This is not a pretty picture of the sexual revolution. However, this display of male sensitivity apparently resulted in Arlo getting a lot of tang thrown at him subsequently in the real world.
Other than the obvious tent pole events from the song, the movie doesn't have that strong a plot. But that reflects the lack of linear plot in the lives of the drifting hippy subjects of the film. That's not to say that it's pointless or aimless, but that it's more about ongoing themes without much clear resolution rather than a specific story.
The most significant theme of the movie is the lack of any sense of responsibility within the hippie community. It's all happy go lucky, but in the practice a lot of the burden of the survival of their whole sweet but sorry group came down to Alice (Remember Alice? This is a movie about Alice) putting in the hours of labor in the restaurant to keep food on the table. Work ethic was clearly not a high value to most of these other characters, though — including her husband.
I don't know all the actual historical details of of the Brock relationship or which ones of these characters in this quasi-historical narrative are real. I note that Arlo is credited writing wise only with the song, not anything else in the screenplay. That is credited to a Venable Herndon, who has only one other obscure TV writing credit at IMDB. Doesn't matter to me, as my interest is in this specific artifact. Anyway, the hip community in this film was just as screwed up as the squares.
But beyond that, the lack of responsibility gets right down to their intimate relationships, evidenced as faithlessness. Thus, Ray is more or less the bad guy at least in the movie version really more than any intruding adults. He's too wussy to be particularly wicked, but there's Alice left holding the bag, standing all alone and abandoned in the end of it.
It really does turn out to be a movie about Alice, unlike the song.
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.