November 22, 1978
Universal
Romance, Historical
VHS
B-
This is based on a play and it is still essentially a filmed play, since most of the scenes are between Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn, with a few very minor roles such as the waiters and "old Chalmers." Also, nearly every moment takes place in the rented cottage the couple visit every year for a quarter century, although there are some nice outdoor shots of the ocean and cliffs. Alda and Burstyn are good together and they held my interest throughout, although I didn't always buy the changes their characters go through over time. Oddly enough, what I found most interesting this viewing was the changes in fashion, including George going from boxers in the '50s to red briefs in the '70s. We don't see every year of their annual adulterous rendezvous, just '51, '61 (when she's pregnant), '66, '72 and '77.
The tone is a mix of drama and comedy. My favorite moment is when, after Alda's character tells a story of his wife peeing on the carpet of one of his clients, Burstyn's character expresses fondness for this woman she's never met. The film has a recurring corny but likable song, "The Last Time I Felt Like This," sung by Johnny Mathis and Jane Oliver.
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