Those Lips, Those Eyes

In the early 1950's, young college student Tom Hulce takes a summer job as the prop master for a summer stock theater company in Cleveland, Ohio. He finds himself pulled away from his Pre-Med studies and towards the theater, partly by his friendship with struggling New York actor Frank Langella and partly through a romance with dancer Glynnis O'Connor.

You basically know how this movie will play out. Hulce's father, the great Jerry Stiller, will pressure him to focus on school, but he won't listen, but then a great reversal will drive him back to his old life before a compromise is reached at the film's climax. It's all formula and this film really doesn't deviate from it.

That's not really a bad thing. Formulas exist for a reason and how well a formulaic film works has a lot to do with the actors and whatever colour the script adds. This film really doesn't work, and surprisingly it's mostly because of Hulce. He made this between "Animal House" and ":Amadeus", and maybe it's his relative inexperience or maybe he's just woefully miscast, but he's not good in this film and he drags it down.

I originally saw this film while I was working as a musician doing musical theatre in summer stock. If you've ever done any work in theatre - especially at a summer stock theatre - you'll really enjoy this film.

Yes, there are some moments of really bad writing in the film, but overall it's a lovely tribute to the theatre and why people love it.

This entertaining teen dramedy is a rare thing: a movie about show business that's an argument for the nobility of "normalcy". A pre-mumblecore indie that has many of that genre's pluses (naturalism, relatable emotions, clear goals) without its big minus: bad / no written dialogue. Hulce nails the wide-eyed naivete, but Langella is the scene-stealer; ridiculous, wise, unhinged, egotistical, & fragile. With a great ending, it's a solid little forgotten 80s sleeper that surpasses its amateurish moments.

"Who do you dream of? Hoot Gibson ... Howdy Doody? I'm talking about the *theater*!" [Harry Crystal]

Nothing beats a great stage show ... nothing! And Harry Crystal lives that belief. A stage actor still waiting for his big break, Harry brings the magic of live theater to a small town and to Artie Shoemaker (TOM HULCE) ... a young man who has big dreams (but just didn't know it until he met Harry).

With scenes and songs from many of America's classic musicals ... Those Lips, Those Eyes conveys both the ups and downs of the people that, for 2 hours, take us to a fantasy land, but who manage to keep that magic alive in their hearts all day long!

Like Artie ... once you've seen Those Lips, Those Eyes ... "You're hooked, kid!" [Harry Crystal]

The warmest, most engaging movie of its genre, Those Lips, Those Eyes, made me smile and cry as it reminded me of the work it takes to pursue a dream and the pain of disappointment. Hulce and Langella are superb and the story seems to write itself. A brilliant screenplay by David Shaber (one of my favorites! - see The Warriors and Nighthawks for more...) and beautiful sets filmed on location (I think) at the actual summer theater in which the story takes place. You can't see this movie and not want to drop everything and get into the theater! Please check this video out if you can find it.