The Four Seasons
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Movie Reviews of The Four Seasons
Movie Review: "Is this the fun part? Are we having fun yet?"
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1981, Alan Alda wrote and directed a film inspired by and named after a famous piece of classical music written by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741): "The Four Seasons". The film's plot centers around three middle-aged couples who enjoy sharing vacations together: Jack Burroughs (Alan Alda), Kate Burroughs (Carol Burnette), Nick Callan (Len Cariou), Anne Callan (Sandy Dennis, 1937-1992), Claudia Zimmer (Rita Moreno) and Danny Zimmer (Jack Weston, 1924-1996). Each vacation occurs about every three months, beginning in the spring, then to the other three seasons; with each accompanied with Vivaldi's seasonal movement of music. With each vacation, something new is learned about the various couples. In the spring at a secluded lake, Nick reveals to Jack his desire to divorce Anne. In the summer while vacationing on a sailboat in the Caribbean, Nick is no longer with Anne; instead he brings a young girlfriend named Ginny Newley (Bess Armstrong). With Nick constantly giving Ginny presents and keeping the other two couples up at night with their noisy activities, Jack & Danny find it difficult to keep their eyes off of Ginny to the consternation of Kate and Claudia. With autumn, the three couples visit some of their college-aged children, Lisa (Elizabeth Alda) and Beth (Beatrice Alda), at a Connecticut university and get the unexpected visit from Anne. When Jack expresses his jealousy towards Nick while playing soccer, Kate expresses her unhappiness with his obessesion over Ginny as well as her tiring of being responsible for setting up the couples' vacations. Lastly, in the winter, the three couples go on a ski trip. There, the ongoing rivalry between Nick and Jack results in the two them being injured while trying to show off with inappropriate tricks on cross-country skis: Nick with a broken ankle and Jack with a torn tendon. Following Danny expressing his fears of death, Ginny expresses her discontent with being the outsider and goes for a walk alone in the snow. With Nick & Jack impaired, Danny decides to go and look for her; but he ends up falling through some thin ice. It's then up to the other five to rescue the hypochondriac Danny, but it may cost him his most prized possession: his new Mercedes.
With an interesting story, engaging characters, good acting, wonderful cinematography and appropriate music, "The Four Seasons" is well worth watching and I rate it with 5 out of 5 stars. Though it was filmed nearly 25 years ago, the film is by no means dated as the issues that it raised then are just as relevant today with many middle-aged couples that have been together for a long time.
Movie Review: The Four Seasons
Summary: 5 Stars
Jack and Kate, Nick and Ann, Danny and Claudia are three couples who, in their words, had shielded themselves from the "Winds of Divorce" through their friendship with each other. They spend countless weekends and vacations with each other and for years they have a perfect relationship........or so they think. During a spring time weekend trip to celebrate Nick and Ann's 21st wedding anniversary, Nick and Jack are gathering firewood when Nick makes a surprising confession........he's leaving Ann! Nick cites that Ann is no longer stimulating and exciting. He declares that he's through with her, her quirky behaviors, and wants to start a new life with a new family. Jack attempts to get Nick to reconsider his decision but Nick is steadfast.
During their summer vacation, Nick has met a much younger beautiful women. Enter Ginny who has fallen for the older, wiser, and seasoned Nick. She is impressed with his job, his life experience, and believes most everything he tells her about himself. Nick and Ginny are very happy but it leaves Jack and Kate and Danny and Claudia feeling insecure and unsure about their own futures. The story addresses the other couple but mainly focuses on Jack and Kate. Kate accuses Jack of being jealous of Nick and Jack is trying to convince her he is not while maintaining a composed exterior.
Alan Alda did a fantastic job of writing and directing this film about middle age couples in the early 1980's. While I was in my 20's at the time, it addresses the fears that middle aged couples experienced, sudden divorce, younger women interested in older men. It also addresses the stability that couples also felt. One very touching scene was when Nick and Jack were gathering fire wood. Nick and Jack have the following conversation:
Nick: Are you and Kate happy?
Jack: Yeah, very.
Nick: No I mean really happy.
Jack: Yes but not every minute. There are times when we drive each other crazy. Like the way her teeth click when she eats, the way I smell my sweatshirt before I put it on. Then there are times like the one we're in now. It comes over us like an unexpected wave. I can't wait to be with her and when I'm with her my heart beats faster. I'd expect that from a stranger but not someone I've spent half my life with. It's wonderful.
This particular scene always stuck with me. I bought the movie and enjoy watching it frequently. Whether you were middle aged at the time, a young person, or whatever, you will enjoy this movie.
Movie Review: Well, you're wrong: I'm quirky BECAUSE I hurt.
Summary: 5 Stars
Ah, finally we see the release of Alan Alda's tour de force THE FOUR SEASONS on DVD. While we should all rejoice in the fact that it is to be released at all (it wasn't looking good there for a while!) we should also scoff at what a flimsy release this is going to be. A commentary by Alda would have been great; an ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN TRANSFER would have been better! This is going to be another lame "pan and scan" job with no extras, and that is sad. This is a fantastic film about adult relationships with excellent performances around the table. I love this movie and I will buy the DVD the day it comes out, but a decent issue of this classic film would have made the buy all the more sweeter. The good side is at least the cost reflects the package. And now, I present some irrelevance: "Look, you can't lay all that on my shoulders. Don't you know how much this place stinks? Don't you know what it's like to stand day after day in blood? In the blood of children? I hate this place. And if I can't stand up to it to your satisfaction, then... then the hell with it. How dare you? The hell with your Iowa naivete, and the hell with your hero worship and your teddy bear, and while you're at it, the hell with you! Why don't you grow up for crying out loud? I'm not here for you to admire. I'm here to pull bodies out of a sausage grinder, if possible without going crazy. Period."Movie Review: Great relationship movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite movies about relationships. Alan Alda has written a brilliant comedy that shows how essentially healthy adults respond to problems and conflicts-- with humor, intelligence, honesty and compassion. And yeah, mistakes too.
These characters are fully realized as individuals and as they relate as couples. They each have their own quirks that show a different way to handle emotions. When Len Cariou decides to get a new wife, Sandy Dennis decides to get a snake...Carol Burnett wears her feelings proudly while Alan Alda tries to hold on to his until he pops... Rita Moreno remains passionate "because I'm Italian" and Jack Weston is simply hilarious as he tries to cope with his fears about death and underwear....
Through the movement of the seasons, each couple is required to face something in themselves and learn from it. A good life is not about living happily ever after, it's about managing all that life throws at you with skill and good friends..
I would enjoy going on vacation with these people-- it would never be boring!!
So get this movie-- you may learn something about yourself as you laugh.
Movie Review: Loved The Four Seasons !!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The print was excellent, the plot we all know. What a force Alan Alda was and how lucky we are to have a bit of him left to history from his heyday! Two from the cast,Sandy Dennis and Jack Weston, are no longer with us, but their comedy talent lives forever in this romp of three couples and their vacations together.
Len Cariou shines and the selfish and emotionally inept Nick. Jack Weston as the hypocondriacal dentist and Rita Moreno as his grounded artist wife are hilarious! Bess Armstrong as beautiful and naive Ginny shines.
I loved Carol Burnett and Alan Alda as the more sane couple in this comedy. How fortunate I have been when this came out in DVD.
My biggest regret is that this didn't have a second disc and wasn't a special edition with surviving cast member interviews and interviews from back then.
Take the time and buy this, as well as Alan Alda's other great comedy Same Time Next Year. I am even considering getting Sweet Liberty. The side-splitting role that Michael Caine played makes the whole move worth it as well.