Coppola certainly swings for the fences... there's nothing quite like this quasi-musical-drama set in Las Vegas about a couple who break up. It's got this kitchen sink story, about working class protagonist - mechanic Frederick Forrest and travel agent Teri Garr who dreams of another life... done with a theatrical flourish, a la Bill Inge or Tennessee W... and there's unrealistic sets, and bright neon, and overlays, and long trackng shots. It probably should
There's a lot of Teri Garry walking around taking her top off, getting out of the shower, being carted through a lobby in her underpants (I think Coppola had a thing for Shiska goddesses, eg Shirley Knight, Elizabeth Hartman). She's warm and great as always, while Forrest isn't that engaging - gives a good performance I'm talking in terms of personality.
This film should've been done on a super low budget for the BBC or PBS or something but Coppola sunk millions into it. It looks amazing, is interesting, Garr is lovely. The songs that spell out the subtext are a little annoying.
Garr hooks up with Raul Julia, which I can see. Forrest gets Natassa Kinski, which I can't quite see,
Forrest's character is horrible. He takes Garr's plane ticket money to buy a house without her permission, gets jealous and possessive when she leaves, kidnaps her from the bed of Raul Julia when she's in just underwear. I think this factor more than anything is why this film flopped. He's awful, you want her to leave, she does leave, he kidnaps her, she leaves again, he chases her to the airport and threatens a counter server... then she comes back at the end? F off.
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