colonel@ellie.UUCP (Col. G. L. Sicherman) (02/14/86)
["I give this movie FIVE PHOOEYS."] > The most > recent addition to their ranks is the Touchstone film DOWN AND OUT IN > BEVERLY HILLS, the Americanization of the classic French film BOUDO SAVED > FROM DROWNING. I have seen neither film, but they both sound like derivatives of John Morton's excellent two-man farce, "A Most Unwarrantable Intrusion." Morton is best known as the author of "Cox and Box," which is probably the second most popular farce ever written. It was later set to music by Arthur Sullivan. -- Col. G. L. Sicherman UU: ...{rocksvax|decvax}!sunybcs!colonel CS: colonel@buffalo-cs BI: csdsicher@sunyabva
citrin@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Wayne Citrin) (02/20/86)
In article <800@ellie.UUCP> colonel@ellie.UUCP (Col. G. L. Sicherman) writes: [in response to statement that "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" was based on Jean Renoir's 1932 film "Boudu Saved from Drowning."] > >I have seen neither film, but they both sound like derivatives of John >Morton's excellent two-man farce, "A Most Unwarrantable Intrusion." >Morton is best known as the author of "Cox and Box," which is probably >the second most popular farce ever written. It was later set to music >by Arthur Sullivan. >-- Actually, Renoir's film was based on a stage play of the same name by Rene Fauchois. Both the play and the film starred Michel Simon as Boudu, the bum, and, although I've never seen the film, I'm told that he overacted terribly in it. Incidentally, Renoir changed the ending of the play. In the play, Boudu is finally domesticated and ends up "improved" by the help the bookseller gives him. In the film, Boudu remains completely unchanged at the end. I won't say which ending Maszurski uses. Wayne Citrin (ucbvax!citrin)
reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/24/86)
In article <11947@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> citrin@ucbvax.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Wayne Citrin) writes: >Both the play and the film starred Michel Simon as >Boudu, the bum, and, although I've never seen the film, I'm told that >he overacted terribly in it. > I've seen the film, and don't think Simon overacted at all. He is a most convincing bum, far more so than Nick Nolte, in large part because Renoir, who seemed unable to film an untrue moment, changed the sentimental and totally unrealistic ending of the play. I can't say "Boudu" is my favorite Renoir, but it has a lot more integrity and reality than the recent remake. -- Peter Reiher reiher@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU {...ihnp4,ucbvax,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!reiher