The Love Machine * (1971, John Phillip Law, Dyan Cannon, Robert Ryan, Jackie Cooper, David Hemmings) – Classic Movie Review 5726

Originally cast star Brian Kelly was critically hurt in a motorcycle accident that left his right arm and leg paralysed in 1970 and John Phillip Law stepped into his role as oversexed TV personality Robin Stone.

News anchorman Stone lets his libido get the better of his career, in director Jack Haley Jr’s trashy 1971 release. Columbia Pictures’ film of Jacqueline Jacqueline Susann’s bestselling airport novel tries for steamy but instead just comes up seamy.

Among the good cast that is prodigally squandered is Robert Ryan as Law’s network executive boss Greg Austin, Cannon as Ryan’s sexy wife Judith Austin, Jackie Cooper as Danton Miller and David Hemmings, typecast as a Blow-Up-style photographer named Jerry Nelson.

Let’s take a look at Samuel A Taylor’s screenplay. It takes itself way too seriously, so there’s no camp or kitsch appeal. Where’s its sense of humour or its sense of irony? Jacqueline Susann has a cameo as a newscaster.

The songs He’s Moving On and Amanda’s Theme (music by Artie Butler, lyrics by Mark Lindsay) are sung by Dionne Warwick.

Also in the cast are Shecky Greene, Maureen Arthur, Jodi Wexler, William Roerick, Clinton Greyn, Sharon Ferrell, Alexandra Hat, Eve Bruce, Edith Atwater, Gene Baylos, Ben Lessy, Gayle Hunnicutt, Madeleine Collinson, Mary Collinson, Jerry Dunphy, Ann Ford, Mauritz Hugo, Claudia Jennings, Ted Meyers, Paula Mitchell, Greg Mullavy, Elizabeth St Clair and Lance Fuller.

It was savaged by critics, like the film of Susann’s other bestseller Valley of the Dolls (1967). Once Is Not Enough followed in 1975.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5726

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