Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 75

Funny thing about The Toy' it isn't By Gene Siskel Mov THE DISAPPOINTMENT of 1fc Toy" I twofold: First, it's a cute idea for a movie that has been used to no advantage; and second, the special chemistry that might have existed by pairing Richard Pryur with Jackie Gleason, two radically different comedians, is never realized. Yes, there's a cute scene or two, but I thought walking in that 1 migtit be seeing the year's funniest movie No way. "The Toy" is based on "Le Jouet," a French film about a little boy getting a man for a gift. In this American version it's a spoiled rich kid, the son of a Louisiana billionaire Jackie Gleason), who is granted a the special treat by his "MymoifS of a iufvtvof A snoi in ine arm tof Cnicago modern dance scene Dance 'Memoirs7 is flawed but memorable "The Toy" Mint-review: What a waatol Wratwd ov Menard Oonxar; ea'aen play by CfM SoajaaU an a Mra fey Franc Vaoar, anotooasnod by LmM Hanaca; oonad by Hacnard Marna and Murnat union; aro-Oucttaa oawon by Cnarlaa rVnan; muaw by Peuic WMtama; rilnl by nd Fatdman; a Columbia at Via Cmcaao and naiunoomoi guilt ridden father of anything he wants in the family-owned department store. Young Eric Bates promptly decides he wants Jack Brown Richard PryorJ, the store janitor, after Eric spots Jack playing comically with a giant rubber tire contraption.

Jack accepts the proposition, somewhat reluctantly, because he needs the money. Jack is a summa cum laude college graduate, but he hasn able to "Memoir of a Survivor" i. :i.v.7y My t' Li. Blthimi' 'i Tl 'I II "1 -ijaanaaanajaMaaoaMaMaaaS WcM WoodBury; mmmia kv Mm Imi; imawl CMeflne Oouoherty. Ratad fQ THt CAST a CoMoy eon ung by Paul Ulwi, Qim Dm.

IK Dane CmHI ot Cofcawa CMHttt, 47J0 N. SnwMan Ad an alar as PrMay and lum we Om. it Lanom aj psrtcrrww, 1 44. rwn ere a. tor mdiiM and senior cataena.

Pnone Jj'-teie TKC oamccr Amy Oasood. Mcrwd Woodbury. Devttt Puanwlrl, ftetfi Contay and Barbara Oraaatar. ucrtard Pryor Jackie Omiaa Had oaarry Scoo aclwaru Tereea Qaruel WIMnd Myoa-wtMa an Fancy Sown arkloy Anaaia Cftaaa By Richard Christiansen C'lio at large AMY OSGOOD'S "Memoir of a Survivor" cornea at Urn end of the year ai an encouraging sign that there's talent and potential glory Hill to be had in Chicago's struggling, erratic modern dance scene. The evening length work isn't quite the breakthrough dance drama it promises to be at its start, but despite a second half fallff, it remains an ambitious and accomplished production, performed with great skill by five of Chicago best young dancers.

It begins in semidarkness with an ominous sound collage of whirring helicopters and the distant thud of bombs, piped into the Columbia College Dance Center's auditorium through a sophisticated amplification system. There's a burst of fiery red light at the rear of the stage, and in a crosslight, Richard Woodbury emerges to pick his way down a line of four bodies, rigid in death. Following this striking prologue, the dance unfolds in nine short scenes that flash back to infancy, childhood, adolescence, dawning love and, on a more menacing note, an air raid drtlland the building of a bomb shelter. In the end, after a nuclear holocaust fells four of the dancers, Woodbury returns to repeat the grim scene of the prologue. OSGOOD'S NOTES on this work state that she was initially inspired by Doris Lessing's novel, "The Memoirs of a Survivor," and then called on her own childhood dreams and memories of day-to-day life.

She has not constructed a cohesive tale or a forceful statement out of this combination of topical themes and universal memories. Before it melts away, the dance's second half consists too much of standard young love embraces and an awkward routine of box-piling in the air raid shelter sequence. Divided into two parts, the whole dance-tale probably would work better without the get a job at the lilywhite newspaper owned by Eric's father. So lie's Eric's for a week, and along the way he makes Eric and his fattier realize that what Eric really wants and needs and should have is not another toy but altogether now a friend. NOW, THE OLD, preaccldent Richard Pryor.

the wild Richard Pryor, might have rewritten this sappy script into a flatout castigation of everything rich, white and bigoted. Not so with the new St. Richard Pryor, who apparently wants to spread a message of love in his films. Now that's noble, but it doesn't necessarily make for a good movie. Instead of dangerous material, we get smarm, with heart-tugging keying us to the message scenes.

Also, the physical humor of the film rarely lives up to the reputation of Jackie Gleason, one of the great physical comedians of all time. Actually, Gleason has only one funny bit in the film. When he sits down at his extremely long corporate boardroom table for lunch with about 30 coworkers, he pulls the table closer to him. The whole, long table. It's a classic comedy bit that also tells us all we need to know about his character.

But after that, "The Toy" consists mostly of Pryor getting hit on the head with a bucket of what looks like oatmeal and Gleason cracking tired jokes with his extremely busty wife. The kid Scott Schwartz is your interruption of an intermission, provided the dancers could maintain their momentum. Nevertheless, particularly in its early portion, "Memoirs of a Survivor" is a memorable event in Chicago dance. Osgood's choreography is genuinely inventive, not just a catalogue of cliche modern dance stretches, and Woodbury, her husband and creative colleague, is superb as the story's central figure. Hopping about in baby leaps, playfully unwinding his limber body in childlike games, or walking in awe though the valley of the shadow of death, he's a remarkable figure.

PERHAPS BECAUSE he has composed the excellent synthesizer score accompanying the dance, Woodbury seems especially attuned to the music, so that dancer and sound unite in one strong flow of forward motion. Osgood, Beth Conley, Barbara Dressier and the amazingly quick David Puszczewicz are right with him in their individual and ensemble suppleness, effortlessly following the tight interplay of Osgood's choreography. With its subtle sound and dramatic use of lighting by Ken Bowen, "Memoirs" also demonstrates a thorough professionalism in production design. "Memoirs of a Survivor," despite its flaws, shows that Osgood, always an interesting, inventive choreographer, is continuing to grow as an artist able to transform her own experience into imaginative images of dance. Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason in "The Too much smarm, too few laughs standard obnoxious child actor, but the stereotype is precisely what is needed.

WHAT IS NOT needed Is a script that has Pryor constantly changing his attitude about taking the job. This film would be so much funnier if Pryor had a master plan to bilk Bates and his son. Now you might expect, no matter how confused the script, that Toy" would be made watchable by virtue of the pairing of Pryor and Gleason. But the two comic masters have very few scenes together, and never do they really engage each other except in phony dialogue. How about Gleason and Pryor teaming up to trick the kid? No such luck.

Pryor seems In chains in this movie, and he rarely breaks out for more than a second or two. Gleason, 66, looks remarkably good, but he is just presiding over his performance. Maybe the two actors have no real respect for each other. That's plausible, based on the way they fail to engage each other's eyes during the movie. Too bad.

"The Toy" doesn't come close to being the year's funniest film. That honor goes to "Tootsie, the Dustin Hoffman picture that opens next week. KIDS ARE FREE Flllf PERFORMANCE STEAK DIANE SALMON FILET SEAFOOD SUPREME COMBINATION VEALSCALOPP1NI MARSALA When we introduced our dinner show, it was an instant hit. So we've decided to bring it back. Once again, our chef will create exciting gourmet sautes at a special low price.

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