BEACHES (1988)

* * 1/2

D: Garry Marshall (Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard, Mayim Bialik)

PG, C-123m, USA

Tagline: The Friendship You'll Always Remember... In The Film You'll Never Forget

A thirty-year friendship begins at the beach, when rich kid Hillary Whitney meets child performer Cecilia Carol "CC" Bloom (by the excellent Mayim Bialick, who later became well-known for her role as the title character of the 1980s Blossom, and currently played the hilariously off-putting Amy Farrah Fowler in the comedy hit The Big Bang Theory). The girls live in different states, but faithfully write to each other well into their early twenties.

When they grow up and meet again, CC (Midler) is living in a dumpy apartment, delivering singing telegrams in a bunny suit between auditions. Hillary Whitney Essex (Hershey), now an uptight WASPy lawyer, has given up her pampered life to find her own path. Over the next decade, they bond, eat ice cream, have facials, and get to know each other even better, which may not have been the best idea. As life progresses, the girls grow and change. Hillary tries to be open-minded, but can't quite shake her snobbish upbringing. CC is to the point of obnoxiousness -- though her mother Leona (Lainie Kazan, who hilariously plays the interfering Jewish mother stereotype to the hilt) is far more abrasive. One scene stands out in my mind. Years later, Leona dials down the shrieking harpy routine in a scene where she tells her daughter her true feelings about her. It's painful to watch, and my heart broke a little.

Despite her rather oversized ego, CC is insecure about her looks, and constantly asks for reassurance about her talent. Her need for validation is exhausting for her family and friends, but understandable. There's a vulnerability under the tough showgirl exterior. It doesn't help when the more conventionally attractive Hillary is standing right next to her when she tries to flirt with a handsome stage director (blandly played by John Heard). They compete for the same man, but as soon as they talk it over, other problems arise, mostly stemming from class differences and jealousy of the other's qualities. CC is jealous of Hillary's beauty and intelligence, and even when she succeeds and earns her own fortune, she still has more money than class. Hillary is jealous of CC's talent and brash confidence, as it makes her extremely conscious of her own timidity of life. Through no fault of her own, she becomes a pretentious snob, thanks to her marriage to a humourless attorney who expects her to give up her practice to become a corporate wife. An argument in a Bloomingdale's department store takes an ugly turn, testing a friendship that was fragile to begin with.

To be honest, I have a problem believing in their friendship. They met once. They never grew up together -- so naturally reuniting in person as adults would be quite a shock. No shared school or camp experiences, which can bridge even the most different of backgrounds. Not even prison. They have nothing in common. Neither is particularly likable. The men in their lives are about as exciting as dry toast, so it is hard to care about their romances. Much of the viewer's enjoyment depends their tolerance of the CC Bloom character. Midler also co-produced the movie, and seemed to get the best lines and more screen time. She's a talented singer, but a little of her goes a long way. Both are terrific actresses, but I prefer them in other movies. They are both better than the material.

Beaches has a devoted fan base, but it's not for people who hate romantic comedies or "chick flicks". I don't generally enjoy this kind of film, but I'm glad I finally saw it. Lovers of Terms of Endearment (1983) and similar weepies will enjoy it. Personally, I thought it was too long and needed to edited - a half-hour trim would have helped a lot. There is a point in the third act when it would have been wise to end and roll credits, but it goes on for several more scenes. Director Garry Marshall likes to milk what are supposed to be emotional, heart-wrenching scenes, when it would be more effective to simply end as it began -- at the beach.

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967)

* * * *

D: Norman Jewison (Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant)

PG, C-109m, USA

Best Picture, Best Actor (Steiger)

Tagline: "They got a murder on their hands. They don't know what to do with it."


After being falsely accused of murder, a black detective (Poitier) reluctantly joins forces with a bigoted town sheriff (Steiger) to catch the real killer in small-town Mississippi. What transpires next is a clash of wills.

Yes, the Gillespie character is a bigot, but unlike most of his fellow rednecks, he had the capacity to change. He has a temper, but isn't cruel for the sake of being cruel. He's a product of his environment. I suspect he may have been a KKK member in his youth, but age and being surrounded by idiots might have made him go, "Hmmm..."

Virgil Tibbs (Poitier) is awesome, but even he isn't perfect. Like the other cops, he wants a person to be guilty, simply because he doesn't like them. He's as prejudiced as Gillespie, but more cool-headed, which is a very good thing. His feelings get in the way, which leads to a potentially deadly encounter during an interview with a witness. He can be arrogant, especially to the town residents, simply because his quiet confidence and calm gaze is so unsettling. Sidney Poitier is so perfect here -- dignified, with only a flicker of rage in his eyes. I can't imagine anyone else in the role (there was a brief TV series starring Carrol O'Connor (Archie Bunker) as Bill Gillespie, but I can't remember who played TV Tibbs. Denzel Washington could probably do his own interpretation, but it just wouldn't be the same.

Don't let the dated cars and clothes fool you. Some things have changed for the better, but human nature and bigotry has always been an uneasy partnership. This film works as a police thriller, character study and social commentary.

DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)

* * * *

D: Billy Wilder (Barbara Stanwyck, Fred McMurray, Edward G. Robinson)

PG, b/w-107m, USA

Tagline: From the Moment They met it was Murder!

How could he know that murder could sometimes smell like honeysuckle?

Based on James M. Cain's 1943 classic novel, this sordid tale of an ice-cold housewife who conspires with an insurance salesman to kill her husband scores on every level. Barbara Stanwyck sets the bar high with her portrayal of a heartless femme fatale. She wasn't conventionally beautiful, but she's so compelling in personality and perverse sensuality ("That's one honey of an ankle bracelet."), that it doesn't matter. No one equals Phyllis Dietrichson, in presence and genuine evil, with a few exceptions (Mattie Walker (Body Heat, 1981), Bridget Gregory (The Last Seduction, 1994).

Perfect film. Even with the silly blonde wig, Stanwyck is the ultimate femme fatale. The dialogue is brilliant: sharp, cutting, and hilarious. McMurray wasn't known for his villain roles (except in The Apartment), but he's completely believable as a smart schemer who underestimates the ones who can really do him damage.

The latter even gives a sly nod to Indemnity's characters' names. E.G. Robinson steals the show as their unwitting nemesis. The script just crackles.