The Worst Film Ever

Excellent, a Must See

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

'Norman... is that You', was popular on the dinner theater circuit in the '70's. It was strangely written by Sam Bobrick earlier of 'The Andy Griffith Show' then later created 'Save By the Bell'. This inspired casting by big time TV producer George Schlatter had Redd Foxx. I saw this when I was stationed at a remote site and they would send us one movie a week (before video, and it was like in 'MASH' except without any women). Everybody was looking forward to a raunchy Redd Foxx comedy and when it started every black guy walked out. The rest of us laughed our butts off at this funny, bawdy comedy. 'Madame' who became a TV star on 'Solid Gold' was the foul mouth older temptress and Pearl Bailey in limited screen time was Redd's wife and foil. With Redd Foxx trying to understand why his son has become gay (not Stephen Foster)the black guys in the original screening had to wait 40 years to accept black gay men on the screen, 'Empire', that's to bad. This is a very funny coming of age movie, and only for those who don't offend easily.

I have no idea as to which audience director George Schlatter hoped to sell this comedy-of-ills. With Redd Foxx in the central role and enough pimpy outfits and polyester to carpet the entire 1970s, "Norman" plays like a blaxploitation picture combined with any number of silly sitcom episodes involving comic misunderstandings, not to mention an elongated cameo by Waylon Flowers! Based on a play by Sam Bobrick and Ron Clark, this tale of an estranged married couple (Foxx and Pearl Bailey) learning the hard way that their son is secretly gay--and living with a mincing, prancing white homosexual--has enough limp-wristed jokes to shame any early episode of "Three's Company". Bailey keeps her dignity, and Foxx's sheer confusion is good for a couple of chuckles, but the rest of the performers are humiliated. * from ****

This snarky, homophobic thing was dated in 1976. It seems particularly mean-spirited now, filled with gay stereotypes, and characters that are meant to be laughed at, rather than with. Redd Foxx does his standard schtick, Michael Warren at least tries to bring humanity to a one dimensional character, and Pearl--Pearl what were you thinking--? Pearl Bailey deserves far better.

From the producer of "Laugh-In", this movie is about as sophisticated as the average 70's sitcom, yet three times as long. Presented as part of MGM's "Soul Cinema" series, this black version of the classic "family discovers their son is gay" movie doesn't add anything new to the genre, and lacks any camp sensibility that might be a saving grace. There's only so many times that seeing a family "shocked" that their child is gay can be interesting - "Norman" comes off like a poorly executed issue-of-the-week movie from the bad old days. There's better queer and blaxxploitation flicks out there, I recommend passing on this one...