Foul Play (1978) – Surprisingly good comic thriller

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Writer, Director: Colin Higgins

Genre: Comic thriller

Time: 1 Hour 51 minutes

Platform: You Tube

Alfred Hitchcock made 58 films over 50 years of which 11 were superb spy films, though they were marketed as “suspense thrillers”. His films influenced and continue to influence generations of filmmakers, in terms of shots, angles, or sometimes total transplantation of the story.

Foul Play can be aptly titled as The Woman Who Knew Too Much since the influence of The Man Who Knew Too Much (and North by Northwest) is clear. However, the story is humorously narrated in line with the lead actors’ renowned comedic timing.

Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) is divorced and working as a librarian. She picks up a stranded man Scotty, who is being followed by some unknown people. Scotty promises to meet Gloria for a movie in the evening and asks her to keep his cigarette packet. When Gloria shows up in the movie theater, Scotty comes late and then falls dead. She runs to the manager to fetch help and when they come back, Scotty/ his body is missing. She is kidnapped by some people from whom she escapes. She narrates the story to Police officer Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase)  and his disbelieving colleague Fergie (Brian Dennehy) . They return to the location where she was believed to be held captive, only to find some pious God fearing members of a church group. Her next encounter convinces Tony that she needs protection and that there is someone out there , who wants to harm Gloria. based on movements of a hired assassin, Tony discovers a plot to assassinate the Pope, who is visiting San Francisco and plans to attend a special performance at City Hall.

A
lthough the story appears serious, it is narrated with complete humor, specifically tailored to highlight the comic talents of lead actor Goldie Hawn as Gloria. Hawn was at the top of her comic game in the 1970s and it is easy to see why. She matches wits with the cynical wit of Chevy Chase. There is a side track about Dudley Moore playing a frisky Music conductor who keeps bumping into Gloria, leading to more comic mayhem though it does distract after couple of incidents.

The influence of Hitchcock can be easily seen in the way Gloria faces disbelief from the Police, similar to Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest. The nod to both Hitchcock films is clear and the peppy script by writer director Colin Higgins, keeps it going at a blistering pace, with never a dull moment. Higgins had only two more directorial credits  – 9 to 5 and Silver Streak – before passing away due to AIDS.

An enjoyable lightweight watch for a relaxed evening. Most of all, it has withstood the test of time and is still enjoyable after 46 years .

Trivia: though this film is fictional, there was a serious attempt on the Pope’s life in May 1981. Mehmet Ali Agca shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome. Its a bit eerie to see Agca smile , saying the Pope forgave him, and narrate the events in the Netflix documentary SpyOps.

The film is free on You Tube

Someone has gone to great lengths to compare the film’s locations then and now. Its interesting ; do take a look at it to see how some locations have changed while others are only marginally different.

The movie locations Then and Now

Script – 4 out of 5

Story – 4 out of 5

Direction – 4 out of 5

Photography – 4 out of 5

Total – 4 out of 5