‘Foul Play’ (1978): A Hitchcockian Slapstick Comedy (review)

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The Colin Higgins written and directed 1978 comedy thriller “Foul Play” successfully fuses two seemingly disparate genres. With a strong cast, superb scriptwriting, and clever humor throughout, it’s a hilarious romp. While pacing is a bit uneven, “Foul Play” is nevertheless a charming, unique flick.
Recently divorced librarian Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn), against her better judgment, picks up a hitchhiker Bob “Scotty” Scott (Bruce Solomon) on her way back to San Francisco. Gloria accepts Bob’s invitation to the movies that evening, but before getting out of her car, Scotty asks Gloria to hold onto his pack of cigarettes under the pretense that he’s trying to quit smoking. Unbeknownst to Gloria, a roll of film is stashed in the cigarette pack. Later on, Bob arrives at the movie theatre bleeding, and ominously warns Gloria to “beware the dwarf.” By the time a panicked Gloria returns with the cinema manager, Scotty’s body is nowhere to be found.

The next day, Gloria is attacked at the library by an albino, Whitey Jackson (William Frankfather). Escaping, Gloria seeks asylum from a stranger in a bar, Stanley Tibbets (Dudley Moore), a British ex-pat who mistakes Gloria inviting herself to his flat for coming on to him sexually.  Upon returning to her apartment, Gloria is attacked by a badly scarred man, but manages to fight him off and call the police. But when Lt. Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase) and Inspector Ferguson (Brian Dennehy) arrive, there’s no trace of any crime.

“Foul Play” combines Hitchockian elements with slapstick comedy for an unusual, albeit successful and enjoyable, adventure. The movie revolves around a mysterious roll of film, and a divorcee librarian Gloria who’s become embroiled in a plot to assassinate Pope Pius XIII (Cyril Magnin). Like Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew too Much,” Gloria becomes unwittingly entangled with an assassination attempt. Moreover, Higgins employs a slew of devices from Hitchcock’s film making repertoire including a few notable MacGuffins, or seemingly-important, obviously-placed objects that ultimately prove inconsequential. The soundtrack, composed by Charles Fox, further solidifies the thriller aesthetic. It’s ripe with notes of tension that reinforce the suspense elements of “Foul Play.” Barry Manilow sings the original song “Ready to Take a Chance Again,” which plays over the opening credits.

It’s a predominantly narrative-driven film chock-full of situational humor and taut script-writing. When a dying Bob enters the theatre, he warns “There’s going to be a murder.” Gloria, in reference to the on-screen motion picture matter-of-factly replies, “Oh, I’m sure of it.” Bob urges her, “Contact the police.” Again, Gloria interprets his comments in reference to the film they’re watching, reassuring him, “Oh, actually the cab driver is with the police.” Another scene finds a little person (Bill Barty) arriving at Gloria’s apartment offering “life everlasting.” Although he’s an innocent Bible salesman, Bob’s ominous warning to beware the dwarf, causes Gloria to attack him. This doublespeak permeates the entire movie, and marvelously fosters a string of hilarious misunderstandings.

Acting further contributes to the movie’s all-around excellence. Goldie Hawn plays divorcee librarian Gloria with a balance of slightly ditzy and remarkably competent. Similarly, Chevy Chase is the bumbling yet suave Lt. Carlson. Burgess Meredith puts in an appearance as Gloria’s super and a martial arts expert proving a valuable asset in the third act. But it’s Dudley Moore as Stanley Tibbets who steals each scene he’s in. The character of Tibbets proves riotously hilarious and serves as a unifying thread throughout the movie. Initially, Gloria encounters Stanley in a bar while hiding out from Whitey. Stan promptly puts on a record, ironically of the Beegees track “Stayin’ Alive,” because, well, Gloria is merely attempting to avoid a demise at the hands of the albino, Jackson. Later, Mundy encounters Tibbets at a happy-endings massage parlor, and Stan pops up unexpectedly in the third act as well.

At times, the plot feels like a string of sketches woven together cohesively. This mostly derives from its situational humor. However, the pacing, while generally lightfooted, could be improved. Notably, the romance scene between Tony and Gloria is a bit dragged out. Similarly, the beginning finds Mundy and Carlson meeting at a party, then the pair don’t reunite until around a quarter of the way through the film. The opening scene seems somewhat perfunctory, tacked on haphazardly to set up a romance. Without that scene, the story doesn’t lose anything. Still, “Foul Play” is an enchanting movie that pairs an unlikely duo of a Hitchcock-inspired noir mystery with over-the-top, clever slapstick comedy.

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