Still, even for all the playfulness and levity, 'Tilt' seems like it declines some of the more ham-handed hooks and embellishments we'd expect of similar fare from the subsequent four decades. With 14-year old Brooke Shields starring there are aspects of school-age humor or dialogue, to say nothing of the bluster and boasting that follows from the pinball match-ups. They should’ve had Parton rewrite the thing.There are elements here we've definitely seen elsewhere, and at its roots it's a classic story: a little bit of a coming-of-age feel as a skilled youth pairs with an older person who's less than honest, and one way or another the partnership will end badly and/or change them both. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas seems like a can’t miss, but Higgins’s inability to do a musical hurts it. Reynolds’s supporting cast is mostly town leaders none stand out except Barry Corbin, who’s got a minimal, but distinctive role. None of Parton’s girls get characters, but housekeeper Theresa Merritt is good. Unfortunately, neither really gets an arc, though Reynolds gets more to do (outside busty musical numbers). Parton seems occasionally lost, which makes sense, but it’s always only temporary, and she’s infinitely likable. The film then ends with a reprise of an early song, and it’s just a reminder the song isn’t very good.Īcting-wise, Reynolds is probably the better of the two leads. None of the musical’s songs stand out except Parton and Reynolds’s duet, which is more cute than good. Whorehouse has at least two good songs, and they’re Parton’s, not the musical’s. It’s incredible since the song’s terrible. There’s a way too long “football players dancing excitedly about going to the brothel” sequence, except the dancing’s so good, and Higgins knows it, so it works out. Occasionally, the musical numbers will succeed despite themselves. Whorehouse has four credited editors and lots of assistants. He gets a great song and dance number, perhaps the film’s only example of good editing.
#Charles durning song crack
Higgins can’t crack the absurdism of it.Īlso quite good is Charles Durning as the Texas governor who hides out instead of answering questions about DeLuise v. However, he finds himself in some of Higgins’s worst musical numbers, as DeLuise has a musical theater entourage who follows him around and performs. DeLuise is obnoxious, energetic, and quite good. He’s a consumer advocate ( Whorehouse demonizes Ralph Nader, which is something to behold) who’s out to get the whorehouse closed down. So when trouble comes, it’s from out-of-town in the delightful form of Dom DeLuise.
The house hosts everyone-presidents, farmers, football players-and Parton gives readily to local charities also, how could anyone not like Parton? There’s a lengthy, awkward opening narration montage with Nabors explaining the history of the whorehouse, from before Texas became white Christian nationalist (versus just white nationalist). When the present action starts, they’ve been frequent but not exclusive lovers for several years. Reynolds is the town sheriff, Parton’s the town madam.
#Charles durning song movie
It’s a fantastic scene, and you spend the rest of the movie wishing there’d be another one. They go out on a very long date, no singing, no antics, just the two of them hanging out, drinking beers in the back of Reynolds’s pickup, and talking about how much they dig each other.
So Higgins can do it he just doesn’t do it when it theoretically counts most.īut only theoretically, thank goodness, because the most crucial scene for Parton and Reynolds comes much earlier. Worse, it comes right after Higgins and (well, maybe mostly) songwriter Parton save the previous song. For instance, Higgins’s direction of star Dolly Parton’s last song is a complete misfire and only saved thanks to Parton and Burt Reynolds. Higgins is no good at storytelling in summary (affable but bland narrator Jim Nabors can’t be helping things), and the musical numbers suggest he’s more an occasionally lucky enthusiast and not a musical director. The funny thing about The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is how much doesn’t actually work and how much of it appears to be entirely director Higgins’s fault.
0 kommentar(er)
