That Cold Day in the Park

Sandy Dennis plays a lonely woman who sees a young man sitting on a park bench in the rain and invites him in to dry off. He does not speak and she feeds him and buys him new clothes to wear. Dennis is perfect as the troubled lady with severe mental issues. She lives in a world of intense sexual repression, which is never fully explained. The boy turns out to be involved with the 1960's drug and free love culture. The finale is heart breaking and Robert Altman went on to a successful directorial career. Dennis won a Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and she should have one another for this film.

'That Cold Day In The Park' is an extremely underrated psycho-thriller directed by a pre-fame Robert Altman. Sandy Dennis (who Altman would eventually reunite with on 'Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean' in the early 80s) plays Frances Austen, a repressed thirty-something woman who is trapped in a boring bourgeois life after the death of her mother. She becomes fascinated by the sight of a young man (Michael Burns) who sits in the park getting soaked in the rain. After her guests leave she invites him into her home to get warmed up, and after discovering that he is mute an odd relationship develops between them. We soon find out that he he has the power of speech, but she is none the wiser, and his silence allows her to open up a little. After that things get well, complicated. I don't want to spoil what follows but it's fascinating to watch the events unfold, and Dennis' performance is terrific. Sadly she passed away in the early 1990s, Sean Penn's terrific 'The Indian Runner' being her last movie. I know nothing about Michael Burns, but he is also very good, and the supporting cast includes small but important roles from Altman regular Michael Murphy and cult actress Luana Anders ('Dementia 13', 'Easy Rider', 'Greaser's Palace'). 'That Cold Day In The Park' has been neglected for far too long. It's an excellent movie which I highly recommend.

This film requires a lot of patience. Because it focuses on mood and character development, the plot is very simple and many of the scenes take place on the same set - in Frances Austen's (the Sandy Dennis character) apartment. But the film builds to a disturbing climax.

The characters create an atmosphere rife with sexual tension and psychological trickery. It's very interesting that Robert Altman directed this, considering the style and structure of his other films. Still, the trademark Altman audio style is evident here and there. I think what really makes this film work is the brilliant performance by Sandy Dennis. It's definitely one of her darker characters, but she plays it so perfectly and convincingly that it's scary. Michael Burns does a good job as the "mute" young man. Regular Altman player Michael Murphy has a small part. The solemn, moody set fits the content of the story very well. In short, this movie is a powerful study of loneliness, sexual repression, and desperation. Be patient, soak up the atmosphere, and pay attention to the wonderfully written script.

I praise Robert Altman. This is one of his many films that deals with unconventional, fascinating subject matter. This film is disturbing, but it's sincere and it's sure to elicit a strong emotional response from the viewer. If you want to see an unusual film - some might even say bizarre - this is worth the time.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find in video stores. You may have to buy it off the internet.

I would have given this more stars but for the contrived ending that sort of ruined the whole thing for me. Up until that point, I was seriously considering this work to be the equal of any work by Ingmar Bergman. Despite the corny ending, I still think that Sandy Dennis was easily the equivalent of Liv Ullman or Isabelle Hupert. It's shame that she died when she did, and I don't think she ever really received the accolades that she was due. Of course there was her work in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff", in which she played a supporting role, and lighter fare such as "The Out of Towners", but one viewing of "That Cold Day in the Park" should be enough to convince any discerning viewer that Sandy Dennis was a great talent that was taken away far too soon.

One of the gifted Robert Altman's earliest and most underrated films, and a real showcase for the exceptionally talented Sandy Dennis who is at her best as the deluded heroine. Granted, Dennis has been known to overact a time or two, but definitely not here. She delivers a quietly intense, effective performance that sticks with you. If you're a Dennis devotee like me, THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK is a terrific little gem you simply can't afford to miss. Michael Burns, as the odd young man that Dennis takes under her wing, also does well in his role, but the film belongs to Sandy who should have won a second Oscar for this film(she won the Academy Award three years earlier for her scene-stealing supporting role in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?). Altman should have also won an Oscar for his superb direction. This dark, disturbing drama makes a great companion piece to William Wyler's THE COLLECTOR. After watching both films innumerable times, I still find it difficult to say which is the better flick. If I absolutely had to choose between this dynamic duo, I'd choose THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK.