Review of The Earthling (1980) by Alex D — 01 Jul 2018

This film, released in 1980, has one foot in the world of 70's gritty realism and one foot in the world of 80's sentimentality. The blend works, because the writing, acting, directing and editing are so good.

Making the character of Foley (William Holden) a disillusioned, cantankerous old man was essential to the film. Had he been kindly and paternal, the film would have turned out twee and forgettable. I saw this film on an airplane flight (not a great choice for a captive audience on a plane, but I'm grateful for it) when I was about 10, and though I was young, I never forgot it.

Thirty years later, it still holds up. The ending moved me almost to tears. It's a monument to a time when filmmakers were still permitted to depict relationships that were complex and characters that you might learn to like with time.