I've had a hankering lately to see the film of Neil Simon's The Star Spangled Girl again. Sandy Duncan and Tony Roberts tossing jabs. Already at that age, I was into plays and writing. I knew Neil was with Marsha Mason, and sought out her movies, Tony was in Annie Hall and then Manhattan, Sandy Duncan - has she played any un-perky roles? Mother of a serial killer on CSI maybe? No?
Neil Simon has written some great hits, but even with some misses, he has his own style. Like Woody Allen, he writes from life and is immediately identifiable. I am ready for the film to be to be dated and stilted, it wasn't much of a hit when it came out.
It's the wit I liked though. So, I found The Collected Plays of Neil Simon Volume 1. Besides Star Spangled Girl, it has The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Barefoot In The Park, and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers. If you're looking for the great theatre comedies, this is a pretty good collection of classics.
In Star Spangled, Andy and Norman run a failing anti-American magazine called Fallout. While they are trying to avoid being evicted, Sophie Raushmeyer knocks at the door. She's just moved in from Arkansas and is everything Fallout is not. She smells so good! Andy is smitten. There's some other hilarity and hijinks, but it's all about the lines, and this is full of one-liners. Obvious ones, ones I never saw coming, ones falling over the couch, one's on Mrs. MacKininee's motorbike. It's really warm and witty, and reminded me what a terrific writer Neil Simon is, he is one of the greats of the theatre. Even a slightly known, non-Simon-classic, like The Star Spangled Girl still shines out.
I was smiling while I read it between laughing out loud.
1968 / Paperback
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