At Long Last Love (1975)

If you've seen musical comedies from the 30's then this will be a masterwork, with careful choreography, great tunes, a classic story of misunderstandings, and all of the trappings you'd expect. Everyone is playing a classic actor role, doing Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, William Powell, etc. I can see why people didn't like it in the 70's, it was just too dated. But for a film buff, it's an amazing piece of work that only someone totally versed in the genre could pull off. This is due for a rediscovery.

I'm a bit perplexed regarding what to say about this movie. First off, I think I enjoyed it more when I saw it years ago than I did now. But I think that was mainly because of the choice of songs. Cole Porter wrote all sorts of songs, but the movie goes for the particularly witty and urbane choices, including a number I hadn't heard before.The style of the movie has giddy improvisational style, as actors often seem to be chatting amongst themselves or making quiet asides. This is true not just in conversation, but in song as well, and it's clear the intention is to make the songs work as a continuation of the story and the characterization. It's an interesting approach that I found somewhat likable in conversation but not so much in songs, because it often completely trashes the melodies.Unfortunately, Bogdonavich was apparently of the opinion that a musical requires very little musical talent. Reynolds is a decidedly poor singer. Shepards can at least carry a tune, but it's hard to imagine anyone casting her as the lead in a musical who wasn't dating her. The supporting players do better. None of them are great singers either, but Eileen Brennan, John Hillerman, Madelein Kahn and that guy no one's ever heard of all understand how to sell a song. They would make great second bananas behind actors who were strong singers (or dancers, as was the case with Astaire or Kelly musicals), but instead they overshadow the leads, which is a little sad.The story is simple, essentially a matter of flirting and coupling among the four. Then ending is unsatisfactory.I've heard there are numerous edits of this movie floating around, and that some work better than others. I saw the version released on VHS, which is apparently neither the best nor the worst version out there. (I've heard the best version is on Netflix and DVD.)This isn't as terrible as some people claim, and it has some nice touches throughout, but it comes across as a bit of a vanity project in which a director with no experience in musicals nor much sense of what makes them work decided to put his girlfriend in one.

Over the years, I've seen many many musicals, all the classics (from the late twenties to the mid-sixties)and a lot of modern ones. I had never seen "At Long Last Love", which doesn't exist on tape or DVD. Eventually, I got a copy (from the television) and I really loved this movie. I surely wouldn't say it's perfect but it has a tremendous charm. And perhaps it's even more compelling because it's a bit clumsy. Some great musicals SHOULD be available on DVD : "Porgy & Bess", for example, and the James Whale's version of "Show Boat" (1936). AND "At Long Last Love", which truly deserves to be recognized as one of most endearing and original musicals.

Just because you put some popular stars in a film along with Cole Porter's timeless rhythms, it does not a movie make!!! This is one great misfire and frankly the actors embarrass themselves in their attempt to make this worth watching. They may have been having fun but viewers were not. Burt Reynold, Cybil Shepherd and somebody named Dullio Del Prete (rising from and sinking to oblivion with one film) attempt to sing, dance and generally make merry to the songs of the 20s and 30s............and fail miserably. To add insult to injury, director Bogdanovich decided not to post sync the "singing" (I use the term loosely) and being out of breath does not add to one's tonal quality. I won't even mention the "dancing" (again, I use the term loosely). Well, maybe just to say "inept".The only things worthwhile here are: (1) the presence of two wonderful characters....Eileen Brennan and Madeline Kahn. They could make an Army training film worth watching; (2) the great Art Deco sets: and, (3) those wonderful clothes of the time where gowns were clinging and all the women wore great hats.Cole Porter wrote some of the finest popular songs in American music and the great sin here is that they had to be the linchpin of this dog of a film. Mr. Porter is probably spinning is his grave. For that matter so are Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.