It's pretty impossible to resist Blakes Edwards films. I've been in love with his work since BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. And his career was chock-full of wonderful films that showed his range and his immaculate command whether in comedy (THE PINK PANTHER and VICTOR/VICORIA) or drama (DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES). But it is the comedies we remember most because they made us laugh. THE PINK PANTHER franchise was beloved. He also directed 10, which made both Dudley Moore and Bo Derek major stars of their era. And he continued to to develop, write and direct films. Some of them were hits and some were rather embarrassing flops that were very good films (I'm thinking of DARLING LILI). Edwards concocted this brilliant film, which is one of the best send-ups of Hollywood ever. The story of a successful director who finally delivers an expensive flop to his studio, is a way of life in Hollywood. Few actors and director are ever able to string together more than three hits in a row. All careers in Hollywood goes through their ups an downs. DARLING LILI had been a massive failure for both Blake Edwards and his wife, Julie Andrews. After that film, both Edwards and Andrews were keeping very low profiles because the studios had moved on. But with S.O.B. Edwards not only produced one of the best Hollywood satires of all time, but he did so brilliantly. He assembled one of the finest casts of any film of any era. Julie Andrews, William Holden, Robert Preston, Robert Webber, Richard Mulligan, Robert Loggia, Shelly Winters, Robert Vaughan, Loretta Swit, Larry Hagman, Craig Stevens, Marisa Berenson, and Rosanna Arquette (at the beginning of her career). I'm not going to give away any plot details here. The satire is hilarious, and shows you how egos clash and go to war in a creative field like the movies. Edwards gleefully skewers these awful personalities and the casting of this wonderful ensemble pays huge dividends. This was Holden's last film, and as the only one in this insane group of grasping characters, he is the soul of a great guy who you want on your side, no matter what. Robert Preston, who plays the doctor with the right combination of drugs for every situation is hilarious. Robert Loggia and Robert Webber were equally adept at playing heavies and fools. Shelly Winters, playing a Sue Mengers-type agent, is pitch perfect. Robert Mulligan has always been able to play crazy, but Edwards has given him the role of a lifetime as the wronged director and he rises to its craziness with drugged-induced insanity that makes you laugh over and over again. Some here think that he was over the top. Yes he was, but it works. Julie Andrews is terrific as the movie star wife, trapped in her goody-two-shoe roles. When their latest film flops, her husband finally comes out of his drug-induced stupor with the idea of recutting it into an X-rated adult film, upping the crazy even more. Andrews knew this character perfectly, and delivers it superbly. Loretta Switt is hilarious as the obnoxious, accident-prone Hollywood gossip columnist. The ensemble here is whip-sharp and Edward's commanding direction sets them all off to dazzling effect. S.O.B. is laugh-out funny a lot of the time and shows us a master auteur at the top of his game. There would be a number of collaborations between Edwards and Andrews over two decades. This is one of their very best.
Review of S.O.B.
S.O.B.
(1981)
BLAKE EDWARDS TURNS THE TABLES ON THE MOVIE FOLK HE MADE $MILLIONS FOR
4 November 2019