They All Laughed

Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Year Released: 1981
Rating: 1.0

I did not. Three pathetic 'detectives' (Ben Gazzara, John Ritter and Blaine Novak) are hired to follow two mischievous ladies (Audrey Hepburn and Dorothy Stratten) by their suspicious husbands, but Gazzara falls for Hepburn and Ritter for Stratten (whatever happened to professional distance?). This is really just a ridiculously meandering exercise in narcissism (or artistic bankruptcy - take your pick) on the part of Bogdanovich, who has the gall to cast Ritter to essentially play him (complete with oversized glasses) and proceed to trip over or knock into every obstacle that comes into his way - I've always liked Ritter, but his attempt at physical comedy is terrible. In fact, the performances are, for the most part, lousy - save Gazzara, who looks like he's still in Cassavetes Mode - with the worst of the worst (an impressive feat) being Colleen Camp as a too-hyper country singer given to repeating Ritter's character's name until you wish to see her shaken senseless. Bogdanovich, in my estimation, has yet to make a good film after Saint Jack in 1979 - I admire him more for his acting appearances and overall support of the medium's history (he's one of film's greatest cheerleaders) than for his directorial output.