Review: The Woman in Red

Meek, middle-aged advertising man Gene Wilder has a comfortable life with his wife (Judith Ivey), two kids, and job stability. In the midst of a midlife crisis, he’s about to mess with it all when he spots a hot number in a red dress (Kelly LeBrock), and his mind – and eye – gets to wandering. Joseph Bologna and Charles Grodin are Wilder’s friends, Gilda Radner turns up as a co-worker whom Wilder inadvertently offends.

 

American remakes of French comedies were all over the place in the 80s and 90s, with “Three Men and a Baby” and the underrated “Three Fugitives” probably coming off best. This 1984 film from director-writer-star Gene Wilder doesn’t quite make the same grade, I’m afraid. Despite the light and fluffy sheen and Wilder’s trademark sweet yet anxious screen persona, there’s something a bit ‘off’ here in this very slight yet slow romantic-comedy. Looking at it from a 2022 perspective this is an outdated, rather seedy male fantasy with a dreadful, flippant ending that doesn’t resolve a damn thing. Yes, the film is a bit equal opportunity on the infidelity and hypocrisy front, but nonetheless…it’s not overly romantic material, is it?

 

That leaves it up to the comedy to save things, and that side actually works…in fits and starts. There’s an especially funny – and especially awkward – bit where Wilder walks in on his own surprise party…with his intended mistress. Wife and kids present. Yep, that’s a tough one. Wilder plays the scene for all it’s worth, in fact his performance is pitch-perfect throughout. On the downside, I didn’t think Gilda Radner’s character was needed in the film at all, let alone amusing. She’s here because of her real-life soon-to-be husband Wilder (they married shortly after filming wrapped here), and I think her screen time would’ve been better off given to Kelly LeBrock, who despite being on the poster and playing the title character isn’t in much of the first act. As for her actual performance, the model is no actress and gives her usual wooden performance (but is certainly not miscast as a ‘dream woman’, doing the same thing in the much better 1985 film “Weird Science”). Picking up her acting slack, we get very fine performances by Judith Ivey, Joseph Bologna, and Charles Grodin (whose character’s secret is handled with more sensitivity than you might expect), with Bologna especially terrific as a rampant philanderer. Best of all is the soundtrack, predominantly by Stevie Wonder, but with an assist by Dionne Warwick. Their opening duet is rather forgettable by their rather lofty standards, but Wonder delivers the goods with the Oscar-winning hit song ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ and the upbeat, very 80s title song. I know some find the former too cheesy, but for me it’s the most romantic thing in the entire film.

 

So far as romantic comedies about infidelity go, this box-office hit is occasionally amusing, but very slight, very slow, and decidedly un-romantic. I haven’t seen the French original, but this one hasn’t aged very well I’m afraid. It’s watchable and mostly well-acted, but that’s about it. For Wilder fans only.

 

Rating: C+