SHAMUS (1973) ** As usual Burt Reynolds is cartoonlike and heroic, but not modest. The most irritating parts are more sloppy than real efforts poorly done. Burt's drinkin' and womanizin' don't quite paste onto Brooklyn, where he is beloved by cops, mafiosos, and floozies alike. No matter, several scenes are very funny, the problem is when they forget to be humorous for extended periods of time. Apparently there was some question somewhere as to whether this might have made a good serious film (it couldn't have), resulting in the mule team pulling in several different directions. I mean, before the opening credits are even over a couple has been immolated by a flamethrower, and Burt has leapt off his pool table bed into a legitimate hangover. Dyan Cannon, Larry Block, and John P. Ryan provide worthy and entertaining characters for Burt to engage in various intercourse with, but they never even give him a cool car to drive fast...that army truck just don't cut it.
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