Conference bookie::movies

279.0. "Stars and Bars" by SMAUG::LEHMKUHL (H, V ii 216) Mon Aug 02 1993 10:36

This comedy came out in 1988.  I was out of the 
country at the time, so I don't know if it actually made it 
into the theatres in the U.S.  It was not available at
my regular video store, but I found a used LD copy
this weekend for about the price of a movie ticket.

It's about an Englishman, NYC auctionhouse art expert,
sent into Deliverance country to buy a lost Renoir.
That's about it, except that he's very commited to
living in the US, and adjusting culturally to NY in 
particular.

Pat O'Connor directed ("Cal", "Month in the Country",
"January Man" (never try to make a film during a 
writer's strike)), Daniel-Day Lewis stars.  The 
very interesting cast includes Joan Cusack as the
unconvincing love-interest, Harry Dean Stanton as
the Renoir-owner, Spalding Gray, Glenne Headley (sp?),
and several other familiar names who aren't "stars".
The credits music is Sting's "An Englishman in NY".

This is not great stuff.  I was more interested in
reading my newspaper for the first half.  The film is 
entirely high farce, with some very very funny moments 
toward the end as Henderson gets the hang on NY.  
Great gratuitous nudity on the part of Daniel-Day 
Lewis (get ready to freeze-frame, ladies), but all 
the women keep their kit on (nice change, that).  He
is quite an actor, with definite possibilities in
comedy.

dcl

    I recall that this was out for about two weeks in the "art houses"
    in the US, then vanished in a flurry of bad reviews.
    
    - Dave