Blake Edwards: Laughter for the soul

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 23 December 2010 10:38

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help parents choose what to watch with their children. This week, we pay tribute to a creative writer and director who taught us how to laugh, cry and see ourselves: the late and great Blake Edwards.

Of the many people who make movies, few so willingly reveal as much of themselves in their work as the prolific, creative and thought-provoking Blake Edwards. In a rich collection of films, this master writer and director — who died last week at age 88 — consistently makes us chuckle, smile and recognize our follies. And he leaves us with film lessons we will never forget.

“Good things come in small packages.” Few movie images are as unforgettable as the first glimpse of Audrey Hepburn, in a gown holding a coffee in a cardboard cup, standing in front of Tiffany’s on an early Manhattan morning. In the magical romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961, Edwards reminds us that the best movie memories can come from small moments. Who will forget Hepburn playing the guitar on her fire escape or searching through the rain for her cat? With Henry Mancini’s lush music score — for which he would win one of four Oscars for films with Edwards — movie romance would never be the same.

“Looking in the mirror can be difficult.” For a director best known for comedy, Edwards reveals his soul in two striking dramas starring Jack Lemmon. In Days of Wine and Roses in 1962, Edwards spotlights a married couple who try to confront the realities of alcoholism. He guides Lemmon to deliver the finest dramatic work of his career in a performance that, years later, continues to haunt in the risks he takes. In 1986, Edwards and Lemmon team again to explore an aging man’s ego, disappointments and hunger for companionship, in the meaningful drama That’s Life. Together, the star and director willingly expose their vulnerabilities to tell their stories on screen.

“Laughter is good for the soul.” Edwards struck Hollywood gold, starting in the mid-1960s, with the Pink Panther movie series starring the legendary Peter Sellers. Seen today, while the punch lines still work, Edwards’ visual sense of humor is what keeps the movies fresh. He, simply, can do more with a sight gag than any director since the masters of the silent era. And, with Sellers, he has a perfect foil for his unique view of what makes people laugh. No director demonstrates a more consistent sense of comic sensibility than Edwards at his peak.

“Life can be complicated.” In the crown jewel of his career, Victor/Victoria in 1982, Edwards dares to create a complex farce with a relevant message. While delivering the most dazzling comedy in his canon, he also poses the question, “how certain are we of who we are that we can bypass the possibility that we may be something different?” With his wife, Julie Andrews, in one of her iconic roles, Edwards delivers a musical comedy classic as fresh and rich today — and just as thought provoking — as when it first opened nearly 30 years ago.

Show off the star. Since 1969, Edwards’ partner on screen, and off, has been the marvelous Andrews. Despite the professional challenges they faced in the 1970s — when audiences seemed to dismiss almost anything they did — the director knows how to bring out the best in his star. In Darling Lili — the under-rated musical from 1970 — Edwards shoots Andrews with loving care to reveal a fresh glamour; in 10 (1979) and SOB (1981) he gives her the chance to show off her rich sense of humor; and, in That’s Life (1986), she delivers a piercing dramatic performance that helps us remember how much this actress can do.

Take a look for Blake Edwards’ films as you search for classics to enjoy. He brings a consistent, clear point of view, always helping us see ourselves, and giving us many chances to smile and a laugh, too.

Cheap preparations can, advair no prescription, Discounts and Bonuses. Online pharmacy, buy allegra without prescription, low prices. Antibiotics as well as, generic allopurinol, treatment Effectiveness.