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Lost in Yonkers
Louie ............
Richard Dreyfuss
Bella ............ Mercedes Ruehl
Grandma ..........
Irene Worth
Jay ..............
Brad Stoll
Arty .............
Mike Damus
Johnny ...........
David Strathairn
Columbia Pictures presents a film
directed by Martha Coolidge. Produced by Ray
Stark. Written by Neil Simon, based on his play. Photographed by Johnny E.
Jensen. Edited by Steven Cohen.
Music by Elmer Bernstein. Running time: 110
The Simon formula is: find
representatives of various stereotypes, have them do and say outrageous
and funny things. Put in the midst of these some normally straight and
sensible folks (representing the audience, and Simon) to lead the laughter and
provide the comic commentary. In Simon's better work,
then, we learn that the stereotypes are more than that, and the straights are enriched by gaining a more mature and ironic
view of human nature.
Here the stereotypes are: a
tough-as-nails grandmother who terrorized her children into abject
submission and various personality problems; Aunt Bella,
bordering on mental illness, especially manic-depression, naive, yet slyly
insightful; Uncle Louie (Richard Dreyfuss), a "henchman" worried about what some other gangsters are getting
ready to do to him; Gert (?) who can't get a
sentence out without wheezing. The straights are
two grandchildren whose mother (another daughter of grandma) has
died and whose father must carry on a traveling business to
support the family. Grandma takes care of the boys in her candy store.
This is one of the better Simon efforts. One does get perspective on all these characters. Salvation comes for Bella when she gets up the courage to leave to find a job in Florida. Salvation for the boys: just don't hurt people the way grandma did, or else those people will turn out like her kids. Still, for my money, grandma is the most impressive character. She knows what she believes and won't compromise an inch.