My review was written in March 1991 after a screening on Manhattan's UES.
Just when audiences got over Disney's "Scenes from a Mall" the distributor is unleashing "The Marrying Man", a stillborn romantic comedy of staggering ineptitude. Industry badmouthing of the stars during production was just a preview of the terrible picture.
Author Neil Simon reportedly has disowned this film, which offers little in the way of comedy or diversion. An awkward flashback structure tells of egotistical toothpaste heir Alec Baldwin falling in love with chanteuse Kim Basinger on an outing in 1948 with his buddies to Las Vegas.
Instead of marrying his beautiful girlfriend back in L. A., Elisabeth Shue, Baldwin is forced into a shotgun wedding with Basinger by Armand Assante as Bugsy Siegel, Basinger's main man. Key plot point that this is Bugsy's "revenge" for catching Baldwin in the sack with his girlfriend is impossible to swallow. Also unbelievable are the duo's several breakups and remarriages.
Lack of chemistry between the two principals is only the first problem of "Marrying Man". Obvious re-hoots result in an unwieldy package that has the film climaxing with perhaps 30 minutes to go, making it play like an original and a sequel spliced together. Director Jerry Ree, who previously helmed the animated feature "The Brave Little Toaster", has the usually dependable cinematographer Donald Thorin light interiors as if for film noir rather than comedy.
He also shifts uncomfortably from big set pieces to utterly static, talkative exposition scenes in closeup sans background action. Result is grim and pointless.
Basinger, replete with vocal coach and choreography by no less then Jeffrey Hornaday, gives a mechanical impression of a competent singer, while grabbing herself during her ubers in a manner more like the animated Jessica Rabbit (of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit") than Mae West. Unlike her obvious inspiration, Michelle Pfeiffer in "The Fabulous Baker Boys", Basinger fails to integrate the singing stunt organically into her character. Stuck with the role of a handsome cad, Baldwin mugs and poses in embarrassing fashion, resembling his recent "Saturday Night Live" hosting assignments. Nearly every laugh here is achieved by Fisher Stevens, given the brightest lines in Baldwin's circle of male kibitzers.
Casting ploy of having Assante and Robert Loggia portray, respectively, stereotype Jewish gangster and studio chief instead of Italians will give little solace to groups unhappy with the portrayal of Italian Americans on screen.
Just when audiences got over Disney's "Scenes from a Mall" the distributor is unleashing "The Marrying Man", a stillborn romantic comedy of staggering ineptitude. Industry badmouthing of the stars during production was just a preview of the terrible picture.
Author Neil Simon reportedly has disowned this film, which offers little in the way of comedy or diversion. An awkward flashback structure tells of egotistical toothpaste heir Alec Baldwin falling in love with chanteuse Kim Basinger on an outing in 1948 with his buddies to Las Vegas.
Instead of marrying his beautiful girlfriend back in L. A., Elisabeth Shue, Baldwin is forced into a shotgun wedding with Basinger by Armand Assante as Bugsy Siegel, Basinger's main man. Key plot point that this is Bugsy's "revenge" for catching Baldwin in the sack with his girlfriend is impossible to swallow. Also unbelievable are the duo's several breakups and remarriages.
Lack of chemistry between the two principals is only the first problem of "Marrying Man". Obvious re-hoots result in an unwieldy package that has the film climaxing with perhaps 30 minutes to go, making it play like an original and a sequel spliced together. Director Jerry Ree, who previously helmed the animated feature "The Brave Little Toaster", has the usually dependable cinematographer Donald Thorin light interiors as if for film noir rather than comedy.
He also shifts uncomfortably from big set pieces to utterly static, talkative exposition scenes in closeup sans background action. Result is grim and pointless.
Basinger, replete with vocal coach and choreography by no less then Jeffrey Hornaday, gives a mechanical impression of a competent singer, while grabbing herself during her ubers in a manner more like the animated Jessica Rabbit (of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit") than Mae West. Unlike her obvious inspiration, Michelle Pfeiffer in "The Fabulous Baker Boys", Basinger fails to integrate the singing stunt organically into her character. Stuck with the role of a handsome cad, Baldwin mugs and poses in embarrassing fashion, resembling his recent "Saturday Night Live" hosting assignments. Nearly every laugh here is achieved by Fisher Stevens, given the brightest lines in Baldwin's circle of male kibitzers.
Casting ploy of having Assante and Robert Loggia portray, respectively, stereotype Jewish gangster and studio chief instead of Italians will give little solace to groups unhappy with the portrayal of Italian Americans on screen.