Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Forgotten Movies: BETWEEN THE LINES




An underground newspaper is in financial trouble and might be bought by a larger concern (this at a time when newspapers had value). The in-fighting, worries, and sexual antics by the young, left-wing staff make up the plot. The film boasts some great actors doing some of their earliest film work: Jeff Goldblum is funny as the constantly stoned music critic, Bruno Kirby (pre-Godfather II, When Harry Met Sally) and sadly now dead, is almost unrecognizable, pre- L.A. Law Jill Eikenberry, Lindsay Crouse, Joe Morton (Terminator II, Lone Star, City of Hope) and now SCANDAL, a very young pre-TAXI Marilu Henner as a stripper and TV's 7th Heaven, Stephen Collins. Lots of fun, mostly for its actors and the idea that newspapers were important. 

The film was directed by Joan Micklin Silver. Sad that she didn't have the career this suggested was in store for her. HESTER STREET, CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER, and a few others before the fall into anonymity. So few female directors go on to a long career.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Not just newspapers but underground papers. I miss the old days.

Anonymous said...

What a portrait of an era, Patti - thanks

Anonymous said...

I know I mentioned this one a couple of weeks ago. We just saw John Heard in "Person of Interest" and he got old and fat. (He also had a rolein SHARKNADO!)

This was a real picture of an era gone by.

*sigh*

And get off my lawn!


Jeff M.

Anonymous said...

Heard starred in CHILLY SCENES too.


Jeff M.

Todd Mason said...

This would be another film I've been meaning to see for about thirty years, but never have quite gotten around to it. Of course, it's not a "real" "underground" paper so much as a take on the BOSTON PHOENIX and similar "alternate" weeklies (children of the undergrounds and THE VILLAGE VOICE, shuttered the other year after being owned by one megachain or another over most of those thirty years.

Rick Robinson said...

"Lots of fun, mostly for its actors and the idea that newspapers were important."

They would still be important if everyone under 30 didn't walk around with their nose stuck to an electronic machine, not caring about news as such, but only news as sensation and entertainment…

[get's off soapbox, warns kids away from lawn, sits down with ink-on-paper book].