Resembling a TV-movie in story, script, direction, cinematography and music, this late-career entry of Turner's is pretty hapless. Though top-billed, her role is relatively insignificant and she has little to say or do in the film except to face blame for a long ago deed. Single teacher Birney meets architect Hylands (very improbably) as he is fishing in a fountain for his date's car keys. When the date runs off, he and Birney strike up a relationship and, over the course of some "gum commercial"-esque scenes, proceed to live together, get pregnant and plan to wed. Hylands takes Birney to Canada where his parents (Lansing and Holm) live for the wedding. Her parents (Alda and Turner) are on an extended cruise and can't (or won't) be there. At the wedding, Hylands' brother Friedrich snaps endless Polaroids (!) of the backs of the couple's heads, but for a later boat trip, he is shown with a 35mm camera! He takes a picture of Birney with her new father-in-law. Later, when the newlyweds finally meet HER parents, Turner sees the photograph and is aghast. It turns out that she had had a one night stand thirty years ago with Lansing and that Birney is actually his daughter, thus making the happy couple half-siblings who have committed incest and are about to produce a child! The rest of the film involves the decision to have the baby or not and to proceed with the relationship or not. Unfortunately, what could be scintillating, even, for some, titillating drama never gets anywhere because most of the revelations are done offscreen, thus robbing the audience of some good reactions. Also, the true meat of the subject is only skirted around. The feelings and issues of the situation are never fleshed out properly. Birney just always needs time to think. But what about?? Toothy Birney and wiry Hylands manage a few decent moments as a couple and have a degree of chemistry, though neither one has the charisma to carry a feature film. Lansing does pretty well in an understated performance (certainly better off here than he would be in two years on the debacle "Empire of the Ants"!) Holm tries to inject some warmth and class into it, but is wasted. She is improbably matched with Lansing and, at times, looks like his mother. Alda, with some terrible get-ups and a serious comb-over, is also not given much to do with his part. Strickland, appearing briefly at the beginning and later at a party, adds a touch of humor and wit. The film could have used her later on. Someone forgot to tell Turner that it was 1976 and not 1958. She gets about 11 seconds where she can relax and from then on, her character is in a constant state of fret and sorrow. For her, every scene is about what billowing or beaded or tailored concoction she can wear. She even drags out her signature fur coat and head scarf look which was fine in its day, but seems overly melodramatic here. She was 56 years old playing a 51 year-old and looking like a 71 year-old. The cinematographer did her no favors in this movie (nor to Holm or even Birney.) Though top-billed, her appearances are pretty brief and, like everyone else except the couple, she is wasted! The two sets of parents never get any decent confrontation scenes or scenes of discussion or understanding. It's hard to believe that this is the same director who delivered the deliriously campy "Back Street" and "Midnight Lace". The film is so dull and halfhearted. Also, depending on how important the subject of bloodline is to the viewer, it can seem pretty icky. Ultimately, it's so drab and uninvolving that it ceases to matter.
Review of Bittersweet Love
