''A Perfect Couple'' is a 1979 romantic-

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

co-written and directed by

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...

and starring Paul Dooley, Marta Heflin, Titos Vandis, and Belita Moreno.

Plot

An older man, played by Paul Dooley, tries romancing a younger woman, played by Marta Heflin. She is part of a travelling band of bohemian musicians who perform gigs in outdoor arenas around the country. He joins them on the road and tries to fit into their communal lifestyle. The film features multiple musical numbers.

Cast

* Paul Dooley as Alex Theodopoulos * Marta Heflin as Sheila Shea * Titos Vandis as Panos Theodopoulos * Belita Moreno as Eleousa *

Henry Gibson James Bateman (September 21, 1935 – September 14, 2009), known professionally as Henry Gibson, was an American actor, comedian and poet. He played roles in the television sketch-comedy series ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1968 to 1971, w ...

as Fred Bott * Dimitra Arliss as Athena * Allan F. Nicholls as Dana 115 * Ann Ryerson as Skye 147 Veterinarian * Poppy Lagos as Melpomeni Bott * Dennis Franz as Costa * Margery Bond as Wilma * Mona Golabek as Mona * Joel Crothers as Ben * Susan Blakeman as Penelope Bott * Melanie Bishop as Star

Production

The role of Sheila Shea was originally written for Sandy Dennis. Paul Dooley was seriously allergic to cats though, and when cat-lover Dennis would come to the script readings with up to five cats at a time, he was briefly hospitalized. As a result, Allan Nicholls re-wrote the role of Sheila Shea from an Earth Mother type to the young singer/groupie played by Marta Heflin. The band depicted in the film, Keepin' 'Em Off the Streets, was a real group consisting of actors and singers who had previously worked with Nicholls on Broadway musicals. They had been broken up for a time but reunited specifically for the film.

Music

Songs used in the film include: * "Romance Concerto" (Adieu Mes Amis)" by Thomas Pierson and Allan Nicholls * "Somp'ins Got a Hold on Me" by Tony Berg and Ted Neeley * "Hurricane" by Tony Berg, Ted Neeley and Allan Nicholls * "Week-End Holiday" by Allan Nicholls, B.G. Gibson and Tony Berg * "Won't Somebody Care" by Tony Berg and Allen Nicholls * "Love Is All There Is" by Allan Nicholls, Tony Berg & Ted Neeley * "Searchin' for the Light" by Tomi-Lee Bradley, Tony Berg, Allan Nicholls and Ted Neeley * "Lonely Millionaire" by Cliff De Young and Tony Berg * "Fantasy" by Allan Nicholls * "Don't Take Forever" by Allan Nicholls, B.G. Gibb and Tony Berg * "Let the Music Play" by Allan Nicholls and Otis Stephens * "Goodbye Friends" by Allan Nicholls

Reception

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...

gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote: "The movie looks like several good ideas for several movies, made all at once and regardless of whether the pieces fit easily together. That's too bad, because the movie's got so many interesting things in it, so many original characters and, yes, so much interesting music that it shouldn't have been allowed to become such a stylistic confusion." Janet Maslin of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' was negative, writing, "If Mr. Altman keeps on operating at such a small fraction of his powers, his masterworks may begin to look more and more like happy accidents." '' Variety'' wrote, "Immensely likeable in some parts, and a complete turn-off in others, 'Perfect Couple' reaffirms both Altman's intelligence and his inaccessibility." Charles Champlin of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' called the film "perhaps the least attractive and least interesting movie Altman has ever made. It is also what his movies never have been, which is dull." Bruce McCabe of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'' stated, "I don't want to go so far as to say that this film is Robert Altman's creative death knell but it's plain that he's in deep trouble ... Simply put, Altman doesn't seem to be able to tell a story, any kind of story, any more." Penelope Gilliatt of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' wrote, "This is not a closely thought-out film, or even a fluent one. Altman may be working too fast. The picture is not packed, in dialogue or characterization." Gilliatt, Penelope (April 16, 1979). "The Current Cinema". ''

''. 143.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Perfect Couple, A 1979 films 1970s English-language films Films directed by Robert Altman 1979 romantic comedy films 1979 LGBTQ-related films American LGBTQ-related films 1970s musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American musical comedy films Films about musical groups LGBTQ-related musical comedy films LGBTQ-related romantic comedy films 1970s American films English-language romantic comedy films English-language musical comedy films 1979 musical films