Sir Francis Galton was a polymath and genius who noticed that genius seemed to run in families. He himself was the offspring of wealthy celebrities, the cousin of Charles Darwin, nephew of Erasmus Darwin and I don't know what all. He must have been right when he published a book in 1869 arguing that genius was hereditary.
Just look at the cast and crew of this movie as an example. Directed by Burt Balaban, the son of Barney Balaban who was chief of Paramount Pictures for thirty years, and brother of actor Bob Balaban. Barney was also the father of Nina Franciosa and ex father-in-law of Anthony Franciosa, as well as the father of Judy Balaban. Brooke Hayward, who plays Elizabeth, is related in one way or another to Pamela Harriman, Winston Churchill, Margaret Sullavan, Dennis Hopper, and Leland Hayward. Telly Sevalas, who plays the cop, is a direct descendant of Aristotle Onnasis, Socrates, and Zeus. A distant grandparent of John Davis Chandler, who plays Mad Dog Coll, was known to have posed for one of the gargoyles on Notre Dame Cathedral. Vincent Gardenia is the illegitimate son of Miklos Rozsa and Beatrice Lilly. NOW tell me genius -- or something -- doesn't run in families! I don't mind making fun of the movie because it really stinks. It's not just the low budget either. It's the almost total lack of imagination, care, and talent in its construction.
Stu Phillips wrote the abominable theme song (with bongos). "Mad Dog Coll thought that life was long; man, oh, man, was he ever wrong." The central figure can't act and has a face with all the beauty of the rear end of a Mack truck. The story takes place in the 1920s and the wardrobe and make ups are out of 1960. It must have taken five minutes to throw the script together. The direction is so pedestrian that it jaywalks. The narration is dumb.
Why go on? It's dispiriting to even think about it. All it lacks is an offensive social message to be a perfect egg.
Just look at the cast and crew of this movie as an example. Directed by Burt Balaban, the son of Barney Balaban who was chief of Paramount Pictures for thirty years, and brother of actor Bob Balaban. Barney was also the father of Nina Franciosa and ex father-in-law of Anthony Franciosa, as well as the father of Judy Balaban. Brooke Hayward, who plays Elizabeth, is related in one way or another to Pamela Harriman, Winston Churchill, Margaret Sullavan, Dennis Hopper, and Leland Hayward. Telly Sevalas, who plays the cop, is a direct descendant of Aristotle Onnasis, Socrates, and Zeus. A distant grandparent of John Davis Chandler, who plays Mad Dog Coll, was known to have posed for one of the gargoyles on Notre Dame Cathedral. Vincent Gardenia is the illegitimate son of Miklos Rozsa and Beatrice Lilly. NOW tell me genius -- or something -- doesn't run in families! I don't mind making fun of the movie because it really stinks. It's not just the low budget either. It's the almost total lack of imagination, care, and talent in its construction.
Stu Phillips wrote the abominable theme song (with bongos). "Mad Dog Coll thought that life was long; man, oh, man, was he ever wrong." The central figure can't act and has a face with all the beauty of the rear end of a Mack truck. The story takes place in the 1920s and the wardrobe and make ups are out of 1960. It must have taken five minutes to throw the script together. The direction is so pedestrian that it jaywalks. The narration is dumb.
Why go on? It's dispiriting to even think about it. All it lacks is an offensive social message to be a perfect egg.