When a film is obscure, the easiest way to explain such obscurity is that its cast and creators lack or have not yet achieved adequate fame. In those rare instances when a film sinks into obscurity despite the cast and creators being at the very peak of their respective careers, it could serve as a very telling hint about the film’s overall quality. One such example is Bobby Deerfield, a 1977 romantic drama directed by Sydney Pollack.
The plot is based on Heaven Has No Favourites, a 1948 novel by the famous writer Erich Maria Remarque. The protagonist, played by Al Pacino, is Robert “Bobby” Deerfield, an American racing driver whose cold, calculated, and professional approach on the track has brought him fame and fortune, but, when applied off the track, leaves him unhappy and unable to connect with people. He is also troubled by the prospect that it all might end abruptly, because on the track there are many drivers who lack his skill or luck. After witnessing one such terrible accident, he goes to visit a survivor being treated in a Swiss Alps sanatorium. There he meets Lillian Morrelli (played by Marthe Keller), a beautiful woman whose extroverted character and spontaneous behaviour represent his complete opposite. Despite these differences, Bobby begins a romantic relationship with her and the two travel around Italy. Lillian’s behaviour becomes more erratic and irrational, but Bobby is blissfully unaware that his lover is actually racing against time.
At the time of the premiere, Al Pacino enjoyed a reputation as one of Hollywood’s top actors, following a series of iconic roles in incredibly successful films that had brought rave critical reviews, excellent results at the box office, and prestigious awards. Director Sydney Pollack had also enjoyed an excellent run with his previous films, including those belonging to the genre of romantic tear-jerkers like The Way We Were. Swiss actress Marthe Keller had also enjoyed success, having recently been awarded a Golden Globe for her appearance in Marathon Man, another iconic New Hollywood film.
So, what went wrong? The answer might be found in one of two relatively good things that can be said of Bobby Deerfield. The first is Dave Grusin’s soundtrack, which is at times pleasing to the ear, and the second is the cinematography by Henri Decaë, which provides the audience with many eye-pleasing images of picturesque French, Swiss, and Italian locations. Pollack, who would later describe Bobby Deerfield as “the most European film of his career”, was apparently so enamoured with those images that he forgot to pay attention to pacing, making this film overlong, many scenes repetitive, and any flaw in Alvin Sargent’s script fatally enhanced. The characterisation is so poor that even Pacino – who, like a good Method actor, had actually bothered to learn to drive for the sake of the role – can’t breathe life into the protagonist. Keller, on the other hand, comes across as annoying and lacks chemistry with Pacino despite the two actually being a real-life romantic couple on set. The film is even more disappointing for racing fans, who have the opportunity to actually see that sport only in a few relatively brief scenes. Bobby Deerfield might have been great fun for the cast and crew on set, but, as in many similar examples, those who see it on the screen are going to have quite a different experience.
RATING: 2/10 (-)
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