Missing No Longer: THE COMIC (1969) and GEORGIA, GEORGIA (1972)

It's been awhile since we had an installment of Missing No More.  Since we last checked in, two more Horn Section favorites have finally found their way to DVD.  Interestingly, each film features one of our favorite performers playing a big-name performer. 

Danny Peary stated that Dick Van Dyke had his best big-screen role in Carl Reiner's THE COMIC (1969).   Always affable in light comedies and musicals throughout the Sixties, Van Dyke played his least appealing character in silent screen legend Billy Bright.  Van Dyke's Bright is afraid to be unlikable onscreen, but has no problem being drunk, vain, selfish, hot-tempered and stubborn while cheating on wife and indispensable co-star Michele Lee offscreen.

Yes, cheating on Michele Lee--Dick Van Dyke is truly playing a douche here!  But while scoring dramatic points effectively, Van Dyke also does a superb job showing his chops as a would-be silent comedian in a montage of "vintage" shorts from Bright's heyday.  Play close attention to NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH and tell me that Stan Laurel wouldn't have loved that ending.  THE COMIC isn't fully realized (the age makeup is embarrassingly bad on Lee and Cornel Wilde, for example) and it's very difficult to watch Bright slowly destroy himself with one terrible decision after another.  In addition, THE COMIC is cringe-worthy on a different level with the effects of Bright's drinking in light of Van Dyke's later revelations about his own alcoholism.

Previously unavailable on home video save for a brief 1994 VHS release, THE COMIC has been given a second life by (who else?) Warner Archive.  Despite a few shortcomings, THE COMIC was clearly a labor of love for Van Dyke and Reiner (who also plays Billy Bright's agent) and every scene radiates the affection both men have for the era depicted as well as their mutual desire to push a few boundaries in the rapidly changing Hollywood of the late Sixties. 

Talk about a film we waited a long time for: I posted a YouTube clip from GEORGIA, GEORGIA (1972) way back in 2008, and reviewed the film the following year.  At that same time, I also had the privilege of participating in a roundtable on GEORGIA, GEORGIA over at Temple of Schlock in celebration of the late, great Diana Sands' 75th birthday.  It's more than fair to say that we're fans of hers here at The Section.

Given her superb work on Broadway (RAISIN IN THE SUN, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT) and her terrific performance in Hal Ashby's THE LANDLORD (1970), it's surprising that Sands had to wait until 1972 for her first top billing on the big screen.  Sadly, GEORGIA, GEORGIA is something of a missed opportunity.  Stig Bjorkman probably wasn't the right director for Maya Angelou's provocative script, and the editing is noticeably crude at times.  Nevertheless, the Swedish film gives us the opportunity to see Diana Sands giving another strong performance playing pop star Georgia Martin, as well as big-screen performances by Minnie Gentry and Roger Furman, two underrated actors who mostly did stage work.  Activist Terry Whitmore also appears, playing a deserter three years after being the subject of the documentary TERRY WHITMORE, FOR EXAMPLE.

Scorpion Releasing is responsible for finally bringing GEORGIA, GEORGIA to DVD. Thankfully they've given us some terrific extras: in fact the extras along warrant the DVD purchase in this case.  Bjorkman and actor Dirk Benedict participate in a very informative commentary track, and Benedict even provided some behind the scenes photos from his personal collection.  Amazon has it, as does DVD Planet and others.

Film Review: W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS (1975)

 


"Why the Hell isn't this on DVD yet?" -- Number 94






W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS (1975 20th Century Fox) Starring Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed, Conny Van Dyke, Art Carney, James Hampton, Ned Beatty, Mel Tillis, Don Williams, Sherman Lloyd, Hal Needham, Polly Holliday, Rick Hurst.  Directed by John G. Avildsen.

Reynolds is a conman living in his '55 Olds, supporting himself in between scams by robbing gas stations owned by Southland Oil Services, specifically targeted due to Burt's personal vendetta against the company.  During an escape from his latest stickup, Burt ducks into a dance and soon finds himself managing the band onstage, the Dixie Dancekings.  Reynolds finds he has a true talent for his new 'legitimate' gig, but in order to procure the funds to get the band to Nashville, he'll have to fall back on his old habits from time to time.  Meanwhile, S.O.S. CEO Lloyd persuades his ex-cop brother Carney to come out of retirement to track down the serial robber.

