Lord Love a Duck

 Again, I have seen this film before. I still like it for several reasons, but before I explain why, I would like to point out that I found the framing and editing quite careless, as if the visual director felt a little too off-hand about the whole thing. Perhaps he did, and perhaps he was justified. This movie can only aspire to cult classic status, and will never be considered a true success.

Both Ruth Gordon and Tuesday Weld play highly sexualized characters, although in Ms. Gordon's case, the sexuality is mostly verbal. Ms. Weld, though, simpers and wiggles and otherwise lives it up. I remember specifically any scene involving cashmere sweaters. You would, too. Although it feels like too much while one watches, I think it may be necessary to her character. Barbara Ann is a vacuous nobody, who, if she had any depth, might be bitter. The actress does a marvelous job capturing that, though, and we truly wonder how Allen (Roddy McDowall) gets at all emotionally involved.

Roddy McDowall's character has much more depth and energy, but his focus (as a teen) is captured by Barbara Ann, who abuses it terribly until the final moments when he breaks completely. In my youth I never quite understood what happens because the ending doesn't feel as serious as it should. But in fact, Allen does commit a horrible crime made light by the script and filming. It seems now a careless ridiculousness, or the desperate humor of a confused generation.

Memorable quotation: (from a drive-in minister) "Prayers are answered because whatever happens: that's the answer."

Ultimately, the movie is funny and ironic and insightful.