I’ve always had a soft spot for Arthur, the noble king of British
legend, and I have nothing but affection for animated Erie icon Arthur
the aardvark. I’ll also readily admit to an excessive fondness for
golden-voiced Arthur Garfunkel and endearing Muggle-loving wizard Arthur
Weasley in the Harry Potter series. One Arthur that has always eluded
me, however, is the titular character in the 1981 romantic comedy
written and directed by Steve Gordon. While he’s easily the most
obnoxious of the five, I’m still happy to add him to my list of Arthur
acquaintances.
Dudley Moore plays Arthur Bach, a swingin’ rich
kid who never grew up. He’s well into adulthood now, but he still
surrounds himself with toys and devotes his life to lavish pleasures,
including a steady intake of alcohol that leaves him perpetually soused.
When his father expresses his disapproval with his lifestyle and
threatens to cut him off if he doesn’t enter into the marriage long
arranged for him with socialite Susan (Jill Eikenberry), Arthur
reluctantly agrees to his terms. Then he meets Linda (Liza Minnelli),
and life gets a little more complicated…
The movie takes place
over a short period of time as Arthur prepares for the wedding he
doesn’t want while wooing sweet but street-smart Linda, who works as a
waitress to support herself and her beloved father, who dreams of a
better life for them both. When a multi-millionaire begins to take an
interest in his daughter, his enthusiasm at the prospect is quite
entertaining.
Arthur’s own father isn’t in the picture much;
instead, Arthur spends his time with Hobson (John Gielgud), the elderly
butler who has been both father figure and best friend to him throughout
his life. Gielgud’s performance is my favorite of the film as he
skewers Arthur, Linda and others with his withering Simon Cowell-esque
wit but occasionally betrays flickers of his deep regard for this man
who needs his mentorship so desperately. Arthur’s feisty aunt Martha
(Geraldine Fitzgerald) also cares for him in her own peculiar way, and
her shocking remarks are among the movie’s funniest, and his cheery
chauffeur Bitterman (Ted Ross) brings a smile to the face while he’s on
screen.
This is a charming coming-of-age film if you can get
past Arthur’s perpetual drunkenness. It examines whether wealth or
freedom is a more valuable commodity and shows the dangers of having too
many resources and not enough ambition. Mostly, though, it’s just a
movie with an entertaining lead and a story of mentorship that is just
as heartwarming as the romance.
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