The Sacramento Bee from Sacramento, California • 78

E8 The Sacramento Bee Thursday July 3 1986 rocks with magical laughter slash bam yawn Time to close the Bates Motel By George Williams Bee Reviewer By George Williams Bee Reviewer WHAT COULD BE more appropriate for the Statue of Liberty centennial than another enduring gift from France a warm thoroughly entertaining movie about three Paris bachelors who unexpectedly adopt an infant girl The movie Men and a an Oscar nominee for best foreign film won Cesars (the French version of the Oscars) for best movie best screenplay and best supporting actor It has already become one of biggest hits at the box office and has out-grossed and And no wonder Written and directed by one of most talented filmmakers Coline Serreau the movie is filled with fun and poignancy an irresistible combination It also has bright dashes of mime and other genuine theatrical techniques that give it classic proportions The plot is a simple one The three bachelors pool their funds so that they are able to live in a splendid Paris apartment They are confirmed party givers and goers Pierre (Roland Giraud) is in advertising Michel (Michel Boujenah who won the Cesar) is a cartoonist Jacques (Andre Dussollier) is an airline crewman Moments before leaving Paris for Japan Jacques phones the other two saying a package will be delivered to the apartment then picked up in a few days When Pierre and Michel discover a baby named Marie in a cradle left at their front door they assume this is what Jacques meant by a A note explains that the mother is one of former lovers and Marie is fruit of our passion I am going to New York for six months and leaving her for you to look MOVIE REVIEW a 3 MEN AND A CRADLE 1 Cast: Michel Bouienah Roland Giraud An- dre Dussollier Writer-director: Coline Serreau Photography: Jean-Yves Editor: Catherine Renault English subtitles Running time: 105 minutes 4 -2'' Tower Rating: PG-1 3 for adult situations Pierre and Michel scream anf complain but nevertheless set about doing all of those things that are necn essary in caring for a 3-month-old child They soon find it takes all of their time and that they must stay home from work in order to do right When the real package is deltv ered it involves Pierre and Michel in a drug investigation But this is but- one of the many problems faced by the pair in their baby fix and they shrug it off Parental instincts surface and the two refuse to be sider tracked by such distractions Jacques returns and joins in Soon i the three find the macho lives they had been leading were empty com- pared to the love and devotion that has been inspired by Marie This is the special magic that comes off the screen the growth of these three men who had been pur- suing self-indulgent shallow goals gradually realizing there are more important things in life Serreau whose was one of the best sex comedies of the 1970s is masterful in telling this story She shoots Jhe film in natural 5 light and the resulting shadows 1 seem distracting until you realize she is refusing to splash those blind- ing stage lights on the two complete- ly charming babies that play the one role of Marie I Not since Gods Must Be Cra- has there been such a plump sur- 5 prise of a movie 1 Special to The Bee guilt-racked runaway nun (Diana Scarwid) falls for Norman (Anthony Perkins) in some cliche: A woman shows the slightest hint of being promiscuous and wham slash scream death And the rest is just a series of slightly disguised steals from the original: the stuffed birds the peepholes the bog out back where the bodies are buried Perkms never gets our stomachs churning never gives us the unexpected the unpredictable That was what earned our affection in the original Hitchcock gave us arm-clutching mind-blowing suspense in every frame His cameras caught every twitch every gurgle every convulsion in the process by which a human being becomes a corpse Then he gave us psychology so that we understood the why of the horror And we felt sympathy for the villain as he was trooped off to the asylum just no way you can improve upon this The two sequels prove it time to move on to something else there And aspiring rock star Duane Duke (Jeff Fahey) is hired by Norman as his temporary assistant manager when Duke stops at the motel by chance There is a class reunion based at place that quickens the pace of the movie but only because there are suddenly a lot of people on the screen and not for any reason connected with innovative or subtle moviemaking These scurrying char acters are only brought into the movie in fact because they offer opportunities