The Woman in Red (C or 2/4 stars)
Gene Wilder directs, writes & stars in this fairly irksome, unfunny 1984 madcap romantic comedy titled 'The Woman in Red'; which is based on Yves Robert's 1976 French farce film Pardon Mon Affaire, starring Jean Rochefort. Wilder plays Teddy Pierce, an old-fashioned, milquetoast family man, who leads a nice little humdrum life and is contented with a caring wife, Didi (Judith Ivey) & 2 teen daughters. Surely, Teddy has a strong enough will to never get the 'seven-year-itch' & consider an affair ... or does he? Everything changes once fateful day in the underground parking lot at his job.
There in plain sight, a tall, gorgeous & voluptuous brunette - standing over an air grate {a la Marilyn Monroe from The Seven Year Itch} in a billowy red dress & panties - catches Teddy's attention. Suddenly, he gets an insatiable urge to make her acquaintance & then make love to the stunning model (Kelly LeBrock). Awkward comedic situations ensue as Teddy tries desperately to land his scarlet temptation. But what of his wife & family? What of his piggish friends who egg him on? And above all, will he be able to win-over his seductively alluring ... Woman in Red? Adultery ain't as easy as it looks.
I love gene Wilder and have liked many a movie of his, but this frivolous sex comedy is not one of 'em. Sure, he's at his frantic, everyman best; the man is inherently funny. There are some amusing moments here & there. And there are moments of genuine emotion; though, they come across a bit forced. But nothing is remotely fresh, profound, or all that humorous -- it's all pretty tepid 'male mid-life crisis' stuff. The film drones on & on for 87 minutes without ever being fully satisfying. It really is a waste of time & talent to watch this would-be romantic comedy.
I mentioned in my review of The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) that I wasn't the biggest fan of Charles Grodin, and that continues, here. Joseph Bologna disappointed me. I typically love Judith Ivey, but this was not the role for her. And Gene Wilder's long time love, Gilda Radner, is given such a measly role that I felt like saying: what was the point of casting her, at all? I enjoy them much more in 1987's hysterical Haunted Honeymoon. The only laudable aspect of this movie is its Academy Award-winning song, "I Just Called to Say I Love You", that gave Stevie Wonder an Oscar.
There in plain sight, a tall, gorgeous & voluptuous brunette - standing over an air grate {a la Marilyn Monroe from The Seven Year Itch} in a billowy red dress & panties - catches Teddy's attention. Suddenly, he gets an insatiable urge to make her acquaintance & then make love to the stunning model (Kelly LeBrock). Awkward comedic situations ensue as Teddy tries desperately to land his scarlet temptation. But what of his wife & family? What of his piggish friends who egg him on? And above all, will he be able to win-over his seductively alluring ... Woman in Red? Adultery ain't as easy as it looks.
I love gene Wilder and have liked many a movie of his, but this frivolous sex comedy is not one of 'em. Sure, he's at his frantic, everyman best; the man is inherently funny. There are some amusing moments here & there. And there are moments of genuine emotion; though, they come across a bit forced. But nothing is remotely fresh, profound, or all that humorous -- it's all pretty tepid 'male mid-life crisis' stuff. The film drones on & on for 87 minutes without ever being fully satisfying. It really is a waste of time & talent to watch this would-be romantic comedy.
I mentioned in my review of The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) that I wasn't the biggest fan of Charles Grodin, and that continues, here. Joseph Bologna disappointed me. I typically love Judith Ivey, but this was not the role for her. And Gene Wilder's long time love, Gilda Radner, is given such a measly role that I felt like saying: what was the point of casting her, at all? I enjoy them much more in 1987's hysterical Haunted Honeymoon. The only laudable aspect of this movie is its Academy Award-winning song, "I Just Called to Say I Love You", that gave Stevie Wonder an Oscar.