It's funny, mostly because of the actors involved. It's pretty light on story. George segal did a ton of films in between virginia woolf and his television series. And anytime ruth gordon is involved, you know it's going to be a goofy, offbeat film. Have you seen harold and maude, or rosemary's baby? So gordon (segal) hires louise (trish van de vere) to look after his mother (gordon). But he's already fallen in love with louise, and wants to marry her. It's a bit walter mitty-ish... every now and then, it goes into fantasy mode, where we see what gordon is thinking. But it's not actually happening. The running gag where gordon's brother keeps getting mugged in the park. Lots of sight gags, where the taxi won't pick up the black lady, but is perfectly willing to pick up the guy in a gorilla suit. A statement of the times. Small role for rob reiner, the director's son. A couple years before his big break all in the family. The trivia section tells us rob's wife penny marshall was a courtroom spectator. Garrett morris is one of the thugs in the park. Ron leibman is sidney. Vincent gardenia. All kind of cussing in this one, and some pretty rough stuff. And a gay cop, who sends flowers to sidney. In 1970. It's so odd, i would have thought it was written by ruth gordon. But it's not. Directed by the awesome carl reiner, who some know as allen brady on the dick van dyke show. Written by robert klane, who also wrote weekend at bernie's. Van de vere and ruth gordon both made awesome episodes of "columbo"... check em out!
Review of Where's Poppa?
