OSCAR
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1991 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: A delightful surprise. OSCAR is a
throwback to manic screwball comedies of the 1930s that takes
chances and has them off. Undemanding as a star vehicle for
Sly Stallone, OSCAR is packed with eccentric weirdos, funny
hoods, and lots of nutty dialogue. It has been a good long
time since I laughed so much at a comedy. Rating: +2 (-4 to
+4).
Fifteen years ago Sylvester Stallone became a major star with a single film, ROCKY. Since then he has made nothing but macho action films. But surely now he realizes that he cannot keep playing low-personality action figures on the screen. Even John Wayne discovered he had to put some acting and character into his roles. And Wayne was considered more charismatic on the screen than Stallone. So the time has come for Stallone to cross over into comedy. His choice of comedy shows unexpectedly good taste. It is not only a very funny comedy, but it is a comedy unlike comedies that have been made for many years. Although originally written in French in 1958, it is very much in the style of some of Frank Capra's screwier comedies, such as ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU. It also takes some chances in that it has the claustrophobic feel of a filmed stage play: 95% of it takes place in one house and much of that is just in the course of one morning. But it is such a gem of a stage play that it may just do the trick for Stallone.
The plot defies describing in any detail, since a big part of the fun is just making the plot more and more convoluted, until the characters themselves are totally bewildered about what is going on. The film opens with a surprisingly unfunny scene between mobster "Snaps" Provolone (Stallone) and his dying father (played by Kirk Douglas). Almost undoubtedly this scene was written just for the film, since it is poorly written and it does not take place in the Provolone house, as most of the rest of the film does. Poppa makes Snaps promise to go straight. Flash to a charming credit sequence featuring what looks like a Puppetoon opera singer singing the "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's BARBER OF SEVILLE. Flash to a month later and Snaps's morning starts with an unexpected meeting with his accountant, who admits that he has been embezzling from Snaps but explains it is all okay because he will soon be one of the family since he wants to marry Snaps's daughter. Except it turns out to be a daughter that Snaps does not happen to have. Well, sort of. If that sounds a little strange, you ain't heard nothing yet. That is just how it starts. Give the film another five minutes and stranger will happen still.
The heart of this film is an incredible array of minor characters, some very funny, far too many to mention. The film is well chosen to let the bit parts do the most to pull the film along and place small demands on the leading man, who appears to be up to the small demands that are placed on him, and even if he were not, the pacing, the script, and the minor characters would still make this film worth seeing. OSCAR makes it as one of the funniest comedies in a long time. I give it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
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leeper@mtgzy.att.com
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