It wasn't on par with some of Griffith's other work, but I thought it was a enjoyable little flick, albeit one with some
-
Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Onionhead
stewie-3 — 13 years ago(October 21, 2012 06:11 PM)
It wasn't on par with some of Griffith's other work, but I thought it was a enjoyable little flick, albeit one with some noticeable flaws. What I found most interesting was the director's attempt to mix so many film styles in one film. Griffith's interaction with Stella has the atmosphere and feel of a 30's era-film noir with Farr playing the role of the "bad girl" quite well. The attempts at humor veered from light comedy (the hair tonic gag) to Stooge-like slapstick (the bread baking scene), though the slapstick generally failed to deliver a laugh. Griffith's attempts to win the heart of his true love "Jo" also harken back to the 1930's, but in a Saturday Matinee romance way - sappy and corny, but in an unashamed, honest way. Underneath all that, you have a fairly serious tale about military honor and the unspoken code between men who serve together.
All in all, I give it about a 6 out of 10. It's muddled, and parts of the film just don't work. But the film's spirit and better than average performances from Matthau, Farr, and James Gregory make it successful overall.