Quick takes on Tootsie and other 80s American films

Today I’ve got a set of classic American films from the 80s, all ones I’d never seen. I’m starting with Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and from its reputation, I was expecting some kind of fluff with lots of boobs, and while there is some of that, it has a surprisingly strong story with a lot of deeper introspection for those who care to look past the surface. The film follows a group of teens in high school, over the course of a year: falling in love (or at least in lust), goofing off, and talking about all of the things that seem very important to you when you are in high school. It feels truly authentic, and while there are a few token 80s moments that every film from this era had which never took place in real life (toilet paper streaming from the school windows, terribly unrealistic dancing at the school dance), much of it rings true. Kids talking about their first sexual experiences (and trying to seem more experienced than they are). Working hard to find that balance between being yourself and fitting in with others. And that one kid (in this case, Jeff Spicoli) who, despite being a stoner, is the one person in school who is comfortable in his own skin and is true to himself, and not willing to change just to appease someone else, even if that someone else is a teacher. It’s way ahead of its time, considering some of the other movies coming out in the early- to mid-80s. There’s lots of main characters who flit in and out, but the primary character is Stacy, who is trying to figure out love and sex, the differences between them, and the paths she takes until she learns what she wants. Urged into having sex for the first time by her best friend, it “takes her a few tries” with a couple partners until she realizes that it isn’t for her, and that she wants a real relationship. The film was the launching pad for most of its cast; for the most part they were unknowns when it was released: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and a minor part for Nicolas Cage in his first film. Not to mention director Amy Heckerling and writer Cameron Crowe, whose undercover year at Clairemont High School as a 22-year-old inspired the movie. I liked this film way more than I was expecting. ★★★★½

As much as I was pleasantly surprised by the above film, unfortunately Moonstruck was not as good as I had hoped. I’m guessing it just hasn’t aged well, because it was certainly heralded when it came out in 1987. It stars Cher as Loretta Castorini, a 37-year-old widow living with her deeply Italian family in Brooklyn. She is proposed to by Johnny (Danny Aiello), an older man whom Loretta admits to her mother (Olympia Dukakis, who is tremendous as always) that she doesn’t love, but she “likes well enough,” and Johnny is a good guy. First though, Johnny must go to Sicily to be with his dying mother, and while he is gone, he asks Loretta to reach out to his estranged brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage again!). The two had a falling out 5 years ago and Johnny can’t find the strength to mend fences, but he wants Loretta to invite Ronny to the wedding. Loretta does, and she and Ronny find an instant connection, beginning a romantic affair. It may all come crashing down when the two go to the opera and are spotted by Loretta’s father, but he may not be so forthcoming with the news, as he’s there with his own girlfriend, something that his wife already suspected. The movie is cute, with some funny moments, but it is not the great romantic comedy that I was expecting. Olympia Dukakis is the highlight as the anchor in a house where everyone is running around with someone else (she won an Oscar, as did Cher). ★★½

There’s some great old actors in 1980’s Hopscotch, some no longer with us (Walter Matthau, Ned Beatty, Glenda Jackson) and one who still is (Sam Waterston, though he was really young!). Matthau plays Miles Kendig, a CIA agent who’s been around the block and knows more than his upstart, political bosses about how things run. He makes a deal with KGB officer Yaskov in Munich, to get his hands on some microfilm that Kendig (and the USA) doesn’t want released, but this lands him in hot water with his boss, Myerson. Myerson would have preferred Kendig arrest Yaskov, but Kendig tries to explain that, by keeping Yaskov in the field, they know who is running things and who to contact when the shit hits the fan (better the enemy you know, etc). Myerson is having none of it, and demotes Kendig to a desk job. The problem for Myerson, and the CIA as a whole, is Kendig has been around forever and knows every trick in the book. Kendig goes MIA, and starts writing a book detailing some of the CIA’s dirty little secrets over the last couple decades. He sends a chapter at a time, not just to Myerson and the CIA offices, but also to Russia and various intel offices around Europe. Not ready to back down, Myerson initiates a manhunt for Kendig, but Kendig’s too smart to get caught easily, and always manages to stay one step ahead. The movie is cute, funny, but ultimately not too remarkable. It’s a good “time and place” movie for its release; in 1980, there was still lots of distrust against the government, and poking fun at the Cold War is a good way to let off some steam. ★★★

Risky Business is one of those movies that I just do not get the hype. I’m pretty sure it was only popular in its day (1983) for its iconic scene of a young Tom Cruise dancing around the house to Old Time Rock and Roll. He plays high schooler Joel Goodsen, a smart kid from a wealthy family in Chicago, with aspirations of Princeton. Those dreams may come crashing down when his parents go away on vacation for a week, leaving Joel home alone, and his friend invites a prostitute over as a prank. After the first hooker (a large, black cross-dresser) doesn’t work out, the second (a pretty girl named Jackie, played by Rebecca De Mornay) does. Unfortunately for Joel though, she steals something valuable out of the house on her way out the door, and then gets Joel involved in her confrontation with a bullying pimp (Joe Pantoliano). Supposedly, hilarity ensues, but if other people were laughing, I certainly wasn’t. There were a couple moments where I thought the film was going to pick up, something exciting or funny would happen, but then it was fall apart again. Just a dumb movie, from a director who never did anything else. If Tom Cruise hadn’t been in it, I’m pretty sure it would have been forgotten over the years. ★

Tootsie, however, is just as entertaining today as it was in 1982. Michael (Dustin Hoffman) is a struggling actor living in NY with roommate Jeff (Bill Murray), a playwright (also struggling). Michael makes ends meet by teaching acting but it is barely paying the bills, and he can’t land a job anywhere. When one of his acting students tells him that a popular soap opera is casting a new female main part, Michael dresses in drag and goes to the audition as “Dorothy.” The womanizing director doesn’t like Dorothy, but the female producer does, and Dorothy is hired on the spot. However, Michael didn’t think things through all the way, because this job will lead to problems with his manager, his fellow actors (especially when he falls for Julie, played by Jessica Lange, who is dating the director but becomes fast friends with Dorothy), and Sandy, his student who didn’t get the job when she auditioned and who is in love with Michael. Not to mention Julie’s single dad, who also starts to fall in love with Dorothy. Everything will come to a head by the end. Lots of laughs, some from low hanging fruit (Americans love to laugh at men cross dressing for a joke) but some come from deeper moments too. There’s no arguing that some of its themes are dated (being powerful as a woman is a “masculine” trait, and the very ending rubs me the wrong way), but when I watch a movie, I always consider when it was made; I’m definitely not into revisionist history, otherwise too many of our films would end up in the trash can. I really enjoyed this one. ★★★★

• TV series recently watched: Squid Game (season 2)
• Book currently reading: Betrayal by Jean Rabe