My gosh what a fun morning it’s been. This movie was from exactly 40 years ago. One of those late 70’s early 80’s “relationship” movies. But since Woody Allen wasn’t in it, it was enjoyable to watch. I was looking over Burt’s credits on IMDB. My word that man made some crap. That’s why this was so fun for me. His popular movies that appealed to the type of young man I was back then just didn’t work once you got past age 35 or so. Movies like Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, Hooper. Then the very same year he made Best Friends, Dolly Parton’s tits took top billing in possibly the worst movie of the last half of the 20th Century: The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.

Clearly I’m no film expert, I just know what I like. And for such a talented and likeable guy, he must have had the worst instinct in the business. But then my tastes don’t match up with the rater’s on IMDB, they gave Best Friends an aggregate 5.5 out of 10 (I gave it 8 of 10). Ouch. I kind of liked Deliverance. Pretty much liked The Longest Yard. Really liked White Lightening and Gator. His co-star Goldie Hawn is a real sleeper. I think she’s someone that audiences really like. And I just enjoyed seeing Burt in a role other than the aw shucks countryboy cliche like his ‘Bandit’ character.

Plus in an early 80’s film such as this, it’s so much more restrained and so much less testosterone. Sure there’s the minor annoyance of the “oh poor pitiful me, I’m healthy, wealthy, everybody loves me but my every whim is not being catered to in this relationship!” But if you can suspend that, it was a fun movie. One of the things I noticed watching it this morning on TCM, was how beautifully it was shot. A reviewer there told me it was by Jordan Cronenweth (what kind of name is that?). And the music! Michel Legrand (“Summer of ’42” “The Thomas Crown Affair”). I noticed one at least was performed by Patti Austin.

And just as interesting is what TCM played after it (below), and the mystery of it.

After ‘Best Friends’ they played ‘The Thomas Crown Affair‘. A pretty silly ‘caper’ movie that was supposed to be really cool. It starred Steve McQueen and the very annoying Faye Dunaway. But the real surprise of it was the small role of ‘Gwen’ by Astrid Heeren. I have an eye for obscure female talent from half a century ago. Astrid had an unusual career. The German born beauty didn’t start her career as a supermodel until age 21, which is kind of late from what little I know. But what is really strange is her “movie career”! 4! Count them 4. And one was an uncredited role in Vice & Virtue (1963), ‘tall prisoner’. Bizarre. Then she made The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Castle Keep (1969) and she wrapped it up with the memorable Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972).

She wound up her film career when she was 32. From a fairly wealthy family and a very lucrative career as one of the 60’s top models, I’m sure she didn’t need the money. Still it just seems really weird. Then on Facebook there’s a fanpage of this little known star from 50 years ago! How does that work? Its almost as weird to me of someone else from that era named Claudia Cardinale. I would love to know an industry insider whose brain I could pick for a couple of hours to solve some of these mysteries. To find out why some people of questionable looks and talent have gangbuster careers, and others like Astrid languish in relative obscurity!