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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Seems Like Old Times (1980)

An L.A. district attorney (Charles Grodin) is backed by the state's governor (George Grizzard) in his bid to become state attorney general. But when his wife's (Goldie Hawn) ex-husband (Chevy Chase) is sought by the police for robbing a bank, things look bad. Especially when the fugitive shows up at the district attorney's home and hidden by his wife. Neil Simon's original screenplay is an attempt at an 80s take on the classic screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s (clearly influenced by George Stevens' TALK OF THE TOWN). As such, it's not half bad and its three leads prove excellent farceurs. Chase admirably manages to restrain his innate smugness, Hawn is a radiant treasure and Grodin is perfect. Simon's lines tend to be more smile than laugh out loud but a calamitous dinner party scene displays Simon's writing talent at his best. Directed by Jay Sandrich. The breezy underscore is by Marvin Hamlisch. With Robert Guillaume, Harold Gould, T.K. Carter and Yvonne Wilder.

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