Tall Story is a college campus comedy, playfully highlighting a cold war era clash between us and the Russians in the form of an exhibition basketball game. Jane Fonda as the coquettish Jane Ryder in her film debut is engaging, entertaining, and a little bit cutesy. Anthony Perkins is a bit awkward for an All-American college star who also happens to be an honor student vigorously pursued by Fonda. From the moment Fonda's bicycle-riding Jane Ryder crashes into the two professors played by Ray Walston (foreshadowing Mr. Hand in Fast Times At Ridgemont High 20 years later) and Marc Connelly, the film proceeds similar in fashion to a situation comedy on television minus the laugh track.
Director Joshua Logan keeps the film moving at a brisk pace but is less successful at convincing us that getting married to have sex and beating the Russians regardless of playing fair or not makes for a satisfying denouement. Logan was more successful as a choreographer. By the film's end, nearly every character compromises his/her ethics in some way in order to achieve the desired result of the script, which is to have Perkins character, Ray Blent, participate in the big game vs. the Russians in time to seal the victory. In order to do so, Ray Walston's Leo Sullivan is reduced to an overly stuffed shirt ethics professor, who is pressured by Fonda's Jane Ryder, the basketball coach played by Murray Hamilton, and his wife Myra Sullivan played by Anne Jackson. This scenario, though played for laughs in the film, is not too dissimilar from what today's students and parents do to teachers in order to get their way.
Jane Fonda, in her debut film, already displays star quality and comedic talent in abundance. Anthony Perkins is acceptable in the film but does not appear to be as athletic as his character is supposed to be, somewhat of a flaw. Fonda and Perkins, interestingly enough, have a key scene inside of a cramped shower stall in the middle of the film, predating Perkins in Psycho by only a few months. The script was written by Julius Epstein, which was based on the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and the novel "The Homecoming Game" by Howard Nemerov. Look fast for Robert Redford as a basketball player and Van Williams as a guy who exposes himself to Fonda in the men's shower area in their film debuts. Also, look for Tom Laughlin, Gary Lockwood, and Joe E. Ross in small roles. **1/2 of 4 stars.
Director Joshua Logan keeps the film moving at a brisk pace but is less successful at convincing us that getting married to have sex and beating the Russians regardless of playing fair or not makes for a satisfying denouement. Logan was more successful as a choreographer. By the film's end, nearly every character compromises his/her ethics in some way in order to achieve the desired result of the script, which is to have Perkins character, Ray Blent, participate in the big game vs. the Russians in time to seal the victory. In order to do so, Ray Walston's Leo Sullivan is reduced to an overly stuffed shirt ethics professor, who is pressured by Fonda's Jane Ryder, the basketball coach played by Murray Hamilton, and his wife Myra Sullivan played by Anne Jackson. This scenario, though played for laughs in the film, is not too dissimilar from what today's students and parents do to teachers in order to get their way.
Jane Fonda, in her debut film, already displays star quality and comedic talent in abundance. Anthony Perkins is acceptable in the film but does not appear to be as athletic as his character is supposed to be, somewhat of a flaw. Fonda and Perkins, interestingly enough, have a key scene inside of a cramped shower stall in the middle of the film, predating Perkins in Psycho by only a few months. The script was written by Julius Epstein, which was based on the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and the novel "The Homecoming Game" by Howard Nemerov. Look fast for Robert Redford as a basketball player and Van Williams as a guy who exposes himself to Fonda in the men's shower area in their film debuts. Also, look for Tom Laughlin, Gary Lockwood, and Joe E. Ross in small roles. **1/2 of 4 stars.