Sunday, July 21, 2013

WUSA (1970)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Olive Films)

Homeless and broke former musician Paul Newman meets similarly aimless Joanne Woodward in a New Orleans bar. He lands a job at a conservative radio station and they move into a French Quarter apartment together. Meanwhile, neighbor Anthony Perkins goes about his job as a "welfare surveyor", visiting the cities poorest residents. Perkins is an altruistic liberal, so when he finds out his job is just a sham for corrupt Republican politicians he begins to act strangely. Newman's employers turn out to be working with the same crooks, leading to an uncomfortable situation at the apartment complex. It all ends at a political rally that echoes similar events of the late 60s. As a result, the film is very much a product of its time and feels dated. It is difficult to empathize with Newman's character because of his apathy and drunkenness, which indirectly lead to the tragic, downbeat ending.

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