for some sex-and-slash scenes we thought had been retired as movie subjects Then we get down to what must have persuaded the bankers to put up the money for the love affair Maureen racked with guilt falls in love with the schizophrenic Norman They even dance together But this relationship is not developed by Perkins the director We never really feel that Maureen and Norman care deeply for one another And this kind of superficiality pervades the entire production We never really feel the reporter is intent on getting to the bottom of the Bates Motel story We never really feel that Duke is involved in the action We never really feel that a high school reunion is taking place on the premises What we get is the same old tire- BS 66 riov 1L HE TIME HAS come to retire as a property for exploitation The 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic contains all we could ask for in a horror movie and all we need to know about the characters drawn to the Bates Motel next to the brooding Victorian house in desolate Fairvale directed by Hitchcock scholar Richard Franklin of Australia picks up on the life of Norman Bates 22 years after Marion Crane was slashed to death while taking a shower in Bates Motel Unit No 1 Norman is released from a mental asylum and meekly returns to his motel but ends up pursuing his old habits Franklin made a valiant effort to dig into character but ended up resorting to mindless violence Now III" is directed by Anthony Perkins the actor who so skillfully created Norman on the screen for Hitchcock and continued in the role for Franklin Still playing Norman Perkins is unable to find a new direction for the character in his own sequel A reporter (Roberta Maxwell) is in Fairvale investigating the disappearance of the woman claiming to be real mother in Her questions cause Norman no end of discomfort Meanwhile two other characters converge on Norman's motel A novice nun named Maureen (Diana Scarwid) who has run away from her convent when she accidentally causes death seeks shelter BULLETIN BOARD Items are printed at no charge on a space-available basis Restricted to the activities of non-profit organizations Must be received at least two weeks before the event mail typed or printed on page to: Bulletin Board The Sacramento Bee PO Box 15779 Sacramento 95852 WORKSHOP: American River College Community Education is ottering a Jewelry-Stone Setting Workshop July 15 $15 pre-registration 484-8643 SUPPORT GROUP: A support group for birth mothers who have relinquished for adoption and others considering adoption will meet at 10 am July 12 and 26 at the Crisis Pregnancy Center office 2210 Cemo Circle Suite A Rancho Cordova 638 5536 CLASS REUNION: McClatchy High School Class of 1966 will hold its 20th-year reunion Aug 9 at the Elks Lodge reservations due by July 26 393-2149 or 392-27 1 6 CLASS: Sierra College is offering a class by Women" this fall 624-3333 Ext 2277 or Ext 2270 VOLUNTEERS: The Sacramento Easter Seal Society needs volunteers to help on Thursday Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Fantasia Bingo Center 3399 Arden Way 485-6711 PROGRAMS: Sunrise Recreation is sponsoring two programs for adults and teens Anxiety" beginning Monday and Analysis" July 12 725-1585 RECEPTION: Georgia Bockoven winner of the Romance Writers of America's 1986 Best Book Award will be honored at a reception hosted by the Arden Library 7pm Thursday at 891 Watt Ave 483-6361 TRIP: Arden Manor Recreation is offering a trip to Caesars Tahoe on Tuesday 487-7851 CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH: Celestins' a French Caribbean restaurant will hold a champagne brunch from 10am to noon July 13 at 2516 St All proceeds imIi qo to Womankind Health Clinic In addition to the gourmet food there will be live azz music and an art auction $20 per person and $35 for two Reservations required 448-5463 PROGRAMS: Women Stress Alternatives are offering the following general self-help group for women 6 8pm Wednesdays assertiveness training Tuesday starting and maintaining a support group July 17 and listening skills Aug 5 448-2951 MEETINGS: The Faust Branch of the An-throposophical Society will meet Wednesday evenings through Aug 20 in San Juan Hall at the Sacramento Walforf School 961-8727 CLASS: Ananda Center is offering a class on how to meditate beginning Monday and July 31 484-1999 CLASSES: Sacramento City College Community Education is offering the following classes The Chord Approach to Piano Tuesday and Boogie-Woogie and Jazz Piano Styles" July 10 449-7443 A ATLANTA RIOTOUS Eleanor Ringel ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION