User Reviews

Neil Simon takes a semi-autobiographical chapter from his own life and turns it into an incredibly kind tale of finding love after death and divorce. James Caan is a not so merry widow and Marsha Mason is a not so gay divorcée. They are both ironically leaving JFK around the same time, he coming in from a get-away to Europe and she returning from Reno. Not running into each other, they also miss seeing each other at a posh Manhattan restaurant, he on a date with an exotically dressed model and she with an incredibly tall man who wants to take her dancing. Thanks to his playboy brother (Joseph Bologna) and her best friend (Valarie Harper), they end up in several awkward phone conversations and she seems to think she's got a stalker on her hands. But they finally agree to a five minute meeting, and boy, when they do, sparks fly....

The conflict in the relationship comes from each of their personality quirks, aspects of themselves that seem to bother them more than the other. He can't seem to forget his late wife, and she is gun-shy about another relationship. But the sudden rush into marriage, which brings out each of their insecurities while on a honeymoon where he once took his late wife, threatens to separate them due to these personality disorders, and it will take time apart for them to sort through these issues.

The stars are both extremely attractive here, and after playing some not-so-nice roles on screen, Caan finally becomes a likable guy, one you truly root for. Mason, Mrs. Neil Simon in real life, seems to be playing a variation of herself, and is as usual, adorable and quirky. Bologna and Harper, both married to other partners (who seem to be conveniently out of town all the time), add into the mix, and are absolutely wonderful. Fresh from her long-running TV role of "Rhoda", Harper is a delight, providing some snappy lines like a modern day Eve Arden. Bologna is likable too in spite of his character's obvious insincerity, and that adds a lot of humor into the mix.

A pretty musical score by Marvin Hamlish, a love theme sung by Marilyn McCoo and excellent location photography also add to the charm of Simon's simple but witty tale of two people in transition who find each other when they're really not looking for anybody to replace whom they've just lost. There's a very funny finale where Mason rushes through the streets of Manhattan trying to avoid running into restaurant patrons, a handyman spraying the sidewalk and a man on a unicycle. Only in New York from the mind of Neil Simon, who also throws in a hysterical sequence at the 42nd Street Library where a young girl groans at Mason and Caan for making too much noise. Only in 1979 New York, kids. Only in 1979 New York.

Marsha Mason earned an Academy Award nomination basically playing herself with James Caan. They made a believable couple with Joseph Bologna and Valerie Harper in supporting roles. James Caan played a newly widowed writer and Marsha Mason played a newly divorced actress. His brother and her best friend help match them up together. It's a cute relationship but his first wife's memory gets in the way. They get married after two weeks of dating and spend a honeymoon in the Caribbean where his late wife's memory haunts them. It's a likable film with great shots of New York City in the late seventies. It's a shame that the city isn't affordable anymore. The film has its moments but it's done in typical Neil Simon fashion though.

Never got a chance to see this on stage, but it has the kind of dialogue that makes a play great with competent actors. Chapter Two just doesn't work as a movie. James Caen and Marsha Mason certainly have the chops, and for the first 30 minutes, the show is an interesting romantic story.

That all ends however, when Caen's charterer has a meltdown and it becomes almost painful to watch. I felt horrible for Marsha Mason, and the emotional baggage, that was heaped upon her character.Even with the eventual resolution, I had no hopes that this ill advised marriage would survive. Joe Bologna, and Valerie Harper, provide a bit of comic relief, but not enough to make me feel much better.

Movies are supposed to be a pleasant escape for the most part. If you ever have had relationship problems or not, I doubt you will enjoy this movie much.

What do you end up with when you combine a Neil Simon script and two superstar leads (James Caan and Marsha Mason)? You should end up with a dynamite movie, but instead "Chapter Two" has almost no plot and listless direction. That it was a smashing financial success is attributable only to its stars.

George Schneider (Caan) is a newly widowed man whose brother Leo (Joseph Bologna) sets him up with a newly divorced Jennie McLain (Marsha Mason). George and Jennie "meet cute", fall in love, quickly get married, then George starts missing his late wife. They almost break up, but reconcile in the end. That's it.

Caan doesn't seem that interested in his role, Mason appears to want a better script, and the direction is pretty lame. Caan was on the downside of his 1970s superstar peak and has admitted that he took the role only for the money. Mason was a recent Academy Award winner, but she and Caan fail to generate much spark due to the pedestrian script, especially since Caan mumbles his way through most of his dialogue, as usual. Valerie Harper and especially Bologna add about the only zip to the movie as George's brother and Jennie's best friend. "Chapter Two" is pleasant, but in the end it really seems empty and pointless.

My first impression of this film was that it was..okay..., nothing to write home about. But on further viewings, I came to rate it as almost unwatchable. The plot is standard material, and presented fairly well, and Marsha Mason's acting, as usual, stands out (probably the only reason to watch). The problem is two-fold: First, James Caan's character is so unbelievable. He starts out as this light-hearted, earnest, easy-going guy trying to win Mason's affections. Once he does, though, as if someone flipped a switch, he suddenly turns dark, very dark, and drives Mason crazy. Why she puts up with his inexcusable behavior, I'll never know. The other problem is Caan the actor. Totally miscast. Perhaps a more versatile actor could have given more credence to his character.

"Marry in haste, repent at leisure." Common expression, and perhaps one Neil Simon was thinking of when he wrote this autobiographical offering.

George Schneider (James Caan) is a widowed writer who is becoming reclusive. His brother, Leo (Joseph Bologna), wants him to get back into the swim of life, so he gives him the phone number of Jennie MacLaine (Marsha Mason), a bubbly, divorced actress who is the best friend of his mistress, Faye Medwick (Valerie Harper). Improbably, George and Jennie hit it off, and enter into a whirlwind courtship, which leads very quickly to marriage. However, after they have married, the memory of his first wife causes George to withdraw from Jennie. Can their marriage survive? Do we want it to?

It's an interesting script, in that you're swept along with a relationship that develops so fast it's out of control. And just when you think the happy ending is coming, a major problem develops. Simon certain knew the material, since he took it from his own life, but I think the ending is not as conclusive as he would like you to think it is. Along the way, though, it's an awful lot of fun.

Mason carries this movie, and thankfully, she is more than equal to the task, giving us a fully developed portrait of a charming woman who knows herself, knows what she wants from a relationship, and isn't afraid to tell her husband when he isn't giving her what she needs. As for Caan, he gives his usual wooden performance, which works moderately well with his character, but still leaves you wondering why he was cast in the part. As supporting players, Bologna and Harper more than hold their own, and help fill in the void left by Caan.

In spite of all its problems, this is a buoyant film, which is a joy to watch. Love may not be any easier the second time around, but Simon and Mason do manage to convince us that it's worth the ride.