The Sterile Cuckoo

I saw The Sterile Cuckoo by accident in 1970. I went to the movie theater to see True Grit because John Wayne had been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. The double feature that day included The Sterile Cuckoo and it changed the way I would view movies from that day on. I loved every second of this achingly beautiful story about first love for a gangly, awkward, pushy, scared girl and a shy young man. Liza Minnelli is so incredible in this role as she conveys the desperation of a woman who has probably never been loved and can't understand that it scares people away if you hold too tight and reveal too much. She has no game to play and it costs her. She is the whole movie as all the emotions of the part are captured in her beautiful, expressive eyes. Her monologue in the phone booth near the end of the film should be required viewing for anyone interested in persuing an acting career. Few before her or since have pulled off such a challenging feat with such seamless realism. She was fantastic in Cabaret because it showcased the full range of her talents but this is her best work as an actress.

This is one of the few films I've seen in which every shot represents the theme and overall feeling of the film. No matter whether Minnelli's Pookie and Burton's Jerry are together as a couple, in a crowd, or completely alone, a sense of loneliness pervades the situation. To achieve this Pakula uses several long shots of the characters, or, during the party scene, he has Pookie and Jerry on separate levels of the staircase, staring up or down at each other from a distance. From the very first shot we see this, with Pookie and her father walking to a bench and then sitting there waiting, in an extremely long take that spans the entire opening credits. In representing the awkwardness of a first sexual experience, another extremely long take is used, in which Jerry disrobes Pookie, take off each piece of clothing one by one, hanging them up in the closet or folding them properly, then doing the same for himself, and within this the loneliness is established in Pookie's great enthusiasm to "get in the sack" and Jerry's calculated attempts at making the experience romantic, which are completely unromantic. Even McIntire's small role as Charlie plays an important part in the representation of the loneliness, as he assumes that Jerry is a virgin, like he is, thinking he confide this is in Jerry because they have it in common, which they don't. Minnelli's acting in this excellent, probably on the same par as her role in Bob Fosse's "Cabaret." This is also one of the few films I have actually not just felt sad about, but actually did cry at. I believe this is a very well-made film, and it deserves a higher rating than it has on here. The subjects it deals with are not trivial in the least, they are an important part of life, and the ending is perfect in proving this. It is very realistic in the psychological portrayal of its characters, which is a very difficult thing to pull off. I have not read the book, but I am sure the characters are established just as well in this film adaptation. Although it is a sad film to watch, Pakula hooks us right away with Pookie's outrageous personality, and although, like Jerry, we feel she is annoying person, even if she is friendly, we cannot stop listening to her and watching her, and when she is not in a scene we feel something is lacking. So, rather quickly, we begin to enjoy her character and what it brings to the film, just as Jerry begins to enjoy her company and she helps him learn to enjoy his life and be more outgoing, even though, in the end, this works against Pookie. I feel this film has been highly overlooked, and I definitely recommend it, even with the sad ending it brings. By the end of the film I had fallen in love with Pookie, and this is what makes it such a strong film.

From the moment this movie begins, with the evocative Sandpiper's rendition of "Come Saturday Morning", the ache in my body becomes almost unbearable -- but this little gem is so beautifully realized that it is worth it. Minnelli, Burton, and Alan Pakula's direction are close to perfect. This is a very special movie, that transcends the period it was made to lament the underdog's painful journey through want and wish and heartbreaking compromise, all while the conventional world seems to go blithely on, unaware of the slings and arrow of outrageous fortune that befall those born not to have their places in the sun. A fine achievement for almost everyone involved in this film. It is also notewothy that Liza, a unique actress, has never quite found the cinematic career she deserves -- there have been some seering, indelible moments, notably CABARET and NEW YORK, NEW YORK, and the aforementioned, but the 1970's didn't seem the time for her. Incidentally, I have wondered for twenty five years what she might have done in a filmed biography of Clara Bow!

This movie touches something in all of us that i think Lizzie minnelli brought to the service so well she deserved an Oscar nom in her first performance.Most of us at some point in our lives,often when young have clung to love,or been clung to-to tightly.The result often being the other person at some point feels as though they cant breath they feel suffocated.This creates awkward moments and much introspection as we question what does love truly mean does it mean I have to be with you and know where you are 24 hours a day.Does it mean i let go my friends because you don't seem to like them. I'm a male who gets sad every time I see this movie.All of us have felt loneliness and come across some people who are plagued by it.Lizzie Minnelli ,and Wendell Burton showed the dynamics of young love and all its bittersweet ironies.This movie reminds us of being young and breaking up with someone you at one point cared deeply for.

I saw it in 1992 (well past puppy love age) and wrote in my diary:

A heavenly movie! What a visual and aural delight! The plot didn't matter much (love of shy college boy and girl). But then, no good movie puts plot above everything else. Good movies have great atmospheres. They are pleasing to the eye, as well as the ear. This one was blissfully free from cliches, melodrama, formulas, phony excitement. It was pure warmth, charm, prettiness, spontaneity. There were almost no close-ups. The scenery was breathtaking, the pacing calm and gentle. There were whispers! Whispering is so charming, so intimate. Liza Minelli was never better. This film gave me a great boost, making me feel connected with fellow humans.