ALAN RUDOLPH

Bil’s rating (out of 5):    BB. 

USA, 1988.  Nelson Entertainment.  Screenplay by Alan Rudolph, John Bradshaw.  Cinematography by Toyomichi Kurita.  Produced by David Blocker, Carolyn Pfeiffer.  Music by Mark Isham.  Production Design by Steven Legler.  Costume Design by Renee April.  Film Editing by Scott Brock, Debra T. Smith.

This meandering drama features characters who constantly threaten to be memorable but never quite manage it. Keith Carradine plays an American expatriate living as an artist in Paris who gets involved in a scam involving forged paintings. When he re-encounters an old flame (Linda Fiorentino), he is dismayed to find that she is now living with a heartless, filthy rich art collector (John Lone). He does whatever he can to take her away, but complications ensue. Supporting characters such as Wallace Shawn and Genevieve Bujold add lots of colour, but no matter how good Rudolph is at recreating the period this film is completely lifeless.

Venice Film Festival Award:  In Competition