Smile (1975)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writer:

Jerry Belson (written by)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

It's time again for California's "Young American Miss" beauty pageant, the biggest event of the year for Big Bob Freelander and Brenda DiCarlo...

Plot Keywords:

Beauty Pageant | Beautiful Woman | Ambition | Talent Contest | Satire

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Dern	...	Big Bob Freelander
Barbara Feldon	...	Brenda DiCarlo
Michael Kidd	...	Tommy French
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Wilson Shears
Nicholas Pryor	...	Andy DiCarlo
Joan Prather	...	Robin (Miss Antelope Valley)
Denise Nickerson	...	Shirley Tolstoy (Miss San Diego)
Melanie Griffith	...	Karen Love
Annette O'Toole	...	Doria Houston (Miss Anaheim)
Maria O'Brien	...	Maria Gonzales
Colleen Camp	...	Connie Thompson (Miss Imperial Valley)
Kate Sarchet	...	Judy Wagner
Dick McGarvin	...	Ted Farley
William Traylor	...	Ray Brandy
Titos Vandis	...	Emile Eidleman

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Santa Rosa, California, USA

Company:

David V. Picker Productions

Trivia:

The final scenes were staged at the actual pageant, and no one - except script writer Jerry Belson and director Michael Ritchie - knew the winner, so the conclusion seems realistic.

Goofs:

Continuity: One of the audience members seen prominently during opening scene in Imperial Valley pageant later shows up again in closeup as Santa Rosa businessmen attending Bears Club luncheon.

Quotes:

Big Bob Freelander: "A guy turns 35." That's really what's buggin' you, isn't it? That you're about to turn 35.
Andy DiCarlo: Maybe. Maybe. Or maybe I don't see what's fun about kissing a dead chicken's ass.
Big Bob Freelander: Well that's 'cause you haven't tried it.

Movie Connections:

References "All in the Family" (1971)

Soundtrack:

Ebb Tide

Beauty's slimy underbelly

So rarely do we find such a dark and acidic commentary filmed in such an exquisitely light fashion. "American Beauty" is an example of success in this genre, but the relatively obscure "Smile" reigns supreme.

It lays bare all the emptiness and hypocrisy of suburban America relentlessly and without mercy, and yet somehow manages to keep itself funny and bright and rarely deals with its subject matter with an overt contempt or scorn.

"Agent 99" Barbara Feldon is superb as the veneer ice-queen teen beauty pageant coordinator -- all diplomacy and smiles glossing over a charred and empty soul. (She greets the dog with smiles and kisses then ignores the husband.) Likewise, Bruce Dern portrays his vapid community leader role with perfect candor, and it becomes delicious to see him question what he perceived as the status quo.

A truly classic and trail-blazing film, well directed and edited and brilliantly written and acted. Such a shame it remains so obscure and unknown. This is one of my top five favourite films and becomes richer and more intricate with each viewing.

And I will never hear Nat King Cole sing the title song again and not picture the strained and pained perma-grins as the opening shot pans across the hopeful beauty contestants.