Review by Pedro Sena
3½ stars out of 4
This film was Peter Sellers' swan song. If nothing else, the master of many
voices and characters in radio, that achieved fame in film, but never for
his acting talent, gets to show here that under the right direction and
leadership, he can display, that aside from having the secret of comic
timing, he also has the secret, of characterization. The sad part is that
it didn't help his career any, as the film industry
was more interested in making money from his bumbling character, the
Inspector Clouseau. The sad part is that underneath it all, was a man that
really could act, at least in the sense of what acting was
essentially, ever, defined to be, which was to "become" that character for a
determined amount of time. And Peter Sellers example here, in the art of
self control, which he always lacked in almost
all other projects he ever did, displays that this man really had it in him,
and could show it at any time, if only someone could come up with a script
that could show him that there was hope for
doing something much more than crap. The two best roles ( actually six in
the first example ), that Peter Sellers has ever done, were under the
auspices of directors that really knew what they wanted,
and weren't about to do something just because the star wanted it
differently. And Peter Sellers went with it, and came out looking brilliant
on the other side. The first was, Dr. Strangelove, under the capable
direction of Stanley Kubrick, and then, in 1979, under the hands of Hal
Ashby, who, if anything, always knew when he had a good thing in his hand,
and how he could make it better.
This film, is, still, today, one of the very nice examples what a piece of
fluff in Hollywood can come out like. A very enjoyable piece of work, that
can also have underlying meanings, not intentional,
but by just, pardon the pun, being there. Several years later, the
subtleties in this film, are still quite apparent, and the acting, specially
Peter Sellers, is excellent. Well, the others around him are not as strong,
but then, they don't have the meaty role amidst everyone else. By
comparison, Shirley MacLaine is nice, but rather blase about the whole
thing, and the others are not as good, maybe with the exception of Melvyn
Douglas, who is rather entertaining as the old man, who is dying. But the
real touch of wonder in this film is that the character is so strong all the
way through, and so oblivious to anything that is happening around him, from
the realities about life, to a woman, whose own feelings she is learning to
get in touch with, and eventually, the outcome of the film. People like
Chauncy maybe lucky, but possibly, were it not for his innocence, he may
not have been so lucky.
The film, stands out, today, more as a showpiece for Peter Sellers, who was
nominated for an Oscar, but didn't win. His legacy of comedy goes way back
to the boom days of English comedy on the
BBC radio, where he is, still, a legend, with his excellent
characterizations for the GOON SHOW. There are a lot of similarities
between Chauncey Gardner and his other various characters... the
uncanny focus, and ability to stay focused at a moment's notice, although
the out-take at the end of the film, does show, that even Peter Sellers is
human, and at times struggles with a few lines.... well, he did before, too,
but he could cover it rather easily. This kind of thing he did day in and
day out as a Goon, and his ability to switch, is really scary. Here, in this
film, there is no covering up. He just
delivers, that's all.
This is the story of a man who has been a gardener in a household since
heaven knows when, and he has been inside that same house for at least that
long. When the man dies, he is told to leave. And on his first walkabout,
he gets into a mishap that takes him into the hands of a rather well to do
family that is politically based in the presidential circuit in DC. And
from then, the film kinds steam rolls into a bunch of fun bits and pieces.
The gardener, which he really is, just answers the questions in the only way
he knows how, and those around him, take his comments seriously, and use
them in various ways.
Chancy Gardner, may be a bit retarded, but his sense of awe and beauty, at
least keep him alive. He is harmless, and has a role to play in life. In
this case, his is taken a bit to the extreme, but in the capable hands of
Peter Sellers, this role just out shines, what might otherwise have become
just another fun movie to watch and stay with.
Funny bits here and there. Watch out for the deadly TV commentaries running
from the start, from the cartoons to the news, et all.....
Copyright © 1995 Pedro Sena
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out of 4
