ARTISTS AND MODELS A Film Review Copyright Dragan Antulov 1999
Most recent revelations about Columbine High School shootings would probably give new fuel to the endless debate about the role of popular media in the increase of youth violence in USA. This debate, however, isn't anything new. Four decades ago eminent psychologists, religious leaders and politicians were fighting another, yet very similar, crusade against violence in popular entertainment. Their objects were comic books, targeted as the prime cause of rising level of violence and pathological behaviour among American youths. Contemporary Hollywood mostly ignored such debate, which would later establish new standards of self-censorship in American comic book industry. The only exception was ARTISTS AND MODELS, 1955 film by Frank Tashlin, which actually used it as a backdrop for one of the silliest and funniest comedies of its time.
The plot deals with two struggling Greenwich Village artists and best childhood friends. Rick Todd (played by Dean Martin) wants to become a famous painter, and Eugene Fullstack (played by Jerry Lewis) wants to publish his children's books. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Eugene became obsessed with Bat Lady comic books - he spends all his time reading them and, as a result, he can't keep jobs. Which is even worse for Todd, who shares apartment with him, violent content of these comic books caused Eugene to have very graphic nightmares every night. His dreams, on the other hand, come closer to reality, because Abigail Parker (played by Dorothy Malone), the author of the Bat Lady comic books, lives in the same building, together with Bessie Sparrowbrush (played by Shirley MacLaine), girl who works as a model for Bat Lady. While Eugene must distinguish his fantasies from reality, Rick is more down-to-earth -he finds that Eugene's nightmares could serve as an excellent basis for his own violent comic books. Such comic books become instant success, but the secret formula mentioned in them brings attention of FBI and foreign spies.
At first glance, ARTIST AND MODELS looks like a disorganised mess of a movie - plot is weak, almost non-existent, and serves only as an excuse for the series of gags and musical numbers. Characterisation is also weak - we are to believe that Eugene is sensitive enough to write nothing other than children's books, yet in the same time he is obsessed with more violent Bat Lady comic books. Romantic pairings between characters are also predictable. Feminists would probably frown upon Amy, strong professional woman, being portrayed as artist to Rick, as well as totally defenceless towards his manly charm. Their anger, on the other hand, would be compensated with Eugene being the passive side in the relationship with Bessie. At the end, Cold War subplot involving Space Race and espionage makes the film longer than it should be. But, all those flaws are compensated thanks to the excellent team consisted of three very different talents. Jerry Lewis and his clownish image, suitable for visual humour is nicely contrasted with his more earthly partner Dean Martin and his verbal cynicism. Their different but symbiotic personalities are used by Frank Tashlin staged elaborate and very funny gags thanks to his own experiences of cartoonist. All that provide a lot of laughs, with humour still working despite being somewhat tame by today's standards. And even the song numbers work, thanks to Dean Martin's singing talent.
Additional laughs in this film come when we take into account future events. Brief REAR WINDOW reference foreshadows Tarantinoesque homages of 1990s. Space Race subplot with American generals boasting about their country being the first one to send man-made object into the universe was probably not that entertaining after Sputnik hysteria two years later. And Shirley MacLaine here plays character obsessed with astrology, numerology and other parascientific disciplines, not very different from the actress herself two or three decades later. All in all, ARTISTS AND MODELS is one of those brilliant examples of Old Hollywood craftsmanship - film that aged like wine, still being able to entertain the audience after almost half a century.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
Review written on December 20th 1999
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax Fido: 2:381/100 E-mail: dragan.antulov@st.tel.hr E-mail: drax@purger.com E-mail: dragan.antulov@altbbs.fido.hr
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