The Orange Heads of Yesteryear

Theresa and I just finished watching the Rock Hudson vehicle A VERY SPECIAL FAVOR. The premise was sordid and creepy, the execution misogynistic, and the transfer made everyone's head look orange. In other words, it was everything that Jeff McNeil promised it would be. You know how we like to stay positive here at the "blog," but I must admit that we made an attempt to turn off the movie at about forty-six minutes in. Even Dick Shawn, that reliable old "blog" "fave," was straightjacketed into a restrained role, his spirit peeking out in just a very few expert double takes. Rock Hudson reprieved himself with a gifted comic turn just before I hit the button, and Theresa stayed my hand. A little over an hour in, we had to check how much running time was left because they had worked themselves into such an ugly little corner. But then there was a competent scene between Charles Boyer and Leslie Caron (left) that seemed to herald an amusing reversal. Did it happen? Sort of. And finally, in the last eight minutes, well, I can't get into it, but our jaws hit the floor at the inappropriateness of the penultimate twist. It just goes to show that any movie is "good" if you put yourself in the proper mood. Well, that's a theory I'm working out, anyway. My head hurts.