Something for Everyone

Charming, machiavellian drifter manipulates widowed aristocrat and her family to gain control of the estate. Exemplary characters and script, and striking scenery for atmosphere. Viewers may also enjoy "A New Leaf" (1971).(Rating: A)

"Something for Everyone"'s plot has already been described. So, I'll REVIEW it instead. Angela Lansbury wonderfully typlifies the aristocracy that existed at the end of WW II..and someplaces, even today...at least in some people's minds.

York's character, Konrad, is both charming and convincingly conniving doing whatever he has to do to achieve his goal. "Can you sleep with anyone?" , Helmut asks. "If I have to" Konrad answers.

Angela has two specific speeches that leave you breathless...making the dialog pure prose, or if you will, Arias. Her struting, expressions and attitude make the basic point of the film more obvious and comedic.

York is as smilingly disarming as the rouge as Matt Damon was in "Ripley --". Anthony Higgons as Helmut was convincing too. But something must have ended up on the editing floor that would have helped his participation.

Hal Prince's talent direction is wonderful, but either the camera direction or editing is somewhat ordinary at times.

Music theme is by John Kandor (Kandor-Webb who created "New York, New York" and "Cabaret")is fun, memorable and perfect for the film's style time and content. However, I wished Hal Prince had him underscore the film....at times the film is slow and needs some mood music.

"Something for Everyone" is an overseen classic - storywise and performance wise. I had the chance to express my opinion to Angela and she smiled wonderfully at me. York too told me he loved the character and the story and like me, wished the film got more notice.

This movie tickled me to the bone.

I can laugh decades later just thinking about Angela Lansbury greedily but daintily scarfing down strawberries.

Michael York is infinitely sexy and sinister at the same time. Just the memory of his performance gives me goosebumps.

Everyone in the cast is such a juicy distinctive being and such fun to watch.

It seems funny ranking this movie up there with Citizen Kane as one of the greatest movies of all time, but in terms of sheer enjoyment, for me, it ties with Cabaret (another Michael York movie) as #1.

Once upon a time there was a young, handsome, fair-haired commoner who dreamed of being a young, handsome, fair-haired prince. In fact, while the Britisher is bicycling through Austria, he sees the very castle described in the fairy tale picture book his mother gave him when he was young, and that he now carries with him at all times. Encouraged by this vision of splendour, the young drifter sets out to fulfill his life's dream.

Doesn't this sound like a lovely, whimsical, touchingly optimistic tale about believing in one's destiny and having the courage to seek it out? Normally, yes. But in the hands of director Hal Prince, this darkly comic tale takes another direction altogether. Michael York plays the clever, enigmatic young opportunist who is willing to seduce, charm, outmaneuver, even murder whoever he has to in order to become "king of the castle."

The afore-mentioned domain is inhabited by none other than the Countess Von Ornstein (the wonderfully eccentric Angela Lansbury) and her brood. The widow has fallen on hard times since the death of her husband and realizes she must marry into money once again to return to her former glory. But with a homosexual son and chubby, homely young teenage daughter left to carry on the family dynasty, prospects look truly abysmal.

To say any more would be a dastardly move on my part. Suffice it to say that the sharp, highly astute performances alone make this seldom-seen little gem worthwhile. There are enough twists and turns to keep things compelling from start to finish. Director Prince takes full advantage as well of the breathtaking Bavarian landscape.

York, as Konrad, has seldom had a meatier role as he first becomes a footman to the castle, then proceeds to eliminate all the other human elements that interfer with his rise to the social top. Lansbury steals every scene she is in, while given a number of deliciously wry monologues to remind viewers that the Jessica Fletcher character she played in "Murder She Wrote" was a popular move but a real step down. Jane Carr, who the year before gave a touching, timorous performance as the ill-fated student in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," does a 100% turnaround here as the dry, sardonic "plain Jane" daughter who is wise to York's game from the very start. And Anthony Higgins as the smitten gay son and Heidelinde Weis as an amorous young heiress are quite effective as two of Konrad's romantic pawns.

"Something for Everyone" definitely HAS something for everyone. A real find in my book.

I haven't seen this movie in a long time. I've seen it more than once, so I must have rented the VHS when it was available. I did see it when it was originally released theatrically. If you weren't that lucky, let me tell you, when Angela Lansbury appeared on screen about to board a train in her white satin traveling suit and matching (stewardess-style) cap, there was a collective gasp from the audience--admittedly mostly gay men. You'd never seen anything like it EVER. And you never saw anything like it again until Dynasty in the 80s.

Furthermore, Jane Carr utters one of the best lines in all of cinema history: "There's nothing like a bit of pre-breakfast chocolate cake."

The movie is pitch perfect, and I'd say required viewing for gay people, even though that theme is a small part of the movie. Hunt it down and see it! And pray for Criterion to get the rights!