Steelyard Blues

Social misfits work to rebuild an old plane to make the ultimate escape from reality. Non-conformists vs. The Establishment--again! Easy targets, unconvincing characters, though not bad with this interesting cast: Donald Sutherland as an ex-con, Jane Fonda (in a funky dark brown wig) as a hooker, Peter Boyle as a thief, and Howard Hesseman as a politician. Fonda--persona non grata at the time due to her involvement with the Vietnam War--gives probably her least-interested performance in a movie (she's just not present). One BAFTA nomination: Sutherland as Best Actor (shared with his work in "Don't Look Now"). ** from ****

"I dunno nothing about climbing... except onto broads and motorcycles." --Peter Boyle replies to Donald Sutherland in a Brando voice when asked to climb into someplace to steal something.

"A '50 Studie!" --Donald Sutherland exclaims when he sees a 1950 Studebaker at a demolition derby, the only model he had yet to crash into in his derby driving days before prison.

Most, if not all, of the members of the comedy group The Committee appear in the movie and there's a great bit that defies description involving Hessman, his henchman, a sort of movie-prop housefront with someone pretending to be an out-of-control guard dog barking at the window while one of the others tries to hold him back.

I think Sutherland said in a Playboy interview that it was during the filming of this movie that Jane Fonda raised his consciousness.

Sigh, I never would have seen most of my favorite movies if it weren't for revival houses that brought this and other classic or off-beat movies back from time to time. Sadly, most of those theaters are long gone too these days.

A warm fuzzy movie from a stoned era. Rebels without a clue decide to flee the rat race in a surplus flying boat. A few problems rear their ugly heads. Like their being permanently broke, the plane needing some major rebuilding, and their inability to hold down anything approaching a full time job. Boyle is in fine form as the down at heel mechanic and the fight between him (knife) and Sutherland (felt tip pen) is a comedy classic. A fine goofy feelgood ensemble piece that plays like they busked it for laughs. It would probably seem quaint and a bit dated if I saw it now, but back in the 70s it was a breath of fresh air. With a faint whiff of hash about it.

Career criminal and demolition derby driver Jesse Veldini (Donald Sutherland) gets released from prison. His DA brother Frank Veldin (Howard Hesseman) just wants to keep him out of trouble. He reconnects with hooker/girlfriend Iris Caine (Jane Fonda) and his old friends. They decide to fix up a rundown PBY Catalina airplane. They do various petty crimes to finance the rebuild.

There is a confusing info dump early in the movie. This is trying to be an irreverent comedy but it's more quirky. It's down and out. I don't really know these characters' logic especially Jesse. He seems to be aimlessly searching for something that he doesn't even know. It's a bit muddled. It has the grim of 70's Oakland. I don't find this that much fun but these actors keep me interested. It's a borderline case.

A film that holds up much better than its original reviews would let on. Although Fonda looks a bit disoriented at moments, there are a couple of scenes between her and Sutherland where the two simply radiate the star power that made them famous. Overall the film has a charm and warmth to it that, despite a little clumsyness at times, still makes it very much worthwhile and displays an interesting idiosyncratic type of humor and counterculture charm we haven't seen much of in recent years.

Not a must-see on a saturday night, but a precious gem for the connoisseur.