Norwood

Glen Campbell and Joe Nameth, both in their career primes, give surprisingly creditable acting performances about two Marines just back from the Viet-Nam War finding their places back in society. The theme of this film is somewhat out-dated, yet with the current war in Iraq raging on, maybe it's not as out-dated as I think. Campbell is Norwood and has the major role, while Joe Nameth has more like a guest staring part. Campbell embarks on a road trip and meets a host of different people. Trish Sterling looks beautiful, but is really wasted here. Coogan's Bluff still rates as her best on-screen role. I saw this film as a young teenager at the Cinema Theater on Miami Beach. I remember liking it a lot and sort of wondering if I would one day be living this type of experience myself. With the draft and the war, this film was very realistic for the times, now not so much. Yet, it's an enjoyable film on the same take as Bus Riley's Back in Town.

After the success of TRUE GRIT, Glen Campbell and Kim Darby re--teamed for this lighter than air comedy, like TRUE GRIT based on a Charles Portis novel but definitely more of a homespun Andy Griffith-hayseed type flick. The novel was set in the 1950s, so some of the plot devices play like wheezing cliches (e.g., the story's uninteresting pregnancy flap and some of the relationships are straight form TV sitcom land). Yet, a lot of the dialog from the novel made its way into the movie and that makes for some good humor. Carol Lynley practically steals the movie in her brief cameo, and Dom DeLuise has some of the best shtick on view. Campbell is good natured and sings a few decent Mac Davis tunes. He is so like the Norwood character, so typecasting helps here. Darby is wasted. Pat Hingle has a few good moments but Tisha Sterling and Joe Namath are embarrassments. Meredith Macrae makes an impression, but like so many characters in this episodic fiasco, she is buried under the hokum. You could do worse if stuck with nothing to watch in the early morning hours.

I just wrote a long, long review of Sam Peckinpah's The Getaway and I have just about ten lines of blathering left in me, so here goes! I saw Norwood over thirty years ago on ABC and I still have a fond memory of it. I barely remember the plot, but I do know I thought the story of a just-back-from-Vietnam soldier (Glen Campbell) on some sort of road trip was a pleasant use of my time.

The film has an interesting cast including Kim Darby, Joe Namath, and Tisha Sterling. There is a moment where Campbell says the "S" word and Darby scolds him for his bad language (ABC bleeped out the word, but you could tell exactly what he said).

I won't fool you--this is all I remember, but I intend to add it to my mail-order movie rental queue--not super high on priority, but above The Notebook!

This movie from Charles Portis' novel starts out ok with Glenn Campbell's return to his hometown and some amusing stuff with his obnoxious brother in law and the always oleaginously wonderful Pat Hingle as a con artist. But, paradoxically, as soon as this road picture goes on the road things start to get drained of interest and it is hard to pick a Most Boring among the three girls with whom the title character gets involved; Carol Lynley as a bad tempered, small town floozie, Tisha Stirling as a cynical hippie or Kim Darby's good natured country gal. Campbell's performance is serviceable at best and throughout the film director Jack Haley Jr and screenwriter Marguerite Roberts, the later of whom did such a good job adapting Portis' "True Grit", lays the hick schtick on thicker than congealed Crisco so that you feel at times like you're watching "Petticoat Junction: The Movie". Bottom line: Read the novel and get Portis' quirky insights without all the stupid Hollywood crap, like Central California standing in for Tennessee and being asked to buy Dom De Louise, with his Brooklyn accent, as a Nebraskan. Give it a C.

All the makings of a decent movie, at the time the world's most popular athlete and the world's most popular singer come together in a so-so movie. Namath's acting made Glen's Oscar caliber! I love Glen Campbell and that had a lot to do with the 8 rating I gave it. If Glen wasn't in it, I'd have given it a 3. If you can find the soundtrack, get it instead! Dom Delouise is in this movie if that helps your judgement and Kim Darby plays a weaker, pregnant Madie Ross(True Grit). Watch it anyway!