THE PICKLE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating: 9.0 (A, ***1/2)
Date Released: 5/93 Running Length: 1:47 Rated: R (Mature themes, sexual situations, nudity, language)
Starring: Danny Aiello, Dyan Cannon, Clothilde Courau,
Shelly Winters, Chris Penn
Director: Paul Masursky
Producer: Paul Masursky
Screenplay: Paul Masursky
Music: Michel Legrand
Released by Columbia Pictures
Harry Stone (Danny Aiello) is a well-known director who has built his reputation on doing films of depth and biting satire. When he finds himself in a financial bind, however, the lure of a big check seduces him into compromising his artistic values and directing a script that no self-respecting professional would associate his name with. THE PICKLE (the movie-within-the-movie) is a terrible story about a giant cucumber that's actually a space ship. As the premier of this film approaches, Harry goes through twenty-four hours of intense anxiety. He's sure that it's a turkey; he tells everyone this. The people around him try to give him support, but little that anyone says or does seems able to comfort the poor director.
Paul Masursky's THE PICKLE is a film much in the tradition of such other recent productions as THE BIG PICTURE and THE PLAYER. Like those other two movies, some of this picture is perhaps not ideal for general consumption. THE PICKLE is a fine satirical farce. There are many scenes that will extract laughs from just about anyone in the audience, but some of the finer points are designed for those willing to invest a little effort in understanding what lies beneath the surface of this film. THE PICKLE is quirky and, unfortunately, that generally spells trouble at the box-office.
For those who like to laugh, there are plenty of such moments in THE PICKLE. The humor ranges from the sublime to the bawdy. Surrounding the lunacy is a fairly interesting story. The issues of a mid-life crisis and the battle between art and fame are not new ones, but Masursky manages to breathe life into them. He also provides a few surprises along the way--something refreshing in a medium where it has become routine to predict how a given film will end.
THE PICKLE is semi-autobiographical for Masursky. Not only did he write, produce, and direct the film, but he has a small part in it. He cares about the characters and was able to get his actors to care about them as well. This feeling is translated to the audience. Never for one moment are we apathetic about the people on screen.
There are a few cameos, although nowhere near as many as in Robert Altman's THE PLAYER. Donald Trump delivers a line and Spaulding Gray has a brief-but-humorous part as "Doctor Spaulding." In the movie-within-a-movie, such notables as Griffen Dunne, Little Richard, Dudley Moore, and Ally Sheedy make appearances.
Speaking of that movie-within-a-movie, also titled THE PICKLE, it is highly reminiscent of MANT, the so-bad-it's-enjoyable flick from the John Goodman movie MATINEE. Harry Stone's THE PICKLE is an awful example of film making, but the bits and pieces of it we see are enough to make us appreciate it--much in the same way that we can appreciate sitting through a PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. Stone's THE PICKLE is high camp--he knows it and so do we. Fortunately, the same cannot be said of the movie that frames it.
The principal actors in Masursky's THE PICKLE all do excellent jobs. Danny Aiello, who has perhaps never given a bad performance (that's not to say that he hasn't been in bad movies), has a good grasp on Harry Stone and gets the role just right. A significant range is demanded, and Aiello is equal to the job. Also turning in notable performances are veteran actresses Dyan Cannon and Shelly Winters, as well as the younger Clothilde Courau.
Masursky's THE PICKLE is an intriguing combination of drama, satire, and farce. It's a credit to the director that he is able to successfully blend such seemingly-disparate elements together. There are parts of the movie that don't work--several black-and-white flashback sequences do little more than fill up space--but overall THE PICKLE is certainly one of this year's better efforts. It's an unusual film with limited appeal, but for anyone who likes quirky films and doesn't demand a big-budget Hollywood production, this picture is well worth a look. You may be very pleasantly surprised.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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