Purely Joyful Movie!

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

A Touch of Class is directed by Melvin Frank who also co-writes the screenplay with Jack Rose. It stars Glenda Jackson, George Segal, Paul Sorvino, Hildegarde Neil and Mary Barclay. Music is by John Cameron and cinematography by Austin Dempster.Two great lead performances and a sharp script propel this delightful sex comedy forward. Plot is no great shakes but it matters not in truth, divorced English woman meets American married man, an attraction is there and they agree to go away for a brief holiday to indulge in some stress relieving sex. Upon arrival at the Spanish resort, a number of things get in the way of the couple actually copulating. Once achieved, things start to go a bit sour, and the bickering and withering sarcasm starts. But hold on, there's more twists to come, right up to the bittersweet finale.Genuine laughs are dotted throughout, Jackson's waspish tongue an utter delight, and the pic never teeters over the edge into sentimental hog- wash. It's obviously a product of its time, though the extra-marital affair theme is daringly mounted for the era. A lovely film, funny, poignant and literate. Score! 8/10

A rather unfunny romantic comedy that amazingly got nominated for Best Picture along with four other Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress for Glenda Jackson. I can't for the life of me see what people were thinking at the time. Free love is one thing - I have no problem with that whatsoever - but the male protagonist in this movie, George Segal, is straight up just cheating on his wife. He's the hero of the movie! We're not exactly meant to sympathize with him, but he's supposed to be funny. I don't know how you could see him anything more than a total jerk. And Jackson, though she's thankfully divorced, isn't much better. She's a browbeating little shrew who isn't even remotely attractive, either physically or intellectually. I should have hated this even more than I did, but, though the characters are awful, the performances aren't half bad. And I loved the music. There are a few amusing moments, but this is mostly awful.

"A Touch of Class" strikes me as a poor Neil Simon wannabe, partially redeemed by the acting and chemistry of stars Glenda Jackson and George Segal and by a tolerably realistic ending. Most of the plot is as unrealistic and predictable as a lame TV sitcom and no funnier. Neither Steve nor Vicki is shown with any of their children, other than a few moments in the initial meet-cute scene: basically the kids are used entirely as excuses for unfunny babysitter complications. Nor is Steve shown as having any relationship with his wife that might make him hesitate to leave her for someone he adored. Their dogs get far more screen time than their families, presumably on the theory that canines are funnier than people. This is unforgivably lazy screen writing. See it for the performances, or skip it altogether. How this got nominated for Best Picture I'll never understand.

Not as good as I remember it - but then, what is? - A Touch of Class has dated pretty well, though there is no way this film would be made today; the moral ambiguity and the downbeat ending would give the money men a fit of the vapours.What does date the film more than anything is the music, which is for the most part archetypal, early seventies, easy-listening pap which slushes up loudly during 'romantic' moments. Having said that though, there are two really nice music cues towards the end of the film: in the scene where Segal's character leaves a Beethoven concert to meet with his lover intent on ending their relationship, the music he had been listening to in the concert hall continues under him leaving, and then their meeting. It's nicely done. The other moment is in the the final shot of the movie. As Segals's character clears out his stuff from the flat a song plays on the soundtrack. The last thing he does as he leaves is lift the arm off the record playing in the gramophone. The song stops. The movie ends. It's neat.Another dating moments occur when Jackson's character attempts to pay for the taxi and, later, buys a packet of oregano. In the taxi she offers 60p as her fare. By today's standards this is a laughably small amount for a taxi fare and the line stopped my credibility dead in its tracks till I remembered the film was 30 years old. So, future script writers of the world, if you intend your script to stand the test of time, inflation proof it. Don't put specific amounts in the mouths of your characters. Have them hand over cash and say "That's the right amount," or not say anything. Just show them the money, let the viewer fill in the amount in their head.