Daily News from New York, New York • 48

49 ert a i Mdleis irw tsif EFr Just help yourself they were in the original French comedy. Wilder's frantic efforts to cheat on his wife as the love-blinded Teddy produce a few chuckles as he fakes a heart attack to escape the wrath of Radner (who is too good to waste on such a small role), takes up nient for Teddy whose unsuspecting wife (Judith Ivey) picks this critical time to confess that not only is she the jealous type, but she also has inherited a small pistol from her mother. The office spinster, who waits in vain for' Teddy in a fancy restaurant, proceeds to prove that hell hath no fury like a woman ignored. "The Woman in Red" is a giddy, reasonably funny farce, but its characters, especially Teddy's three infantile male buddies, are not nearly as well-defined as horseback riding with a vengeance in the hope of having a chance encounter with the "woman in red," and restyles his trademark frizzy red hair to the stunned surprise of his business colleagues. But it is Charles Grodin who walks away with the movie as Teddy's quick-witted bachelor pal who covers for the would-be adulterer when he and his elusive dream girl, while on their first date, are confronted by his entire family at a surprise birthday celebration.

AT THE MOVIES If If! 1 1 yi'f II'- Yz THE WOMAN IN RED. Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner. Directed by Wilder. At Loews Paramount and the Cinema Beek-man Theater. Runnin9 time: 1 hour, 21 minutes.

Rated PG-13. Teddy, a mild-mannered, middle-aged advertising executive, is perched on a window ledge as thousands of concerned spectators urge him to jump. Just how did he get into a such a pickle? "I had no adventure in my life," says Teddy, trying to explain how he arrived at his present predicament in the opening scene of "The Woman in Red." "I had a wife and I never looked twice when a pretty girl walked by." So much for truth in an advertising man, for this latest Gene Wilder (he plays Teddy and also directs) comedy is practically a scene-by-scene replay of a 1977 French farce called "Pardon Mon Affaire" in which the married hero develops the urge to wander after just one peek at a wind-blown pretty girl posing, like Marilyn Monroe, on top of an air vent. Teddy's troubles also begin in an underground garage when a luscious brunette (Kelly Le Brock has the kind of sultry voice and striking looks that could spell instant doom for even the most happily married man) dressed entirely in red, not only shows off certain assets, but actually dances on an air vent. By some miracle, this glamorous model turns up in Teddy's office and he is so bedazzled he cannot resist calling her for a date.

What he doesn't realize is that the office plain Jane, played by the deliciously funny Gilda Radner, has taken his phone call by mistake. Needless to say, infidelity proves to be terribly inconve Variety sQar 1 There may be other words in the English language with greater euphony, but for in spiring euphoria it's hard to beat the word "free." All free and all tonight: Drummer Chl- co Hamilton plays at 5 in McGraw-Hill Park (west of Sixth between 48th and 49th Sts). "Midsummer Dances," three new works one, for instance, is Jamie Stiller's exploration of patriotism and school spirit will be given at 6 at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Riverside Drive at 89th "De-meter's Daughters," a combination of music and dance based on Greek mythology by Contemporary Mythmakers, will be given at 6:15 at Lincoln Center's North Plaza Latin jazz band Urban Quad ra and guitarist Grant Oren-stein play at 7 in Brooklyn Heights' Pierrepont St. Play ground (Pierrepont St. and Promenade).

Jazz guitar ist Ray Rivera and his band play at 8 in O'Donahue Park in the Far Rockaway section of Queens (Beach 17th St. and Seagirt Movie revivals Elena and les Hommes," a 1956 movie in color directed by Jean Renoir and starring Ingrid Bergman and Jean Marals, plays at 6 and 8:45 at Phillips Hall in Christ Church (60th St. and Park Bergman is a Polish princess engaged in political intrigue in late 19th century Paris. The movie, sponsored by the French Institute, has a $2.50 admission. There are no subti tles but a synopsis will be provided.

The movie Caine Mutiny, a study of ethics and duty on trial, plays at 8:30 at Pier 16 (Fulton St. and the East River) in the South Street Seaport Museum's "Waterfront" series. It's $2.50 for adults and $1 .50 for children and the audience supplies its own seating. Club participants The New York Folk Festival includes these performers in these clubs tonight: Ferron (story Page 51) and Judy Small at Folk City (130 W. Third 254-8449) at 8:30 and 11:30 and Roy Bucha nan and Paula Lockheart at the Lone Star Cafe (61 Fifth 242-1664) at 9:15 and 1 :30.

(Lockheart ordinarily sings Wednesday nights at Red Blazer Too.) Harlem overview John Henry Clark, professor African history at Hunter College, will discuss the politi- development of Harlem and its relationship to black communities elsewhere in a talk at 6 at the Urban Center (457 Madison 935- 3960). There is a $5 charge. Rock interpreter Cabaret singer Sue Renee Bernstein does interpretations works by rock composers, including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waites, Rickie Lee Jones and Jim Steinman (who wrote songs for Meat Loaf). Bern- I steii in appears at 8:30 tonight at Don't Tell Mama (343 W. 46th 757-0788).

1 Kelly Le Brock has Gene Wilder palpitating in "The Woman in Red" JtXt---. i sT a I AS 'Hod Dawn' HOLLYWOOD (AP) "Red Dawn," an MGM-UA release about teenagers fighting a Communist invasion of the United States, opened as the top box office draw last weekend, grossing $8.2 million. "Ghostbusters," the comedy about a team of New York spook-hunters, was the second highest weekend grosser, bringing in $5.9 million to boost its total gross to $162.7 million, surpassing "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." "Indiana Jones" had a two-week headstart on "Ghostbusters" but the Columbia release boomed along in the No. 1 or No. 2 spot for 10 weeks until it overtook the second adventure of the swashbuckling archaeologist, which has a total of $158.9 million.

The debut movie of rock star I'rince, "Purple Rain," was third over the weekend at $4.8 million, and "The Revenge of the Nerds" fourth at $4.3 million. "The Karate Kid" hung on to fifth with $3.18 million while "Gremlins" fell three notches to No. 6 with a gross of $3.15 million. "Cloak and Dagger" grossed $2.8 million on its first weekend. irosn Venezuela Actress Maria Conchita Alonso, who won good notices in the movie "Moscow On the Hudson," brings an act of song and comedy to the Bottom Line, 15 Fourth for one night tonight Ernest Leogrande.