It's a testament to the enormous popularity of Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler that this post-Vietnam movie hauled in more than $33 million in 1977 money. That's an impressive haul for what is essentially a very good TV movie starring a wide collection of TV actors, plus Francis Ford Coppola's deck builder.
There's no nudity. No swearing. Some graphic violence. And the very adult theme of PTSD. Talk about a 180-degree turn from leaning on a bike, whipping out his comb and grunting, ''ehhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Despite being about 5 feet tall, Winkler was completely believable as a former vet with big dreams. His range in this movie is impressive, from his rage-outs to his tender scene in the motel room with Sally Field. Speaking of whom, Gidget was before my time and just about anybody could have sat in the passenger seat with Burt Reynolds for Smokey and the Bandit. But watch Field when she makes the phone call to her fiance from the house. I don't know if that's natural or Method but that might be the most realistic long-distance breakup phone call in the history of cinema. I was crushed.
Now to the ending credits song. Too many reviewers must be Boomers with a penchant for horrible 70s shlock performed by guys with feathered hair and bell-bottom slacks. Because Kansas is a terrible band. And Carry On Wayward Son is a horrible, bloated, everything-that-was-wrong-with-70s-rock song that you're glad to know in retrospect that the Ramones were just around the corner. If anything, I'd take a point off my rating off this movie because I saw the version with that cr@ppy song still in it.
It's kinda too bad Fonzie was such a cultural phenomenon that Winkler probably wasn't often considered for roles that required this kind of depth. If this was the only thing Winkler did besides Happy Days, he could be proud.
There's no nudity. No swearing. Some graphic violence. And the very adult theme of PTSD. Talk about a 180-degree turn from leaning on a bike, whipping out his comb and grunting, ''ehhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Despite being about 5 feet tall, Winkler was completely believable as a former vet with big dreams. His range in this movie is impressive, from his rage-outs to his tender scene in the motel room with Sally Field. Speaking of whom, Gidget was before my time and just about anybody could have sat in the passenger seat with Burt Reynolds for Smokey and the Bandit. But watch Field when she makes the phone call to her fiance from the house. I don't know if that's natural or Method but that might be the most realistic long-distance breakup phone call in the history of cinema. I was crushed.
Now to the ending credits song. Too many reviewers must be Boomers with a penchant for horrible 70s shlock performed by guys with feathered hair and bell-bottom slacks. Because Kansas is a terrible band. And Carry On Wayward Son is a horrible, bloated, everything-that-was-wrong-with-70s-rock song that you're glad to know in retrospect that the Ramones were just around the corner. If anything, I'd take a point off my rating off this movie because I saw the version with that cr@ppy song still in it.
It's kinda too bad Fonzie was such a cultural phenomenon that Winkler probably wasn't often considered for roles that required this kind of depth. If this was the only thing Winkler did besides Happy Days, he could be proud.