Bagdad Cafe

A wonderful, funny, odd, and unique film.

Strong acting all around (Jack Palance is amazing). Inventive use of distorted colors and changing camera speeds. A few moments get a bit precious, but generally one of the best uses I've seen of a slightly surreal style to tell a very touching, human story - an overweight, depressed Bavarian housewife is left stranded in the southwest desert by her husband, and slowly finds herself, and a home among the odd characters who live and work at the Bagdad Cafe.

This is a case where brave film-making enhances rather than distracts from emotional involvement. The basic theme (we're all weird, and we all need somewhere to fit in) is nothing new, but the approach here makes it delightful and fresh.

The original 15 minute longer 'director's cut' available on European DVDs does add some nice details, moments and filling out of characters. The film works fine in its shorter US version, and the Italian DVD of the director's cut I got was frustrating in that it had a a weaker visual transfer than the US DVD, and there were Italian subtitles you couldn't turn off, but I was glad to see it, and overall it's an even stronger film with the original material added back in.

Here's a lovely oddity from little known German director Percy Adlon - his first in English. Set in the Arizona scrub is a scruffy diner, where a motley crew of staff and regulars make their home.

A plump German housewife (a joyous Marianne Sagebrecht) is dumped at the roadside by her husband after they row. She makes it to the diner, cases in tow, where the argument has been all about the broken down coffee machine. "You want a room? HERE!!?" enquires boss Brenda (CCH Pounder). The camera shows odd angles and takes on things, rather like Oliver Stone's might do.

Jack Palance, radiating comic charm is the resident just beyond-middle age hippie and he takes a shine to the Frau Jasmin. His performance is as memorable as his Oscar winning one in City Slickers. Anyways, the bustling restless Jasmin has her ways of thinking and those ways don't always meet that of Brenda. Her first task is to do the much needed vacuuming in a pea-green walled room that she's paid $25 to stay in. It's the sight of Jasmin's unpacked lederhosen that causes Brenda to call out the local sheriff.

In a charming, heart-warming tale, full of human colour, is a film that can be enjoyed time and again (I'm on my third view) and one that is offbeat enough to be interesting but always stays the side of going too far. An unknown and enjoyable gem.

This is a love story. And in this film magical love comes to the Bagdad Cafe in the form of Jasmin, who brings meaning and purpose to the lives of the small group of people who surround her: the painter who begins to paint again and falls in love; Brenda, the harried, frustrated owner of the cafe who finds friendship, comfort and support; Brenda's children, who also benefit from Jasmin's caring and compassion. The use of the boomerang was interesting: a metaphor for what you give, you get back, and the joy of giving and receiving. The magic of Love will appear anywhere -even in the middle of the desert- as long as you have an open heart and mind.

A German woman had a fight with her husband and left her on the outside a motel in the middle of the desert. She meets colorful characters along like motel owner and a former Hollywood artist. Usually the plot make the movie, but the opposite is true for this movie. It is the characters that make the movie plot click together. Unlike any movie you never seen before on the screen. I recommend watching Bagdad Cafe for the excellent performances of each actor in movie. A film saying a statement without expressing a bad word.

I watched this because C.C.H. Pounder is one of my favorites. 1 minute in I thought...'why am I watching this?' Three minutes in I was so hooked I watched it twice. One of my favorite Jack Palance performances. Pounder is unbelievably good, and Marianne Sagebrecht is a marvel. The haunting score alone is worth the movie. Do yourself a big favor and ignore the FEW negative comments here and watch this movie. Try to forget big efx, car chase, alien films for a couple of hours and you won't be disappointed.