theater who educated at Princeton University where a fellow classmate was James Stewart who influenced his interest in the theatre but he found himself confined to backstage activities which would contribute to his producing. He won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the musical, "South Pacific", collaborating with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Logan won seven Tony Awards: two in 1948 for "Mister Roberts¨; four in 1950 for "South Pacific," and one in 1953, as Best Director for William Inge's "Picnic." He was also Tony-nominated on two other occasions: in 1959, as co-producer of Best Play "Epitaph for George Dillon," and in 1962 for "All American". Rating Tall Story (1960): 5.5/10, mediocre comedy. The flick will appeal to Jane Fonda and Anthony Perkins fans.
An uneven comedy based on the novel 'The Homecoming Game' by Howard Nemerov and on the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse that opened on Broadway, in Manhattan, New York City with big hit and ran for more than 100 performances. Jane Fonda makes her screen debut as a cheerleader who is so awe-struck by Perkins that she takes the same classes just to be close to him. While Perkins is a star basketball player who must pass a crucial test in order to continue to play the game. The two protagonists are nice, but they are really cloying, especially when they sing a song together. As the film results to be excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, especially to a disgusting or sickening degree. In 'Tall Story' the main fun is guessing or discovering which secondary characters appear here and there, including a notable suppport cast such as Ray Walston as a strict philosophy teacher, Anne Jackson as his wife, Murray Hamilton as the coach, Marc Connelly who was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor in the Drama for "Tall Story" in the same role of the film as Professor Charles Osman, and Fred Aldrich, Tom Laughlin. And others uncredited feature film debuts such as: Gary Lockwood, Van Williams and Robert Redford. As well as final feature film appearance of both Barbara Darrow and Elizabeth Patterson. And two newcomers who subsequently emigrated to Italy to star in Peplum and Spaghetti Western: Richard Harrison and Brad Harris. While Jane Fonda shows up star billing, the future famous actor Robert Redford appears unbilled; being the first of four films were cast together, the others were: ¨The Chase¨, ¨Barefoot in the Park¨, ¨The Electric Horseman¨.
The motion picture was middlingly directed by Joshua Logan. This craftsman was a good filmmaker who directed successful films, usually dramas and musical, including big name actors, such as ¨Picnic¨, ¨Bus stop¨, ¨Sayonara¨, ¨South Pacific¨, ¨Fanny¨, ¨Ensign Pulver¨, ¨Camelot¨ and his greatest success: ¨Paint your wagon¨. Logan was a man of theater who educated at Princeton University where a fellow classmate was James Stewart who influenced his interest in the theatre but he found himself confined to backstage activities which would contribute to his producing. He won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the musical, "South Pacific", collaborating with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Logan won seven Tony Awards: two in 1948 for "Mister Roberts¨; four in 1950 for "South Pacific," and one in 1953, as Best Director for William Inge's "Picnic." He was also Tony-nominated on two other occasions: in 1959, as co-producer of Best Play "Epitaph for George Dillon," and in 1962 for "All American". Rating Tall Story (1960): 5.5/10, mediocre comedy. The flick will appeal to Jane Fonda and Anthony Perkins fans.
"Tall Story" is a film that is sort of like a throwback...a film similar in plot to films of the 40s and 50s. However, despite having an older sort of plot, there are also some adult aspects which make it like a bridge to the past and to the more modern sensibilities.
The film is Jane Fond's first movie...and she co-stars in it as a character you would NOT expect based on her later films. June Ryder is a lady in college to get her MRS degree. In other words, this is no feminist and her one and only goal is to marry the star basketball player, Ray Blent (Anthony Perkins). For a while, Blent is oblivious to her concerted efforts to bag him...though eventually he succumbs to her charms. But, before they can marry and THEN indulge in their carnal lusts, there is the big game between his school and the Russians...and someone knows Blent needs money to marry and offer him a fortune...if he makes sure the Russians win!
The film is a passable time-passer. There's nothing particularly wrong with the film, but the nice momentum it maintained seem to screech to a halt when the basketball fix plot was introduced. An odd film, surely, but one worth seeing.
The film is Jane Fond's first movie...and she co-stars in it as a character you would NOT expect based on her later films. June Ryder is a lady in college to get her MRS degree. In other words, this is no feminist and her one and only goal is to marry the star basketball player, Ray Blent (Anthony Perkins). For a while, Blent is oblivious to her concerted efforts to bag him...though eventually he succumbs to her charms. But, before they can marry and THEN indulge in their carnal lusts, there is the big game between his school and the Russians...and someone knows Blent needs money to marry and offer him a fortune...if he makes sure the Russians win!
The film is a passable time-passer. There's nothing particularly wrong with the film, but the nice momentum it maintained seem to screech to a halt when the basketball fix plot was introduced. An odd film, surely, but one worth seeing.
- planktonrules
- Oct 7, 2017
- Permalink
Ray Blent (Anthony Perkins) is the star basketball player at Custer College and the top man on campus. June Ryder (Jane Fonda) is a student who is looking to get married like all the girls and she has set her sights set on Ray. Prof. Leo Sullivan (Ray Walston) is new at school. Prof. Charles Osman (Marc Connelly) become his fast friend. Ray happens to be in both their classes and June only has one remaining slot.
Talk about casting against type. At least, they are cast against their future types. Anthony Perkins is far from the jock and Jane Fonda is no marriage-obsessed girlie girl. Watching an earlier film like this can be problematic in that sense. We've seen their futures already. The good news is that Ray plays basketball by using his scientific intellect. He's a nerdy jock. She's a joyfully devious character and that's within her range. The bigger problem is the subject of the comedy. If it's a satire, it's not satirical enough. They're not actually making fun of June's efforts to ensnare Ray. The funnier movie would be her trying all her craziness to catch an arrogant jock and ends up with the nerdy nice guy. This movie is not actually biting or funny. Certainly, comedies can become dated over time. I don't think this was funny even for its time and social limitations. It's still interesting to see these future legends and it's her first credits.
Talk about casting against type. At least, they are cast against their future types. Anthony Perkins is far from the jock and Jane Fonda is no marriage-obsessed girlie girl. Watching an earlier film like this can be problematic in that sense. We've seen their futures already. The good news is that Ray plays basketball by using his scientific intellect. He's a nerdy jock. She's a joyfully devious character and that's within her range. The bigger problem is the subject of the comedy. If it's a satire, it's not satirical enough. They're not actually making fun of June's efforts to ensnare Ray. The funnier movie would be her trying all her craziness to catch an arrogant jock and ends up with the nerdy nice guy. This movie is not actually biting or funny. Certainly, comedies can become dated over time. I don't think this was funny even for its time and social limitations. It's still interesting to see these future legends and it's her first credits.
- SnoopyStyle
- Jul 11, 2021
- Permalink