University of Virginia Library

No Miscast

There isn't a single miscast
character in the film, and the entire
cast should be mentioned, but can't
be for lack of space. Brewster is
admirably portrayed by Bud Cort,
while Sally Kellerman is hauntingly
beautiful as Louise, his
godmother-protectoress.

The ladies often steal the show,
with roles ranging from Margaret

Hamilton's bitchy singing of "The
Star-Spangled Banner" to Shelly
Duvall's innocent seduction of
Brewster to Jennifer Salt's
one-woman orgy. The most
incredible role in the film is a
grotesque, played with gusto by
outstanding character actor Stacy
Keach.

My biggest complaint about the
film is John Philips' songs. They're
nice top-40 material which seem
especially out of place in the film.
Of course, Philips and his buddy
Lou Adler produced the film, so we
most expect pretty cloud shots so
Philips can promote his songs white
we're forced to listen.

The best song in the film is
Rosamond and James Weldon
Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and
Sing," the black national anthem.
As sung by Merry Clayton, its
tempo establishes a pace that never
lets up throughout the film, which
is also due to the excellent editing.
The song, however, may lead clever
and observant viewers to recognize
the ironies Altman is starting to
present and may force them to pay
close attention to every detail.

The ironies of the film are its
strong point. With them, Altman
has created a fantasy world which
exists in. Houston and her
Astrodome. It's a strange, savagely
funny world, a living Mad Magazine
with the bitter wit of Firesign
Theatre and the irreverence of
the National Lampoon blended into
one whole, and it all lives and
breathes in glorious Metrocolor and
boggling Panavision creating its own
sense of reality.