A rare, non-romantic romantic film; Poetic and non-cynical; Lots of truths for the ages

Aw-komon

One of my all time favorite flicks is 'Little Fugitive' which was a major inspiration on the French New Wave.  'Lovers and Lollipops' is from the same filmmakers. It is not as immediately novel as 'Little Fugitive' but just as satisfying overall.  It is about the burgeouning romance between a beautiful widow (Ann) and an old friend (Larry) and the angle from which Anne's 8 year old daughter Peggy sees this significant event.  Peggy becomes a force to be reckoned with, sometimes charming and often annoying the hell out of Larry, who knows he has to win over the daughter's heart as well as the mother's. This might seem cliche, but the way it is handled by Engel and Orkin, is anything but, even to this day.

The semi-documentary style is absolutely fabulous and very much influenced by Italian Neo-Realism.  The outlook of Engel and Orkin, however, is very far from Rossellini's or DeSica's.  It is non-cynical and quintessentially 'American.' Yet for all that it is not fake and romantic in a harmful way. It is simply the other side of the coin without any mawkish embellishments and nonsense. There is, in addition, an authentic feel for the characters and what it was like to live in New York at this time. In fact, there are shots and scenes in this movie that are some of the most poetic I've ever seen anywhere.  The long shot at the museum, for example, where the maxim 'comedy is life in long shot' is brought home so effectively; or the scene where Peggy is mouthing all the words Larry is reading her and Larry realizing this, speeds up his reading, making her laugh uncontrollably. The romance between Ann and Larry, though on the surface a perfect match, is handled with maximum care and made authentic at every turn.  The seeds of what might become its undoing are made apparent at every stage, especially with regards to Peggy, who almost succeeds in breaking it up.


Overall, a definite MUST SEE, especially for anyone interested in authenticity in 1950s American films, something you will not find in 99.9% of period Hollywood product.

score /10

Aw-komon 1 August 2000

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0058533/