Thursday, September 10, 2015

They All Laughed (1981)


The first time I saw this movie I remember being perplexed by the amount of Country Music on the soundtrack. This isn’t some downhome story about good ol’ boys. This film takes place entirely on the island of Manhattan, home of the Yankees. But on this second viewing it all made perfect sense. As rollicking and toe-tapping as most Country Music can be, it is always underscored by a deep sense of sadness. Tales of absent parents, doomed love affairs and having to make tough decisions that benefit others but leave you alone. That’s precisely what this film is about. Of course there are plenty of wonderful, beautiful, romantic, hilarious moments strewn throughout its runtime, but the prevailing undercurrent is one of sadness. It’s the definition of, “bitter-sweet”. I absolutely get why this was a formative work for Wes Anderson. Perhaps Anderson’s next film will feature an all Country soundtrack too.

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