The American Success Company *** (1980, Jeff Bridges, Belinda Bauer, Ned Beatty, Steven Keats, Bianca Jagger) – Classic Movie Review 10,439

Director William Richert’s 1980 The American Success Company [Success] [American Success] is a peculiar but sometimes funny black comedy about the inexperienced but ambitious son of a credit-card tycoon who decides to change his luck in marriage and business by assuming a new tough guy identity.

Jeff Bridges, who had just been starring in director Richert’s equally odd Winter Kills, leads an excellent cast as Harry, considered a loser by his boss Mr Elliott (Ned Beatty) and his boss’s daughter Sarah (Belinda Bauer), who is also his wife. With help from prostitute Corinne (Bianca Jagger), he becomes the new man and hatches a plan to steal from the company he works for.

The humorous hit-or-miss screenplay is by Larry Cohen (It’s Alive) (screenplay and story) and Richert.

A West German/ US co-production made in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it was a moderate success.

It was made to raise the money to finish Winter Kills.

It also stars Belinda Bauer, Ned Beatty, Steven Keats, Bianca Jagger, and John Glover.

It was originally released as The American Success Company [aka Success, or Good as Gold, or The Ringer]. It was later re-edited slightly and released as American Success. In 2005 it was re-edited by Brian Q Kelley, with some deleted footage restored and a new narration by Jeff Bridges, as Success – The Director’s Cut. It was screened at the Munich Film Festival in 2006.

On 20 October 2020 Jeff Bridges tweeted: ‘I have been diagnosed with lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery.’

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,439

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