S.O.B. (1981) **1/2 In which it is predicted that a film in which Julie Andrews bares her breasts would generate $200 million at the box office. In fact the film pulled only $15 million, though the difference should be attributed to the ingrained nature of Hollywood insiders to exaggerate the minute they open their mouths, rather than any imperfections regarding the well-rounded talents and charms of Ms. Andrews. That all being fascinating, this is more than a film in which a quirky director makes a film about a quirky director who makes a film in which his matinee idol wife shows her tits, in which his matinee idol wife shows her tits. I mean, c'mon, we all knew Mary Poppins had it goin' on. Blake Edwards has a lot to say about Hollywood, says most of the printable stuff, and does so without getting evangelical or pedantic. I mean, the Richard Mulligan (director) character, was he a Viking or what? Sure, but compared to whom? He was ballsy, took chances, engaged in combat that looks frivolous from the outside but with stakes appealing enough for a lot of talented people to focus their lives on. But he's going nuts over control of a film that he doesn't even like, but thinks will be finanially successful. TV icons Larry Hagman and Loretta Swit are cartoons of other people, but William Holden keeps things at an impressive level. The Holden character represents not only everything that is good about Hollywood directors, but everything that can be good about Hollywood directors, given the milieu. He is shallow, and deep; self-centered and generous; idealistic and jaded. His scenes with Robert Preston are absolutely tremendous, even when, necessarily, tempered by the presence of others. Of the two films within the film, it's not entirely clear to me which is worse. Certainly Julie does the children's schmaltz with more enthusiasm, but they're written that way-and if she wanted to cater to the public's never waning interest in titillation, what would be wrong with that? I mean, isn't delivering to those needs something akin to being a secular priestess (and a well paid one, though perhaps not so well paid as the likes of Jimmy Swaggart)? Attendance isn't mandatory, and no harm's done. That being said, I like her career trajetory just the way it is.
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