Prince of Bel Air

Romantic comedy from the American television station ABC with Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley

This "Movie Of The Week", which was broadcast by ABC on January 20, 1986, only made it onto West German television in the 1980s because of the attractive and then very well-known actors. Mark Harmon, who became popular through the short-lived NBC prime-time soap "Flamingo Road", plays a good-looking pool cleaner who sleeps with his wealthy clients one after the other and also knows how to enjoy life under the California sun. It is only when he meets the wealthy artist Jamie, played by Kirstie Alley (the fantastic Virgilia Hazard Grady from the ABC mini-series "North and South"), that the potent charmer changes his busy, dissolute life. So in terms of content, nothing special! Perhaps worth noting only because of the stars at a very young age!

In a supporting role is the older (early 20s!) Matthew Labyorteaux, who is best known as the young Andrew from the charming family series "Little Home in the Prairie" with Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert.

Robin Prince (Mark Harmon) owns a pool maintenance business that serves the well-to-do citizens of Bel Air, California. He's handsome, charismatic, in his early 30s and enjoys the side-fruits of his labors, i.e. attractive housewives desperate for attention. While mentoring the teen (Patrick Labyorteaux) of a rich client (Robert Vaughn), he meets their stunning relative who challenges his playboy lifestyle (Kirstie Alley).

Although "Prince of Bel Air" debuted on ABC in the USA in January, 1986, it was released theatrically in Europe with the extra inclusion of a top nudity scene, as well as a little cussing. The ensuing video version is the R-rated Euro version, not the TV version. I point this out because "Prince of Bel Air" shouldn't be written off as "just a TV movie."

It's actually a quality drama/romance about coming of age, not just for the kid (Labyorteaux), but for Harmon's character too. He's 32-33, but still living like a freestyle frat boy and needs to grow up. In addition, the script throws in some insightful bits, like how Robin (Harmon) wisely changes his approach towards his unprofessional employees.

Sharp Kirstie Alley was certainly in her voluptuous prime; she has a stunning scene at the pool in a one-piece bathing suit. There are a handful of other beauties, including Katherine Moffat as Kelli and Deborah Harmon as a desperate housewife.

Four of the cast members (Harmon, Alley, Labyorteaux and Dean Cameron) would appear in "Summer School" the following year. It features the same general locations (the coastal Los Angeles area) and a romance between Harmon and Alley, but the stories are very different. This one came first and is a drama akin to "Lifeguard" (1976) whereas "Summer School" is more of a high school dramedy in the mold of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982).

Lastly, this movie has nothing to do with the ensuing 1990-1996 sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but I'm sure the creators of that show were inspired by the title.

The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles. The Bel Air district, by the way, is located just north of UCLA and northwest of Beverly Hills.

GRADE: B

Made for TV, this movie was good enough to get released as a video as well. I think it, along with "Thief of Hearts" are 2 movies that come to mind as being good representatives of life in California in the early 80s -- for the "cool" people anyway. You'll enjoy this movie if you watch it without too-high expectations. The movie has no real message, but does make some points about relationships. I liked the relationship the protagonist, played by Mark Harmon, had with the waitress, or rather, the relationship she had with him. She knew he was "too good" for her to be in a full-time relationship with but she was willing to let him use her sexually (not in a mean way) just to have a piece of his time. And she never complained, nor was she surprised, when he walked away. Such is real life.

Although "Prince Of Bel Air" was made twenty-five years ago, surprisingly the movie hasn't aged that badly. The fashions, lingo, and other culture traits the movie uses could for the most part be passed off the same way today. The movie is watchable for other reasons as well. One thing I liked about the movie was that all the characters come across as very likable. Sure, Harmon's character is kind of a womanizer, but he does have genuine feelings to the women he interacts with, and in the end he learns that being in a solid relationship is more fulfilling than just bouncing from one conquest to another. There isn't a lot of plot here, but the movie is made in a breezy fashion that carries you along to the end. It's decent entertainment when you are not in the mood to think very hard.

Before Summer School, Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley teamed up for this made-for-TV romantic fable about a pool cleaning contractor who had it all: his own business, good looks and no shortage of female customers who wanted more than just their drains plumbed. But his all-American sex fantasy life gets complicated when Kirstie Alley shows up one day in one of his customer's pools. She's an artist, smart and interesting, and able to resist his boyish charm. To pursue her, he has to take stock of his life and lifestyle. Yep, pretty paint-by-numbers as these TV romances go, but at least everything is played for charm rather than cheap titillation. There is little comedy here, or much drama - it's mostly a character piece. The Bel Air setting is attractive and well- used, with lots of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous visual appeal and both Harmon and Alley are great looking and likable in their roles. This is also a great reminder of how Kirstie Alley got to be a sex symbol 25 years ago, since nowadays she is mostly famous for being overweight. Your first glimpse of her in a swimsuit is one of those true WOW moments. Cautiously recommended, keep expectations low.