BALTIMORE COMEDY HIT OF THE SUMMER THE BEST WORK DONE IN AN AMERICAN COMEDY SINCE Stephen Hunter THE BALTIMORE SUN BERGEN COUNTY Deborah Jerome BERGEN RECORD BOSTON BEST HOLLYWOOD 'Jay Carr BOSTON GLOBE GOOD FUN Dai idBrudnov WBZ RADIO CHICAGO RUTHLESS IS MADE OUT OF GOOD PERFORMANCES A SCRIPT OF DIABOLICAL INGENUITY AND A WHOLE LOT OF SILLINESS Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES SOME OF THE BIGGEST LAUGHS OF 1986 Gene Siskel CHICAGO TRIBUNE DENVER DIABOLICALLY CLEVER Robert Denerstein ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS DETROIT FUNNY Catherine Rambeau DETROIT FREE PRESS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO LAUGH OUT Susan Stark DETROIT NEWS FT LAUDERDALE WITH A VITRIOLIC Candice Russell FT LAUDERDALE NEWS LOS ANGELES AND Kirk Honeycutt LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS FUNNY THAT IF YOU'VE HAD SURGERY RECENTLY GO ENDANGER YOUR STITCHES A 10 Gary Franklin KABC-TV FUNNY DIE LAUGHLNG Digby Diehl KCBSTV FOR YUv IS GOING TO BE A HARD ONE TO MATCH Robert Osborne KTTV-TV GUT -CLUTCHLNG LAUGHTER Michael Wilmington LOS ANGEIES TIMES MIAMI OVERSHADOWS ITS SUMMER COMEDY Ryan Murplyy MIAMI HERALD RAUCOUS HEAD-ON COLLISION OF PERFECTLY TIMED 'Jon Marlowe MIAMI NEWS MINNEAPOLIS Jeff Strickler MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE MILWAUKEE "NASTINESS BECOMES A HILARIOUS ART FORM Doug Armstrong MILWAUKEE JOURNAL NEW YORK CHEERFULLY RAUCOUS COMFDY Kathleen Carroll NEW YORK DAILY NEWS COMIC STRUC-TURE ITH A SERIES Or GAGS THAT BUILD ACCUMULATE TOP EACH OTHER Joseph Gehnis NEWSDAY LAUGH RIOT OF THE Rex Reed NEW YORK POST UNIFORMLY SPLENDID CAST OF COMIC ACTORS Vincent Canby NEW YORK TIMES SMASH OF THE SEASON "Judith Crist WORTV NEW ORLEANS FILM FARE AT ITS David Baron TIMES PICAYUNE OMAHA FUNNY ABOUT RUTHLESS IS EVERYTHING Steve Millhurg OMAHA WORLD HERALD ORANGE COUNTY FUNNY FARCE Michael Burkett REGISTER PHILADELPHIA NO-HOLDS BARRFD FUNNY MOVIE "Joe Baltake PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS INNER Desmond Ryan PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SALT LAKE CITY "THF PERFORMANCES ARE HILARIOUS Christopher Hicks DESERET NEWS SAN FRANCISCO "RUTHLESS IS FUNNY FROM THE FIRST MINUTE AND VER SI OWS DOWN Mick LaSalle SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE SEATTLE OF BEST Don Carter POST INTELLIGENCER TAMPA ORIGINAL MISS Bob Ross TAMPA TRIBUTE TORONTO "INSPIRED FVEN WHEN YOU TRY HARD TO RESIST RLTH1FSS IT GETS YOU Ron Base TORONTO STAR RUTHLESS ARE THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE TO SWAMP THE SCREEN IN Dl CADES George Anthony TORONTO 5UVTULSA David Wilson TL 'ISA WORLD WASHINGTONDC MOVIE THAT GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE PHRASE PUNCH Paul Attanasio WASHINGTON POST UNMERCIFULLY Rita Kempley WASHINGTON POST FUNNIEST MOVIE OF THE DhCADE David Brooks WASHINGTON TIMES AND NAr TIONALLY: FUNNIEST MOVIE SO FAR THIS YEAR Scot Haller PEOPLE AUDIhNC WAS LAUGHING THEMSELVES SICK AND SO WAS Joel Siegel GOOD MORNING AMERICA AND HILARIOUS LAUGH TIL IT Michael Medved SNEAK PREVIEWS Kendall Baldwin CNN RAUCOUSLY CYNICAL Mike Clark USA TODAY BOISTEROUS FARCE MERITS A CASE OF BUBBLY" David Arisen NEWSWEEK TOE SPIN AND POLISH OF CLASSIC Richard Corliss TIME "THF FRON RUNNING ENTRY AS TOE FUNNIEST MOVIE OF TOE YEAR" Bruce Williamson PIAYBOY with more great reviews coming in every dayf mm BBS BESS DANNY JUDGE HELEN BETTE DeVITO REINHOLD SLATER MIDLER as Barbara Stone TOUCHSTONE Nfi SCREEN PARTNERS II A 11 ABRAHAMS TUCKER FILM HESS A IIRIAMMA PRODUCTION ilfJPIip-lEN SLATER amiBETTE MISHA Jarta Store MhlDelll WE Indian music fete opens July 15 in SF In conjunction with the worldwide Festival of India the Exploratorium 3601 Lyon St San Francisco will present years of Indian July 15 through Sept 28 A display of 50 folk and classical instruments will be on display there and three celebrated dancers from southern India will be artists in residence They will also appear at a related concert at 8 pm July 18 at Herbst Theater Van Ness and McAllister There will also be films lectures and demonstrations for the price of admission to the Exploratorium in San Francisco's Marina District For a complete brochure: (415) 1563-4545 RESTRICTED U10MI ir (Qil'A15 rC0MKG PMC JU I Written DOLBY STEREO IN SELECTED THEATRES iniii tyJIU ABRAHAMS DAI IKEA JERRY Ki loll ml bite HiiiM ty Hilli Dolor Arden Ethan Way Greenback Lane 1-80 Highway 50 at Bradshaw 10:15 9:45 PLUS CO-HIT "DOWN OUT IN BEVERLY OPEN WKD AYS I-1 5 WKWDS 745 ttfViaUiA 6 SCREENS 922-7044 8 DRIVE INS 363-6573 8 THEATRES 338-1982 emwftw MM.