Curiously all but forgotten today, at first glance W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS is the quintessential 1970's Burt Reynolds vehicle.  It's set in Georgia and Tennessee, with frequent Reynolds co-stars Reed, Hampton (THE LONGEST YARD), Beatty (DELIVERANCE) and country music superstars Williams and Tillis.  In a neat anticipation of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, a Honeymooner pursues Reynolds and Reed throughout the South.  Granted, Carney is considerably more pious (and more competent) here than Buford T. Justice could ever be.  When we meet him, he's a Deacon who gave up police work because it interfered with the Lord's work. 

DANCEKINGS is definitely lightweight: the screenplay by Thomas Rickman (COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER) is long on contrivances and short on believable tension, fun but never coming close to the heights of the first BANDIT installment.  Still, as directed by the disciplined John G. Avildsen, the film never threatens to become one of the "home movies" that would eventually eclipse Reynolds' star in the Eighties.  Comedy was never Avildsen's specialty (i.e. NEIGHBORS) but he helps maintain the levity (though he does overuse the clever "wipes" a bit) without allowing the self-indulgence that would mar Reynolds' post-HOOPER collaborations with director Hal Needham (who coordinated the stunts for W.W. and also plays a cop in pursuit).

It's Burt's W.W. who is by far the most well-rounded character, but his many interesting quirks are mostly touched on, with few fully explored.  He idolizes Errol Flynn, surely thinking that Robin Hood himself would approve of the Southland Oil Service robberies.  (Side note: Since DANCEKINGS is a Fox product, it's THE SUN ALSO RISES rather than Warner-era HOOD that Burt watches early and quotes later.)  While Reynolds is a disgruntled former S.O.S. employee, no specific  "breaking point" is ever identified, and his Korean War service (assuming he's truthful about that) is glossed over quickly after coming in handy in one scene.  Charm and baffling with bullshit turn out to be his specialties, but Burt does show a chivalrous side when Van Dyke's honor seems threatened by a sequin-suited Beatty and also chooses the band he's grown fond of over the car he passionately loves.

BANDIT AND SNOWMAN: THE EARLY YEARS!

Aside from that meeting with Beatty, the romance between Reynolds and Van Dyke isn't very convincing, but DANCEKINGS comes alive when Burt is pitted against the skeptical Reed and perpetually long-faced Williams.  Particularly the former: Reed's character is a bit of a hothead, and Reynolds is slowly usurping control of the band from him.  Their scenes together carry more zing than the rest of the film's conflicts (Reynolds-Beatty, Reynolds-Carney, etc.), with the chemistry that would later drive GATOR and the BANDIT trilogy established immediately here.

W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS is definitely a grab bag.  Scenes with the stone-faced Carney are almost jarring in contrast with the rest of this lighthearted romp, and one never feels fully invested in the outcome due to a lack of suspense.  It all dovetails together way too neatly, and given what we know immediately about Carney, it's beyond puzzling why he would choose Saturday night to spring a trap.  The film is still a rollicking hour and a half anyway, albeit one that won't be remembered for long after it ends.   It was a popular rerun during the respective heydays for Burt Reynolds and southern car chase chic (circa 1977-1982) but pretty much disappeared from view in favor of Burt's higher profile hits once each novelty faded.

So....why isn't this on DVD yet?

"Fun but unmemorable" was rarely enough to stop Burt from reaching DVD in his other adventures (ROUGH CUT is an exception, I know), so I can only conclude that it's because he went without the 'stache for this one.

Why it should be on DVD:

Hey, it's professionally made, with plenty of easy jollies.  In addition to the always welcome opportunity to visit Burt and friends in a chicken-fried setting, there's Jerry Reed's guitar work (he also sings "Johnny B. Goode") and Art Carney's lesser-known pursuit of our charming erstwhile Bandit.  Considerably more entertaining than resume-tarnishers like SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT 2 and STROKER ACE, W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS is a welcome discovery for fans of the Burt Reynolds canon and/or Seventies drive-in entertainment. 

It's kind of a shame that this film didn't have more of an impact.  Imagine a sequel, or even a SMOKEY installment, with Carney and Gleason teaming up to chase Burt.  With Deacon Carney getting irritated by Gleason's swearing and ineptitude in equal measure!  Hey, a man can dream, can't he?  

W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS airs occasionally on Fox Movie Channel.