Every so often a film causes you to reexamine your thoughts on an actor. I’d never given much thought at all to Charles Grodin before reviewing Real Life (1979; #124) for this blog, and probably knew him best as the stodgy and beleaguered dad from the sequel-friendly family film Beethoven (1992). His work in that film* is likely less than memorable for anyone who wasn’t five years old in 1992, but upon seeing his performance in Elaine May’s The Heartbreak Kid (1972) I was compelled to take a look at his filmography on the IMDb. Scrolling through I found that Grodin has performed in a number of forgettable films, and has roles that are forgotten, by me at least, in some rather memorable ones. I can’t recall him in Rosemary’s Baby (1969) as a doctor, or in the underrated but flawed Catch 22 (1970). In both cases I remember the role, but not Grodin as the actor. 1994s Clifford, possibly the worst use of Martin Short’s or anyone else’s talents ever, jumps off the webpage, as does the 1976 remake of King Kong, as an example of Grodin’s poor career choices.
Regardless of the somewhat suspect work of Grodin’s agent and publicist over time, he’s certainly good here in May’s 1972 picture. He plays a young New York Jew, Lenny Cantrow, who’s just been married to his longtime sweetheart, Lila (Jeannie Berlin). The problem is that as soon as the two hit the road for their Florida honeymoon, Lenny begins to realize all of the things that Lila does that drive him nuts. She sings in the car, she eats like a pig, and she talks during sex. Lenny tries to be patient, but it’s clear he’s having second thoughts. Things get complicated when he hits the beach for some alone time in Miami, only to meet Kelly (Cybill Shepherd), the blonde sexpot of his dreams.
For three days he makes excuses to Lila as to why she has to stay in the hotel room while he goes out, and one of the treats of the film is watching Grodin’s character teeter on the edge of madness as his stories get more and more wild. Finally, he’s had enough and he decides that he has to leave Lila for Kelly. However, Kelly’s domineering dad (Eddie Albert) is none too eager to embrace his daughter’s new friend. Thinking back on the middle third of the film it’s difficult to decide which scene is funnier; Lenny’s declaration of his intentions to Kelly’s father and simultaneous confession that he’s on his honeymoon, or the dinner at which he demands pecan pie for Lila after he’s asked for a divorce and ruined her appetite.
He eventually follows Kelly back to frozen Minnesota, hoping to win her father over and consummate the relationship formed on the beach. But when he arrives he finds that she might not be as interested as she let on. The film’s strength is that Grodin is allowed to embarrass himself to the fullest extent of each and every situation, even when his schemes pan out in his favor. The Heartbreak Kid is a perfect example of a director’s trust for their material and the actors reciting it. May makes the wise decision to shoot many of the film’s best scenes in unbroken takes. Neil Simon’s dialogue, based on a story by Bruce Jay Friedman, is allowed to breathe and take on much of its comedic affect in Grodin’s competent hands. As minutes go by without cuts, tension builds naturally and Lenny dodges and weaves his way through many an awkward conversation. An edit in these instances would relieve all audience anxiety, but would shortchange the overall effect of the picture.
Writing about The Heartbreak Kid, I’m not quite sure why it isn’t a better known film. I’ve been searching for it for some time now after neglecting to get to it before it was taken off Netflix.com streaming options. I’m not sure that it’s even available on DVD. It seems to be a fine example of early 1970s comedy, employing the talents of Simon and Cybill Shepherd just as both were becoming superstars. My only guess as to why this movie has faded from popular memory is that both Grodin and May went on to more suspect work. They reunited for the Warren Beatty vehicle Heaven Can Wait (1978), but May never directed again after helming the legendary failure Ishtar (1987), in which Grodin also appeared. Still, this film is a winner; a comic gem. For some reason it was remade in 2007 by the Farrelly brothers with Ben Stiller in the Grodin role. The rehash garnered little critical reaction. Grodin was perfect for this role the first time around and the film deserves to be remembered for many of its performances. Both Eddie Albert and Jeannie Berlin (cast by her directing mother May) received deserved Oscar nods for their work.
Language: English
Runtime: 106 Minutes
Available @ Google.video.com
Grade: 3 Hats Off
Grade: 3 Hats Off
* Beethoven also contains some forgotten roles from no less than Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, David Duchovny, and Patricia Heaton. In an ironic twist, Doris Roberts plays Grodin’s mother here.
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