As the follow-up to his big 1967 breakout hit film Bonnie and Clyde, director Arthur Penn made a movie in 1969 based on Arlo Guthrie's famous rambling draft-dodging folk song "Alice's Restaurant." Best I can tell, this movie was not a big hit, and doesn't particularly have a big reputation today.
Arguably though, the movie is a far greater artistic achievement than Arlo's sweet and catchy but somewhat shallow song. A hawk who thought that the Vietnam war was necessary and appropriate would dismiss the idea that littering would disqualify you from defending the country just as vigorously as hippy Arlo thought it was ridiculous that littering was considered to have made him morally unfit to shoot up Vietnam. That's just an illustration of rigid bureaucratic foolishness, not really any big statement about The War. Likewise, the movie is not a big moral statement so much as a quiet observation of this troubled corner of the human experience.
Arlo played himself in the movie, and the tale of the garbage and the draft board came out as pretty much a straight illustration of the song narrative. It is, of course, a funny story, and Arlo made for a very natural and charming screen presence. It's kind of a shame that he hasn't had more of an acting career.
I was particularly pleased to find that officer William Obanhein played himself in the movie. He had maybe not name recognition, but much more positive public renown as a repeat model for famous Stockbridge resident Norman Rockwell. As the local chief of police, he was the subject of numerous Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers and such, like this famous painting of The Runaway.
Whereas of course the song makes him out for the butt of the joke, a real life incarnation of Barney Fife carrying on about the rules at the big house. It doesn't sound like he really needed the recognition that badly, but he cheerfully played the fool in the movie. He showed some significantly better sense of perspective than you would guess from the original song. Deputy Fife would have never done this. [William Obanhein pictures]
However, the song is not nearly enough to make a movie. A movie wouldn't have any need for more than the eighteen minute length of the original song for these two little vignettes. After all, Arlo thoroughly broke down the harrowing details of the 27 8x10 color glossy photos in the song. How much more could you wring that out?
Article comments
1 - Richard Marcus
Thanks Al, I have to confess that on any of the occasions I've tried watching the movie, that I've never been able to see the point of it, and shut the thing off. I like Arlo and I like the song, but to make a movie out of a song, no matter how long the song is, just doesn't pan out.
I'm sure lots of people will protest your critiques of "hippy" lifestyle, but I have to say any of the people I've met these days who profess themselves to be hippies, seem to not take anything seriously, how they think that they are some sort of alternative lifestyle worth emulating is beyond me.
Communal requires a commitment from all people to an ideal of each person doing something towards contributing to the common good. I've lived with "Hippies" whose concept of that was occasionaly going to the food bank. Not what I'd call an equal share of the work load.
It sounds like the movie Alice's Restaurant, was therefore fairly accurate and unblinkered in its look at this alternative lifestyle of the children of the upper middle class. Not many poor kids ever lay around doing expecting the world to be given to them on a platter.
Good review Al, thanks for the contribution.
Richard
2 - Scott Butki
Good review, Al. I've been watching this movie -
and writing a review of it - in bits and pieces and
expect to finish doing so later this weekend.
3 - Al Barger
Outstanding Brother Butki. I look forward to seeing your observations.
4 - Scott Butki
read on Wikipedia, I think, that Officer Obie figured if he was gonna be portrayed as an idiot he might as well do it himself.
I finished the movie last nite and wrote a rough draft of a review.
I am going to listen first to Arlo's audio commentary - did you listen to that, Al? - in case he says anything more about the song and movie.
5 - Scott Butki
Ah here's the Wikipedia summary of the song and the movie, which is an interesting read.
6 - Al Barger
No Scott, I have not heard the audio commentary. This would, however, be a good opportunity to note that I do not have the DVD to have that commentary. It's called "DVD Review" for the sake of standard Blogcritics formatting, but I actually watched the movie on VHS.
7 - Scott Butki
scandalous.
i haven't followed the movie vs dvd debate but i assumed the dvd review
included those who watched, well, the dvds.
i'll be sure then to include dvd extras on my review to make up
for that
8 - Howard Dratch
Within your asides about those with other views during the turbid and turgid days of the Vietnam war before we lost it, I agree with Richard that it is a good review and a fun, evocative but, ultimately, unsatisfying film (or DVD or VHS). Just as movies from TV shows and from cartoons usually are turkeys.
Looking back at those confused times the movie is an "artifact" and a period piece and, for some of us, a time machine back to those (good?) old days. Life on the hip side rather than the life of my classmates from the South who were either blown to bits or more proud of the picture of their bomber than their family, was, as you say, not much different than the straight folk. Happy/unhappy. Loyal/disloyal. Nice/obnoxious. People are, in the end, human and such is the nature of the film.
9 - Scott Butki
I was thinking it'd be a dvd review if it includes dvd extras and a movie review if it isn't
10 - Mohjho
1. Yes, the song is much more enjoyable than the movie. I watched it once, and tried to forget it.
2. Arlo was also in the movie Roadside Profits. Small cameo, but still amusing.
3. Hippies = Irresponsible lifestyle, lol, duh
The hippie movement of the 60s was a youth movement. Bucking responsibilities was all part of the fun. Most of the hippies I know put down their bongs and picked up a paycheck, started families, bought properties, ete....
Funny how things work out.
11 - Scott Butki
OK, my take on the movie has been published.
It is here
12 - Scott Butki
For two different perspectives on the movie may I direct your
attention to two reviews at DVD Savant.