Review of 10 (1979) by Gordon R — 17 Sep 2014

Blake Edwards's "10" is hands down one of the funniest movies ever made. Like the best comedies, it takes common human emotions (undeniable longing and the fear of aging and death in this case) and uses them as a springboard for a series of maniacally hilarious comedic setups and witty observations about the complexity of life, love, and sex.

By the time of its release in 1979, Blake Edwards had proven himself an A-list director capable of directing a wide variety of different film genres from romantic comedies ("Breakfast at Tiffany's) to heavy dramas ("Days of Wine and Roses), but his winning streak was beginning to fade.

He had achieved enormous commercial success with the first five Pink Panther movies, but his efforts outside the franchise were flops by comparison. With "10", Edwards not only achieved the high comedic delirium of the Panther films, but also created a new, more observant kind of comedy that started a ripple effect in pop culture we are still seeing in films today such as Jason Segal's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" or Judd Apatow's "The 40-Year-Old Virgin".

At the core of the story is a brilliant performance by Dudley Moore whose George Webber, a short forty-two year old musical composer, epitomizes the deepest desires of the human condition. We first see him celebrating yet another birthday surrounded by his longtime lover (Julie Andrews) and a collection of friends.

George appears to have everything: a successful career, a perfect house atop a California hillside, and a healthy relationship, but nevertheless the onset of middle age casts a dark shadow over his entire existence.

In their collective portrait of George, Edwards and Moore have molded him into the perfect underdog yet we are still able to laugh at him when he falls victim to a slew of random and unsuspected pratfalls.

Even after he boards a flight to Mexico to indulge his unbridled infatuation with a beautiful young woman he spied while waiting in afternoon traffic (Bo Derek), the audience is with him on every step of the journey.

Also vital to the film's success is the casting of the female leads. Not once do they fall into sentiment or cliche. Bo Derek as Jenny Miles, a.k.a. the "eleven" of the picture is sex personified and perpetually luminous.

With her nude bathing suit, cornrows, and luscious curves, she takes Jenny far beyond the standard object of lust. In the famous scene where we see her running in slow motion down the beach, she is more like a sexual deity than a brazen temptress.

Surprisingly, the reverse is true of Julie Andrews as George's acid-tongued, level-headed mistress. Her Samantha Taylor spouts off a stream of language you would never find in the vocabulary of Mary Poppins or Maria Von Trapp and though she is only featured in a few scenes, her presence can be felt throughout.

Rounding out the supporting cast is a collection of fine character actors that include Robert Webber as George's cognitive and shockingly not stereotyped homosexual best friend, a young Dee Wallace as an old acquaintance of George whose self confidence has been bruised by a series of failed relationships, and Brian Dennehy as a warmhearted bartender in Mexico.

Something truly magical happens on screen when fantastic acting, superb directing, and deft screenwriting are combined. With all the elements set into place, Edwards has full control over an unhinged plot and the audience is nestled comfortably in the palm of his hand.

This is the mark of great filmmaking and that is why "10" has remained one of the best.