Friday, August 07, 2009

The Endangered List (Case File #40)



FOXY LADY (1971)

Produced and directed
by Ivan Reitman

Screenplay by
Matt Seigel and Robert Sandler

Cinematography by
Ken Lambert

Music by
Doug Riley and Ivan Reitman

Set Decorator
Martha Dorion

Edited by
Ivan Reitman

Production Assistants
John Candy
Andrea Martin
Eugene Levy
Rick Maguire

CAST
Alan Gordon (Hero)
Sylvia Feigel (Leander)
Robert McHeady (Mr. Stephens)
Patrick Boxill (Mr. Seman)
Director (Nicole Morin)
Gino Marrocco (Biker)
Arch McDonnell (Dr. Saltzman)
Mira Pawluk (Alice)
Andrea Martin (Girl Next Door)
Eugene Levy

An Ivan Reitman Famous Players-Canadian Film Development Corp. production
A Cinepix of Canada release
Running Time: 85 minutes


Variety review
Hero is a nice kid who helps everyone in trouble, and Leander is the richest girl in the world and finally, after tedious sequences, they meet and fall in love in an updated comedy, "Foxy Lady."

Opening sequences, of a baby being abandoned in a supermarket shopping cart, and Hero winning a good citizens medal, while Leander's birth is heralded by a News of the World clip, are amusing.

But an ambling, undisciplined script and the frozen expressions of the two leading characters, played by Alan Gordon and Sylvia Feigel, lead to trouble for "Foxy Lady." It gets mired in its own cleverness and finally concludes without too much audience interst. Boxoffice prospects are seen as dull, unless tighter editing is accomplished before general release outside Canada. Its soundtrack is muted by overblown original music and mumblings at certain points.

Its outrageousness comes across as indulgence and its little "in" jokes ("Tarana is the second biggest Canadian city in the world") are boring after a time. Camerawork and production values are just okay. (Adil.)

(Variety, October 6th, 1971)

2 comments:

Booksteve said...

("Tarana is the SECOND biggest Canadian CITY in the world") I think VARIETY may have missed the actual joke in that because looking at those credits, it's clear that SECOND CITY was involved! Candy, Levy, Martin, Reitman and probably more of those listed were also members!

Rocco said...

Does anyone know where I could download or buy this? I'm the son of a cast member and it would have a lot of nostalgia value if I could dig up a copy of this schlock for them lol.