Chapter Two (1979)

A writer (James Caan) is having a difficult time adjusting to life as a widower. A series of unsuccessful dates pushed on him by his brother (Joseph Bologna) prove fruitless. But when he meets a recent divorcee (Marsha Mason in an Oscar nominated performance), who is an actress, he finds someone he can connect with and love blooms. Based on the play by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore (MURDER BY DEATH). For those of you too young to remember, from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s, Neil Simon was the most successful playwright in America. CHAPTER TWO is loosely based on Simon's second marriage to Mason and while there is the tinge of reality due to the circumstances, it also seems artificial in its execution. The characters talk in amusing one liners till things get all serious and Mason delivers a passionate monologue that would probably get applause if it was done in a theater. No surprise, Mason is excellent. As an actress, she "gets" Simon (3 of her 4 Oscar nominations were for Simon roles) and his lines flow naturally. No so for a miscast James Caan, who seems uncomfortable. Caan can do comedy but not this kind of clever bouncing back and forth repartee. The treacly score is by Marvin Hamlisch. With Valerie Harper, Debra Mooney and Isabel Cooley.