Review of Sweet Liberty (1986) by Del T — 27 May 2010

Charming film. Feather light, and shallow as hell, but its' sunny disposition makes it hard to resist.

Alda stars and directs this movie about the problems a professor / writer faces when his beloved book about a woman living during the Revolutionary War, is transformed into a movie.

As the movie company takes over his small New England town at the start of summer, Alda soon realizes the cruel and sometimes silly compromises he is forced to make to appease the filmmakers.

Wonderful supporting cast headed by a luminous Michelle Pfieffer, that Alda falls for as the embodiment of his wartime heroine, but soon realizes she also is a facade.

Bob Hoskins brings high energy as the Hollywood scribe who Alda fights with over every word and scene change. And old pro Michael Caine, as a womanizing cocky lead actor, could of been a cliche, but he brings delight and nuance to the role.

The end of the movie is bittersweet. The summer is over and the film company is packing up and leaving the small town, and we, and Alda soon realize, despite all the grief and misadventure, we will miss them.

For me, that's always the sign of an enjoyable movie.

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