Tuesday, August 25, 2009

best films: #96: ROMANCING THE STONE (1984)

Previously ranked and blogged at #98


It's an oft-forgotten gem (pardon that pun), and it's the best example I can think of the delightful romantic comedy sub-genre -- romantic ADVENTURE comedy -- which has virtually disappeared.  It was also the best pairing of the 1980s' own version of Tom Hanks / Meg Ryan.  The much younger Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner were an ultimate screen pairing, he of the Douglas Hollywood royal family and she of the hyper-sexualized Body Heat.  But there's something oddly compelling about this movie about a romance novelist and a outdoorsy thrill-seeker, and it has everything to do with the winning chemistry between its leads.  Of course, having perennial wisecracker Danny DeVito to assist in the comedic aspects of the film never hurts.  And while the movie only bolstered Douglas' budding career, it unfortunately left Turner with talking babies.  Methinks a repairing of this duo could make for a rather interesting adventure comedy...

Standout Performance:  Though it offers some admirable performances from Turner and DeVito, it's clearly the suave badboy Jack Colton, played with flair by Douglas, that steals the show.  As an honorable mention, character actress Holland Taylor as Turner's literary agent provides a few entertaining moments.

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