Arthur

Written and directed by Steve Gordon, Arthur follows the alcoholic title character (Dudley Moore) as he meets and falls for a sassy New Yorker named Linda Marolla (Liza Minnelli) – which, given that he’s meant to marry a wealthy society type (Jill Eikenberry’s Susan Johnson), inevitably causes problems within his upper crust family. There’s little doubt that Arthur benefits substantially from the irresistible relationship between Arthur and his loyal yet hilariously sarcastic butler (John Gielgud’s Hobson), with the characters’ ongoing banter proving instrumental in initially capturing the viewer’s interest. (Gielgud’s scene-stealing work justifiably netted the actor an Academy Award.) The affable vibe is heightened by Arthur’s initial encounter with Minnelli’s Linda, as Gordon offers up a charming meet-cute that immediately forces the viewer to root for Arthur and Linda’s coupling – although it’s interesting to note that Gordon resists the temptation to transform Susan into a shrill, snooty villain (ie she’s perfectly nice in her own way). It’s only as Arthur segues into its comparatively slow midsection that one’s attention begins to wane, with the progressively less-than-captivating atmosphere exacerbated by the relative absence of both Minnelli and Gielgud’s respective characters (ie Gordon emphasizes the protagonist’s episodic exploits to an almost oppressive degree). The film subsequently suffers from a hit-and-miss quality that wreaks havoc on its momentum, thus ensuring that the whole thing peters out long before it arrives at its admittedly upbeat and satisfying conclusion – which effectively cements Arthur‘s place as a watchable yet consistently uneven piece of work.

**1/2 out of ****