Tonight's Movie: Breezy (1973) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

In recent years I've become increasingly interested in the work of Clint Eastwood as both an actor and director.  I've enjoyed several of his films including EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE (1978), ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979), BRONCO BILLY (1980), and SULLY (2016).

Today I watched BREEZY (1973), one of the first feature films directed by Eastwood, following PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973).  It's available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

I initially had to get past the ultra-syrupy '70s Legrand-Bergman title music, a Muzak style which I find unlistenable -- I'm not kidding, I turned the sound off during the credits -- but once I got past that, I discovered a rather interesting film.

Breezy (Kay Lenz) is a young girl who by today's standards we'd probably call "homeless," but in the '70s she was considered a hippie, who makes it through the days hitchhiking, sleeping on couches or porches, and bumming meals off whoever she happens to meet.  She's had jobs but is not currently self-supporting.

Breezy happens to meet Frank (William Holden), a divorced realtor roughly three decades older, when she flees from an unpleasant hitchhiking experience and lands in his neighborhood.  Breezy is intrigued by him and ensures that they keep running into each other, and against his better judgment Frank finds himself enjoying her company; Breezy is relentlessly positive, while she says he often has a "black cloud" following him around.

Frank and Breezy grow close and enjoy some idyllic time together, but before long his awkward feelings about a romance with someone her age catch up with him, especially after they run into some of his friends.  Frank and Breezy part ways, only for Frank to quickly reconsider what's really important after a close friend has a serious accident.

This was an interesting character study thanks to the lead performances.  Though I don't generally have trouble with "May-December" romances, for instance LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1957), I did feel that Breezy was really young, and Frank's discomfort seemed appropriate.  

That said, she was unique, if not entirely admirable (i.e., the whole lack of a job thing), and Holden's performance was so good that I was curious to find out what would happen next.  (It's also of note that while Holden's face had become prematurely craggy, he was still in very good physical shape, even jumping over a tennis net.)  One really wonders if a long-term relationship is in the cards for the couple, but as Frank says, "Maybe we'll last a year," to which the unusual Breezy joyously responds, "Just think of it, a whole year!"

My overall feelings were mixed; like Frank and Breezy's relationship, the movie was somewhat uncomfortable, yet I found it worthwhile and feel as though it's going to stick in the memory for a while.  I felt it was thoughtfully done, directed and performed with sensitivity.  (That said, I could have done without a couple topless scenes which earned the film an "R" rating.)  

What I enjoyed the most was the way the film captures the '70s L.A. of my childhood in a bottle, from shaggy hippies and peace symbols to boat-like cars, canyon homes, and the Yamashiro restaurant, which opened in the early '60s and still exists today.  The final scene was filmed in Plummer Park in West Hollywood.

BREEZY was written by Jo Heims and filmed by Frank Stanley.  It runs 106 minutes.  The supporting cast includes Marj Dusay, Roger C. Carmel, Joan Hotchkis, Shelley Morrison, and Lynn Borden.  The actor playing the veterinarian was William Holden and Brenda Marshall's son Scott.

Kino Lorber's good-looking Blu-ray includes a commentary track by Howard S. Berger and C. Courtney Joyner; the trailer; and a gallery of half a dozen additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

Tweet