The Fan (1981)

Slasher flicks being all the rage in 1981, it isn't any wonder producer Robert Stigwood had the idea of staging one with classy stars in the leads. Lauren Bacall plays the movie and Broadway actress being stalked by a psychotic admirer in New York City, James Garner is her concerned ex-husband and Maureen Stapleton is her long-suffering secretary. What these seasoned performers are doing in an ungainly, bloody thriller such as this is an ever bigger mystery than why young Michael Biehn worships Bacall's Sally Ross in the first place (is he stuck in a Harold and Maude phase?). The screenwriters show the lovestruck fan to be delusional--a lazy out--while also dropping the caveat that his family sends him money to live on, convenient since he can't hold a job. Stapleton gives this funereal thriller a little juice, cinematographer Dick Bush provides a bravura opening credits sequence, and Pino Donaggio contributes a decent background score. Otherwise, this "Fan" letter should be marked Return to Sender. *1/2 from ****

I have seen THE FAN at least 3-4 times and am never disappointed in it. Of course watching Lauren Bacall in any movie is a thrill. Sad that she recently passed away. R.I.P. She plays an actress of the Broadway stage doing a musical, not unknown to Miss Bacall having done several Bway shows including musicals such as APPLAUSE and WOMAN OF THE YEAR. As a matter of fact her first film break had her singing to Humphrey Bogart in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT with Hogey Carmichael. She had Hogey and Bogie. Just a little humor.Back to this movie. The wonderful Maureen Stapleton plays Lauren's secretary and as usual is brilliant almost stealing the film. She never misses a beat this fine actress. Add to that James Garner in a somewhat thankless role and Hector Alonzo as Lauren's suitors. However the real treat is to watch Michael Biehn make his film debut as the crazed psycho who is an ardent fan that goes too far in stalking his favorite actress. He plays an in the closet gay boy, which isn't really the theme of the story but explains his frequent trips to gay bars and gyms in search of his next victim.The film had that New York theatre feeling. Well filmed and written, to me it is worth seeing again and again. Biehn has done well from his beginning work having done several good films since and still working in the industry. His gorgeous youthful face from THE FAN has now become a wonderful chiseled character face that is intriguing. Here's to THE FAN.

"The Fan" might have been more shocking when it first came out in 1981, because stalking people (famous or not) wasn't as publicized as it is today. But thanks to the news talking about it, as well as TV dramas using it as subject matter, the movie will feel very familiar to people. It certainly could have been better made. Among other problems, we don't really get to know much about the stalker character, James Garner's character could easily be eliminated without having to alter the rest of the script, and the climax is without question lacking punch. Still, the movie is never boring (though some viewers may feel the story is unfolding slowly), and all of the actors from the leads to the supporting roles are solid in their performances. I guess if you really want to see this subject matter again, the movie will give you what you want, but even then you'll see that it could have been done a lot better.

The Fan begins as if it is going to be a study of an obsessed fan in contrast to the human fallibility of a celebrity, but it ends up being a routine thriller. The film gives the fan in question some background information to display his isolation and the value he gives the Lauren Becall character. Lauren Becall is also shown as having difficulty with middle age and divorce. The two character's stories are given equal time as the movie develops, but once the fan starts acting out violently, the standard thriller clichés kick in.I get frustrated in movies where the conflict can be resolved if the characters would just act sensibly, but to string the movie along they have to be stupid. The epitome of that in this movie is in the fact that Lauren Becall's secretary - who knows that the fan is disturbed by the content of his letters - never thinks to write down the man's name in the event his obsession becomes a criminal matter. There are some good things in the movie. Maureen Stapleton, in particular, gives an interesting performance and there is some interesting camera work in the theater rehearsals. In addition, Lauren Becall displays the qualities that have made her a Hollywood icon (even though based upon what is seen, it is doubtful that anyone would want to see this musical she is in). But the movie is brought down by a script that abandoned the character study aspects in favor of focusing on the cheap thriller qualities.