Luv Reviews

This one worked on stage, because we were in Schisgal's surrealistic world, a bridge on which three people met, lived, loved, argued, and nearly died. Director Donner, working from Baker's screenplay, has attempted to expand the story, adding unnecessary characters, and the result is a seldom funny, often dreary picture. Loser Lemmon is about to leap from the Manhattan Bridge when he is stopped by former schoolmate Falk, an ambitious and wealthy man who trades on Wall Street daily and deals in junk nightly. Lemmon is thrilled that he has been halted in his suicide attempt and can't thank Falk enough. Falk has been trifling with Wayne, a gym teacher, and he would like to rid himself of his neurotic wife, May. Lemmon and May meet, waltz around a bit, and eventually fall in love and marry, once the divorce is done. Falk has given May everything to get the divorce, so he and Wayne are living in poverty. Her once sleek figure is getting plumper. Lemmon and May aren't doing any better: Lemmon is twice as indifferent as Falk ever was. Falk and May realize they still love each other and decide that Lemmon and Wayne might make a nice couple. Neither Lemmon nor Wayne have any interest in each other. Falk and May plan to murder Lemmon and leave the suicide note he provided in the first reel to put the police off the scent. Falk takes Lemmon to the bridge and is about to throw him off, but he slips and falls off himself. Lemmon and May leap into the water to save Falk, and Wayne, who just happens to be jogging by, jumps in with the other three. It all happens so quickly that we're not sure who threw who into the water. The film is tedious and plodding and tries much too hard to be funny. Mulligan's music is the only plus.