Seems Like Old Times (1980) Columbia/Comedy RT: 100 minutes Rated PG (language, sexual innuendo, brief violence) Director: Jay Sandrich Screenplay: Neil Simon Music: Marvin Hamlisch Cinematography: David M. Walsh Release date: December 19, 1980 (US) Cast: Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Charles Grodin, Robert Guillaume, Harold Gould, George Grizzard, T.K. Carter, Judd Omen, Marc Alaimo, Yvonne Wilder, David Haskell, Chris Lemmon, Joseph Running Fox, Ray Tracey. Box Office: $43.9M (US)
Rating: *** ½
Seems Like Old Times is a fine example of romantic comedy done right. It reteams Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn from the excellent 1978 comedic thriller Foul Play and throws the always great Charles Grodin (Midnight Run) into the mix. It also has a well-written screenplay from award-winning playwright Neil Simon (The Odd Couple) and tight direction from TV veteran Jay Sandrich. I can’t get over how well this movie works; it’s a rare case of every element coming together in just the right way. It may not be as consistently funny as Foul Play, but how does one go about improving upon perfection?
Seems Like Old Times came out around the time I started going to the movies on a regular basis. I caught a Sunday afternoon matinee at a neighborhood theater with my best friend at the time. The movie had been out for a while and it finally came to a theater where my father could just drop me off after church. Even at the tender age of 13, I could tell that Seems Like Old Times would be a winner. I liked it very much despite the rude kids sitting behind us who wouldn’t stop making noise. Trust me, I gave them a piece of my mind outside after the movie. Ah, the reckless abandon of youth.
As for the movie, I still enjoy popping it into my trusty DVD player when I need a good laugh. I recently showed it to my wife for the first time and she seemed to like it. And why not, it’s a very easy film to like. It’s good natured and intelligent, the comedy is well-timed and the chemistry between the two leads is perfect. That last thing is absolutely crucial when making a successful romantic comedy. I really wish that Chase and Hawn had worked together more than twice.
Chase plays struggling writer Nick Gardenia who gets forced at gunpoint to rob a bank in Carmel by two gun-toting criminals who show up at the cabin where he’s gone for some peace and quiet to work on his latest book. During the robbery, a security camera takes a clear picture of Nick which finds its way into the hands of Los Angeles district attorney Ira Parks (Grodin) whose wife Glenda (Hawn) also happens to be Nick’s ex-wife. She’s a defense attorney whose idea of rehabilitating her clients is hiring them to perform odd jobs for her. Ira is in line to become the next Attorney General of California; the situation with Nick would hinder his chances of being elected.
Nevertheless, Glenda tells her husband that she will defend Nick when he is caught because she believes that he is innocent. An injured Nick shows up at his ex-wife’s home after the two robbers throw him out of the car (while it’s moving, of course). She agrees to hide him from her husband and the police until he can straighten everything out. As you might expect, romantic sparks begin to fly between them again. The situation gets worse when Ira invites the governor (Grizzard, Bachelor Party) to his home for a small dinner party. It’s an ideal situation for some terrific screwball humor and the makers seize the opportunity like it’s a multi-million dollar-winning lottery ticket.
From start to finish, Seems Like Old Times is hilariously funny! It’s a throwback to the great old screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s. It ranks alongside such classics as Bringing Up Baby, a movie that still cracks me up every time I think of it. The sight of Cary Grant wearing that ladies’ bathrobe is just too funny! In the case of Seems Like Old Times, the thing that always cracks me up is Glenda and her six dogs. She’s so kind-hearted that she can’t bear to part with any of them, something that really annoys her uptight husband who’s most definitely NOT a dog lover. The sight of Glenda and her six dogs sharing a bed (much to the extreme annoyance of Ira) gets me every time. At home, we had just gotten a second dog (good old Ginger!). My mother spoiled those dogs while my father sat there grumbling and shaking his head. When I mentioned this part of the movie to him, he pleaded with me not to put any nutty ideas in my mother’s head.
In my opinion, it’s some of Neil Simon’s finest work. Bear in mind that his credits include The Odd Couple, The Goodbye Girl, The Sunshine Boys and Murder by Death. Unfortunately, he’s also responsible for Only When I Laugh, I Ought to Be in Pictures, The Slugger’s Wife and The Marrying Man. Like I said, everything in the movie just clicks perfectly.
When talking about movies, people often refer to “the good parts”. There are a lot of good parts in Seems Like Old Times. I remember talking about it with some other kids in my homeroom the next day and we couldn’t stop laughing over our favorite parts. Between this movie and Stir Crazy, 9 to 5 and Any Which Way You Can, 1981 got off to a pretty funny start. I’m well aware that they are all 1980 movies, but I actually saw all of them in the early months of ’81. Seems Like Old Times is funny no matter what year it is. It’s also a reminder that Chevy Chase used to make funny movies once upon a time. I’m looking at you, Vegas Vacation!
